Diane Gomez Burden

Did you know? Among job applicants with criminal records, Black women were 93% less likely than white women to receive a callback or be offered a job. Today, on #BlackWomensEqualPayDay, we are highlighting the need for fair and livable wage jobs and the closing of the wage gap. When Black women are overlooked and underpaid, our communities, businesses, and economy suffer. It’s time to recognize the value Black women bring to the table. Learn how RBIJ is promoting fairer opportunities for Black women – with and without criminal records – at https://lnkd.in/eP-vtMJ4

17

Hi LinkedIn family, In light of SHRM's decision to remove Equity from its DEI acronym, many friends, peers, and colleagues have shared their concerns and sought my perspective. Firstly, Equity is often confused with Equality. While Equality means everyone gets the same resources, Equity involves distributing resources based on individual needs to level/strengthen the playing field. The image attached beautifully illustrates this concept. In the first picture, both individuals have the same ladder, but one cannot reach the apples, demonstrating Equality but not Equity. In the second, the ladders are adjusted so both can reach the apples, showcasing Equity. The third picture, labeled “Remove the Barrier,” challenges us to create environments where everyone can thrive without the need for handouts, but rather through motivation and support. Reflecting on this, removing Equity from DEI can seem contradictory to progress. Equity is fundamental to Diversity and Inclusion because it seeks, addresses and removes systemic barriers, ensuring fair treatment and opportunities for all. To illustrate the importance and impact of Equity in our work - Pay Equity: Pay equity is the concept of compensating employees who have similar job functions with comparably equal pay, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity or other status. More specifically, Gender Pay parity - this involves analyzing and adjusting pay disparities between men and women to ensure fairness. Statistics show that women still earn about 82 cents for every dollar earned by men. However, initiatives focused on Equity have contributed to narrowing this gap over the past few years (while acknowledging we still have a ways to go). For instance, companies that have implemented pay audits and transparency policies have seen significant progress in closing the gender pay gap. Although I share a different perspective from SHRM on removing 'Equity' from DEI, I wish them well. Their commitment to advancing Inclusion is vital, and I hope their actions speak louder and the outcome would be remembered as a simple acronym change. This decision has stirred concern, and I understand why many are troubled. However, there isn't a single right way to approach DEI. Whether it’s D&I, I&D, DEIB or JEDI, the core commitment lies in actions that create inclusive spaces and remove barriers for everyone towards purpose. In this challenging climate, I encourage everyone to hold firm and double down on both our individual and collective efforts to make progress. Integrate DEI principles into business practices, use data to track and evaluate progress, and celebrate both wins and lessons learned. This journey requires seeing ourselves represented; otherwise, we all fall short. Stay strong and continue the journey. Here's the story: https://lnkd.in/gPDFYAE8

166

10 Comments

🌟 The Emotional Wear and Tear of DEI/EEO Work 🌟 Working in DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) is deeply meaningful—but let’s be honest, it can also be emotionally exhausting. The work we do is critical—advocating for fairness, challenging systemic barriers, and ensuring people have equal opportunities. But carrying the weight of these responsibilities can take its toll. 🔑 Emotional Labor: DEI and EEO professionals often hold space for others, listen to difficult stories, and navigate complex dynamics. This work requires constant empathy and resilience, but it can also lead to burnout when you’re the one advocating for change without always seeing immediate progress. 💡 Invisible Burden: Often, DEI/EEO employees are expected to be the “fixers” for long-standing issues. We are the ones called upon to solve problems that may feel deeply ingrained in the culture. This adds an invisible burden that can lead to emotional fatigue. 🤝 Support Is Key: If you work in DEI/EEO, remember you don’t have to carry it all alone. Seek out peer support, find allies within your organization, and prioritize your own well-being. For leadership—recognize that this work is not easy, and it’s essential to support your DEI/EEO teams with resources, training, and care. 🚀 Acknowledging the Challenges: It’s time to acknowledge the emotional impact of this work. Let’s create environments where DEI and EEO professionals aren’t just valued for their labor but are also supported, empowered, and given the space to recharge. To everyone in this field: Your work is vital, and your well-being matters just as much as the changes you’re fighting for. 💙 #DEI #EEO #EmotionalLabor #WorkplaceWellbeing #InclusiveWorkplace #Leadership #BurnoutPrevention #Advocacy #SupportEachOther #MentalHealth

