Growing up where I did, it really wasn’t OK to hire somebody based on the color of their skin.
I think I understand where people who said this were coming from. Merit, ability, and hard work (and connections, of course) should, in theory, allow the best candidates to prevail. Giving somebody of any color a boost over somebody else was logically and morally wrong, I was told.
These memories and the subject of diverse hiring practices have been on my mind for quite a while now. A month into my new role at Communities Foundation of Texas, I’m starting to see the positives of a different perspective than the one on which I grew up.
Last Thursday’s annual holiday cocktail party was apparently 1000x livelier than any past party in CFT. I guess I picked a good year to join, huh? During that party, among the photos I took was one with the Black men of CFT and another with Black men and women of CFT. (Not even all were present! The attached photo has already been shared publicly, but I will remove it if requested). I saw the photos later, and I’m convinced that there could be some truth to what I’ve been pondering for so long.
I’ve never been a fan of “quotas,” which was always the way that purposefully hiring POC was explained to me. But in 2021, an organization cannot reach its greatest potential without intentionally seeking as many perspectives and experiences as it can find. Failing to have people from historically marginalized groups is failing to have a vital slice of one’s organizational pie.
Intentional diversity allows us to learn and grow. It allows employees with shared experiences to speak freely between one another, like the conversation I had with a Black colleague whose adult sons grew up as the only Black boys in an affluent, suburban, highly-educated, almost-completely-Caucasian setting like myself. Our sense of purpose at CFT grew from that conversation, which can only help us produce stronger, more passionate work for our organization.
Intentional diversity creates safer space. I chatted with another colleague this morning, who saw the Black men of CFT pose for that photo from the party. This colleague nearly teared up looking at the group of men gathered at the photo booth. The reason, they shared with me, was that for three years there were NO Black men in the building. Our presence felt like a gift of protection (clearly this colleague does not know I haven’t lifted a dumbbell in five years) and restoration, I was told.
Intentional diversity grants clarity in the goal to create positive change for all communities. Our CEO, Dave, helped lead the organization by succinctly laying out our end goals: equity, connectedness, and belonging for all.
We aim to achieve this through four pillars:
Health – access to healthy food; parks; preventative medicine; education
Wealth – financial security; progressively improving opportunities
Living – community planning and engagement; crime prevention; justice system processes
Learning – access to higher education or certification; training and skills growth
Dave, a white male, deciphered these goals and pillars much more effectively thanks to input from POC and other marginalized people groups. Our mission wouldn’t align with the current needs locally, regionally, and beyond in this era without hiring practices that consider diversity as an organizational asset and necessity for company growth.
It will take a heart change to view intentional diversity as a strength instead of a quota. Intentional diversity also has to happen at every organizational level, from executive down, to eliminate preconceived biases and make an impact. When we view it this way, intentional diversity becomes intentional equity, intentional connectedness, and intentional belonging for all. Much love y’all.