We must also acknowledge that many of the outcomes within our economy fall into the category of features, rather than bugs. Work culture in Fortune 500 companies was designed by and for a small number of (mostly) white men. When we see limited numbers of women, people of color, and lesser represented social identities gaining influence and promotion in those spaces, that is not a failing of the system; that is a feature of the system. And while there is significant data which substantiate our fundamental belief that diverse, dynamic and welcoming teams are more innovative and profitable, the built-in bias that exists suggesting that exclusive teams and work cultures are working perfectly fine and need not change — mixed with a recognized or unrecognized fear of loss of power, control and stature — consistently prevents new behaviors from being adopted. That doesn’t mean progress can’t be made within corporations, or that we should stop trying altogether, but it does indicate that we may need to test other strategies.
Diversity, Equity and Illusions
Black culture has always been a fad amongst white people. For a while we have been what was trending with regard to fashion, politics,…