8

1 Comment

ERG Leaders & HR Directors, Are your company Juneteenth plans set? What if I told you I could take care of your programming + offer you continuous support for your Black employees over the next year, for one low price, and it could be completely done for you- TODAY?! This is not a dream... or a test... The Black Girl Doctor is hosting a virtual Cookout this month for Juneteenth and I'd love to get your organization registered. This event is offered exclusively through our 'Year-Long Black Mental Health Event Series Membership' which is designed to provide continuous wellness support to your community by connecting Black Psychologists with your organization for a minimum of four engagements throughout the year. Click below for all the details, but in summary, when you sign up for The Cookout, you'll get access to that event for your entire organization PLUS access to our next 3 events at no additional cost (we host an event each quarter). This is our way of helping you take your engagement strategy from reactive to proactive. From the moment you join, you'll feel relief because instead of scrambling to figure out what to do each time the headlines are splashed with news of Black pain, you'll know that it's already taken care of because your membership guarantees that the next community gathering is always just a few weeks away. The Cookout: Sunday June 23rd (2 hour event) Featuring: Shelly-Ann Collins Rawle, PhD Dominique Blanchette, Ph.D. Jillian Lynum, Psy.D. Amy R. Beck, PhD, and ME! Details: We’re grillin up lessons to nourish your soul. It's BYO food and drink, and we're bringing: 👉🏾 Ted Talk Style Soul Lessons 👉🏾 Raffle Prizes 👉🏾 Hip Hop Mindfulness 👉🏾 Mental Health Checkup 👉🏾 Libation Moment 👉🏾 Black Psychologists 👉🏾 Music & Vibes 👉🏾 Speed Friendship Connections Register your company here https://lnkd.in/gP4Bmf_F DEADLINE: Registration closes 6/17/24. If you miss the deadline you'll be placed on our waiting list for our next event. Tag a company that needs this! #Juneteenth #BlackMentalHealth #EmployeeWellness #ERG #HR #ergleaders #hrdirectors #workplacewellness

25

11 Comments

Black Maternal Health Week, April 11-17, 2024 Speak up, speak out....educate yourselves to get involved and MAKE AN IMPACT! BY THE NUMBERS: Black Maternal Health Nationwide ➡ Black women are approximately three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women. ➡ Data from 36 states finds that more than 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths were preventable. BY THE NUMBERS: Black Maternal Health in the States ➡ Maternal death rates in abortion-restricted states are 62 percent higher than in states with abortion access. ➡ Forty-five percent of the population of Black women and girls under the age of 55 live in states that have heavy abortion and contraceptive restrictions or total bans. “The shameful truth is that ongoing structural racism plays a central role in the deaths of these Black women. Biases within the medical profession still shape the care Black women receive—or don’t receive—during pregnancy, often with tragic consequences. This is true for all Black women, regardless of their income levels or where they come from." Statistics from https://iwpr.org/ To learn more and get involved visit: www.babyscripts.com https://mchb.hrsa.gov/ https://lnkd.in/gxWVMNus

1

🌟 Today is National Black Women's Equal Pay Day! 🌟 Did you know that Black women are paid only 63 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men? This significant wage gap means that Black women must work an extra 6+ months into the year to earn what their counterparts made in the previous year. 📉 The Impact: ✅Economic Stability: This wage gap affects not just individuals, but entire families and communities, leading to reduced economic stability and opportunity. ✅Lifetime Earnings: Over a 40-year career, the wage gap results in a staggering loss of over $946,120 for Black women. ✅Wealth Gap: The income disparity contributes to a larger wealth gap, limiting access to education, housing, and other critical resources. 📣 What Can We Do? 💥Advocate for Fair Pay: Support policies that promote pay equity and transparency. 💥Support Black Women-Owned Businesses: Invest in and amplify the voices of Black women entrepreneurs. 💥Raise Awareness: Share this post and start conversations about pay equity in your community. Sistas with a Voice Podcast Network stands up to raise awareness and join in amplifying our voice in this critical conversation. Let’s work together to close the wage gap and ensure equal pay for all. #EqualPayDay #BlackWomenEqualPayDay #PayEquity #EconomicJustice #SupportBlackWomen #SistasWithAVoice

1

Here is a Juneteenth action item: Google reparative justice.

2

2 Comments

Disability Fundamentals Training for Managers Managers want to create inclusive workplaces. This 30 min. interactive training can help. Image - hand holding a pen over a clipboard. Text reads Disability Fundamentals for Managers

1

I am not into semantics as to me its just click bait. Like "DEI is dead", 'DEI is gone forever", etc. I focus on opportunities over challenges in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) field. While there are real hurdles, I believe in the power of unity and small steps leading to significant change. As an Ethiopian proverb says, "When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion." This highlights the immense impact of collective action. Explore our revamped Inclusion & Equity website at GBH for more insights where we focus on the 4 C's; our Culture, Content, Connection and Community:  https://lnkd.in/egk3kgFQ Leah C. Abrams, Paula Hudson, Donna A. Danielewski

44

3 Comments

Just another Monday, as far as I'm concerned. SHRM, to me, is a relic of the old-guard of Human Resources. They have never been - or intend to be - an organization that stands for or represents advocates of people. #PeopleFirst #TrueHumanResources #PennSquared #Equity #DEI #NuancedCommunity #HumanResources

2

"It's not enough for us, in this environment, to just do the work. We also need to defend it and train those we work with to defend it in the public sphere, to combat forceful misinformation with just as forceful TRUTH, asserting that we ARE seeking to undo and correct inequity precisely by building organizations that are healthier and fairer for EVERYONE—and that workplaces and leaders strike down this work at their own peril." PHEW. Diversity work is so many things: data, strategy, counseling, politics, coalition-building. But it's also messaging and message discipline. It is imbuing the spirit and justification of the work clearly and consistently every time you speak so anyone can say it back with moxie. It is also about instructing those colleagues in positions of authority to speak on your behalf when you're not at the table: "This is what I would like you to say. These are the stakes. Here is why this approach is legitimate." Empower them to be an effective surrogate. Equity is the outcome where your demographics do not equal your destiny. Rinse and repeat.

