Photo by Anete Lusina
As Pride Month draws to a close, we find ourselves once again on the cusp of Fourth of July weekend. Throughout the first half of this year, we have honored and commemorated Black History, Women’s History, AAPI, Arab American, and Jewish American Heritage, as well as LGBTQ+ Pride. Now, our calendars remind us that it is time to celebrate our country's independence and reflect on the freedoms that all Americans are entitled to.
At the same time, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs are being attacked at state-funded universities and affirmative action in college admissions has been ended by the Supreme Court. States are still fighting legislative battles over drag bans and gender-affirming healthcare. Millions of women still don’t have access to safe and legal reproductive healthcare. Black Americans still face disparities across many aspects of society, from law enforcement and criminal justice to employment, housing, financial services, health care, and others.
As a nation, we have not yet lived up to our aspirations. Many people with marginalized identities continue to lack access to the resources, opportunities, and freedoms many of us will celebrate next week.
So how can we begin to change these surface-level norms of advocacy and allyship into meaningful systems-change for the people we aim to serve in our observance month celebrations? To know where to start, we have to take a few steps back to understand the full picture.
Why observance Months?
Commemorative and heritage months were created to recognize and honor the histories, contributions, achievements, and struggles of specific groups of people who have been historically marginalized or underrepresented in mainstream narratives. While it remains crucial to honor the resilience of these groups, it is equally important to recognize the grave consequences that arise when a dominant group wields unchecked power.
Some of these months grew directly out of advocacy movements to stop oppression and gain equal freedoms. For example, Pride Month came out of the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 and Women’s History Month was originally a labor movement spearheaded by the Socialist Party of America. Founders of movements like these are usually seeking to challenge the status quo. They want to bring awareness to social injustice, change inequitable systems, and prevent the same kind of harm from happening again in the future.
Unfortunately, no fight for freedom is won-and-done. The repeal of Roe v. Wade demonstrates that even when rights are established as precedent, marginalized groups remain vulnerable to their potential loss. The education resource Learning for Justice explains that “The heroes and holidays approach reinforced by heritage months,” as it’s applied in the classroom, “places non-dominant groups in silos outside of the standard curriculum, thus perpetuating marginalization.” A similar phenomenon happens in mainstream media: taking a “good vibes only” approach to observance months (especially when the marginalized group is still fighting for equitable freedoms) can have the countereffect of further tokenizing marginalized communities and erasing their struggle. This is the result of observing commemorative and heritage months without acknowledging the realities these groups are facing in the present.
Performative DEI is Harmful
If people were skeptical about DEI before 2020, the situation became worse when big corporations pledged billions of dollars to Black Lives Matter and aligned organizations—and never came through with the receipts. Executives continued paying for quick fixes like standalone implicit bias trainings to “check the box” so they could say they did something and move on. Brands still fail at virtue signaling all the time, and audiences notice when messages are insincere. The wave of “DEI fatigue” happening now is coming out of the same frustration with stagnant systems that never seem to change and waning trust in DEI efforts as a solution.
Leaders committed to building an equitable society recognize that deeply ingrained social and cultural biases affect everyone and every organization. The biases prevalent in politics and media are the same ones that contaminate our homes and workplaces—that latter of which not only provide employment opportunities but also perpetuate generational wealth disparities. Acknowledging the inherent biases within organizational systems should not be a source of shame. However, organizations that neglect to take action in addressing these biases will be subject to scrutiny and held accountable in the court of public opinion. People have become increasingly aware of social issues and inequalities, and they expect their favorite brands to prioritize and demonstrate a commitment to caring for the most vulnerable individuals within their organizations.
How to Operationalize DEI Values
With their agility, adaptability, and closer connections to their employees, SMBs have a unique opportunity to set a new standard and inspire larger organizations to prioritize DEI efforts. This begins by showcasing, particularly at the highest levels of leadership, a commitment to translating values into tangible actions and decision-making on a daily basis. For example, one of our clients expanded bereavement leave to cover all loved ones, not just immediate biological family. While attending a Pride parade is an easy way to show support for LGBTQ+ employees, it will not have the same effect if these same employees are not provided with the personal time they need to mourn the loss of the people closest to them.
If observing commemorative or heritage months on social media is an important part of your branding strategy, you can find ways to back up those messages with meaningful action. Try using these strategies to start putting your DEI values into practice:
Make the time to work on DEI strategies by streamlining other processes and prioritizing carefully.
Your colleagues have valuable insights related to current challenges and possible solutions. Give them a channel to share their voice so that you have the evidence needed to identify the goals that will be most meaningful to those you work with.
Be strategic with data collection from the beginning so that you can understand the full impact of your work over time.
Ensure that employee resource groups, affinity groups, and DEI committees have a dedicated budget and real decision-making power.
Measure progress through the establishment of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). To achieve success, DEI should be integrated as a strategic priority, rather than treated as an independent initiative or program.
HONOR WITH ACTION: Start Now
The most authentic and meaningful way to honor commemorative and heritage months is by addressing and transforming the systems that have made them necessary. Rather than merely expressing your intentions and commitments, it is more impactful to demonstrate tangible results (#ShowYourReceipts). Imagine the power of saying, 'We achieved a remarkable 13% increase in employee satisfaction scores among LGBTQ+ team members in the past year,' instead of a generic 'Happy Pride?'
A recent Times Magazine article on equity in the workplace ended with the following insight: instead of asking “how much will it cost to increase….” leaders asked a more enlightened question of “what will be the cost to my competitors if we get this right, and they don’t?” You’ve got about six months to get a head start before the commemorative and heritage month celebrations start coming around again. We can help you use employee survey data to identify gaps and prioritize high-impact efforts, making it easier to create a culture where all people can reach their full potential.
You can do the work to create a truly equitable work environment and Ellequate has everything you need to ensure that when it comes time to demonstrate your commitment that you’ve got the receipts to prove it!
Ready to access the insights, guidance, and tools you need to create a successful DEI strategy? Whether you’re just starting out or working toward certification as a Leader In Workplace Equity, we’ve got you covered.
