A recent NYT article joins a handful of other popular news outlets to highlight what they see as the failure of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts. In this particular NYT Magazine article, The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. and What Went Wrong?, the first three pages highlight reports from anti-DEI faculty and the conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation, to pinpoint how efforts to meet goals are a failure, with the language being utilized in these paragraphs coming across as applauding a demise and less of a journalistic examination of the work to question how the systems and organizations that people operate in allow or do not allow equitable access.
With all learning and growth, there are valleys and opportunities to reflect, review, recommit, and refocus. Growing and committing to doing better is not binary - it either works or does not - especially when the work is focused on each of us as Humans. Every human has the right to exist, and our current global environment has allowed the development of the authoritarian playbook where each of us as individuals, communities and governments are being bombarded, based on our on-line algorithms, on who we should deny the dignity of humanity. Conflict, disagreement, and anger are not our enemy. This is part of our human condition. What is our enemy is the consistent dehumanizing of other humans and the inability to commit to deep learning, listening to understand and the desire to embrace nuance and know that there is always a yes and to every conversation. Our goal in these conversations should always be to uphold the dignity of every person in their full authenticity. Each of us needs to commit that every person has the right to exist and live a life with inclusive access to a life of opportunity - this is what anti-racism pedagogy holds as a foundation.
Our systems and frameworks within institutions and organizations were developed without the rights of all humans to exist and deserve dignity - genocide of Indigenous people, global slave trades, stealing of land and knowledge, and many more instances, both big and small, where humans have been dehumanized for the power of other humans. So to understand whether the University of Michigan or any community of higher education has failed in delivering success based on "unrealistic, misguided expectations" (NADOHE Newsletter, President Paulette Granberry Russell, October 21,2024), we must understand that the issues we are all navigating have been with us for centuries and are not solved overnight. This work is on-going and will never end. It is a work that requires incremental steps forward and at times backwards to better align for a future that is inclusive and equitable for each one of us. Nikola Tesla said, "... [Our] duty is to lay the foundation for those who are to come, and point the way" and in the case of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion that is towards a world where the humanity of every person is centered in the work we do.
Citations
- Confessore, Nicholas. The University of Michigan Doubled Down on D.E.I. What Went Wrong?. NY Times Magazine. Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/16/magazine/dei-university-michigan.html
- Granberry Russell, Paulette. Message to Members: We Know Our Value. NADOHE (National Association of Diversity Officers of Higher Education) Statement. Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.nadohe.org/statements/we-know-your-value
Further Resources
- What Now? With Trevor Noah https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGLDEODaMX-uh8ZqttiSoV1d30dm9C5Y_&si=LzkIcKwBl1iGKtnX
A podcast where each episode does a deep dive conversation with special guests to have an authentic conversation around a variety of issues from entertainment, business, thought leaders, and athletes.
- Othering and Belonging Institute Podcasts https://belonging.berkeley.edu/resource/podcast