10

This shows promise. Washington, DC, Aug. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seramount unveiled its sixth annual Inclusion Index today. The Inclusion Index helps organizations understand trends and opportunities in demographic representation, creates a road map to drive internal change, and identifies diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) solutions to close any gaps. Organizations provided data and were measured in three key areas: best practices in the recruitment, retention, and advancement of people from underrepresented groups—women, racial/ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people; inclusive corporate culture; and demographic diversity. #diversity #equity #inclusion #DEI #waronDEI

9

Let's talk about how allyship, while well-intended, often falls short for marginalized and oppressed communities. We need more accomplices who take action in hostile environments! 🚀✊ With the election looming, I’m ramping up my blogging to help develop strategies for navigating the media chaos. Here’s my take on how we can all become better accomplices. Stay tuned for actionable tips and insights! 💡🔍 #Allyship #Accomplices #Election2024 #SocialJustice

4

If you’re disabled and in Michigan, your vote may not count after all. ***** In a release, the department wrote that some of the terminals the state uses for people with disabilities present an error message if the voter does not cast a ballot in the way indicated at the beginning of the process. Voters must select the “straight party” option on the machines, which are owned by Dominion Voting Systems, if they want to cast all their ballots for members of one party, according to the state department. Otherwise, the voter needs to select the desired candidate for each race, the release says. ***** https://lnkd.in/g-64npxU Apparently, folks with disabilities have to jump through extra hoops to get their votes recorded the way they want. How will this impact overall vote totals? Is this going to diminish downballot voting? Could this even open the door to egregious ballot fraud? Michigan is confirming that Dominion voting machines have an issue. Gee….where have we heard that before?

4

Across our industries we often discuss which acronym is the best to use in order to describe our work. I don’t think we’ve settled on a common belief, and that’s OK to an extent. I think in many ways we’re still figuring out how to adequately measure DEI, and make it sustainable at a global level. To many, language matters, to few, they stay away from the discussion. I think whenever there’s controversy, and no conclusion, we leave extra space for doubt and discrediting. How much do DEI Acronyms matter to you and which ones do you use? I sometimes wonder if we need to figure it TF out or just let it be. So I wrote this article to provide clarity on the meaning of each acronym and continue the discussion. So……. Let's Talk DEI acronyms!

4

Black Maternal Health Week matters, and here's WHY: Did you know? Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. But here's the good news: organizations like Every Mother Counts and others listed in this super resourceful article in the Chicago Defender are fighting to change that. At Family Focus, our expanded doula program is making an undeniable difference in the lives of Black mothers. From providing continuous emotional support to empowering expectant mothers to advocate for their own health needs, our doulas are at the forefront of ensuring safer and more positive birthing experiences. They're not just changing outcomes; they're changing lives. Drop a 💕 in solidarity that every mother gets the support and care she deserves! https://lnkd.in/g27VwGyF #BlackMaternalHealthWeek #EveryMotherCounts #FamilyFocus #SupportBlackMothers #ChangeMakers 💖🤰

7

I recently found a fantastic infographic that would be perfect to include in our company's DEI training. Kudos to the creators - Marissiko Wheaton-Greer, Ph.D. & Jenn Wells, EdD for this insightful work! Seeing great content go uncredited reminded me of the importance of safeguarding our creative assets. As a marketing professional, ensuring proper attribution and protecting intellectual property are crucial aspects of our work. Here are some strategies to ensure proper attribution: ➡️Effective Watermarking • Opacity and Transparency: Semi-transparent watermarks that blend seamlessly. • Layered Watermarks: Difficult to remove without affecting the visual quality. • Repeating Patterns: Tiled watermarks across the entire infographic. • Key Area Embedding: Placed over critical content areas. ➡️Additional Tips •Metadata Embedding: Include ownership information in the file metadata. •Reverse Image Search: Monitor the web for your infographics. •Consistent Branding: Make your work easily recognizable. Protecting our work ensures we get the credit we deserve. Let’s keep sharing and celebrating great content while maintaining its integrity! #DEI #mentalhealth #branding #informationsecurity

4

Polling locations need to be universally accessible. According to a July 2023 Pew Research article million people in the United States have a disability. We are living with 5 generations of people in the workplace and the large majority of them are of voting age. The numbers of people with disabilities is expected to grow for those both genetic and acquired. Ensuring that polling centers are accessible and their locations shared widely is vitally important for present and future decision making, funding and resource allocations. https://lnkd.in/gfvfk-wb

1

1 Comment