Welcome to our new column, Deep DEI-ve by TaChelle Lawson, Founder & President of FIG Strategy & Consulting. This column will take a no-nonsense approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices for businesses in the hospitality industry. Lawson's column will skip the fluff and teach you how DEI can really help your business.
In this first installment, Lawson lays the foundations by examining "wokeness" versus DEI. She is actively working to change the misrepresented narrative of DEI and “wokeness” by challenging leaders to do their due diligence in understanding and recognizing the difference and responding appropriately.
$50 billion. Six months. The total commitment by corporations to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from June to December 2020. It was the result of us all being at home (thanks to COVID shutdowns), watching replays of an American police officer putting his knee on the neck of an American citizen.
30 years earlier, a similar incident caused a nationwide stir. Rodney King was pulled from his vehicle and beaten half to death by the police, resulting in resounding anger and fear throughout the Black community, sparking the infamous LA riots. Shortly after, my mom gave me "the talk." She explained what "us" and "them" meant, determined to prepare me for possible experiences as a Black person in America. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was my first lesson in wokeness.
Although the term has changed over time, wokeness traces back to Black communities during the civil rights movement, referring to a consciousness of individuals that were socially or politically aware of racial discrimination and systemic injustices. Today, it’s a catchall term for inequities concerning gender, sexuality, classism (privilege), and ableism, and it is responsible for new movements like feminism, LGBTQ+, and indigenous rights.
I call this “new wokeness” since it generalizes all marginalized issues and polarizes anyone who doesn’t share the beliefs or perspectives. It suggests only underrepresented individuals are worthy of acknowledgment and support and that white individuals should feel guilt, shame, and apologize for their whiteness.
Despite the DEI commitment evaluation reaching over $240 billion, new wokeness is threatening progress. It’s disruptive—and not in the new opportunity or untapped market way. It is responsible for the media manipulation and political polarization of DEI seen in daily headlines.
According to media and politicians, DEI wants white people to be punished for past offenses to marginalized communities. The soundbytes portray DEI as the culprit for attacking whiteness, traditional values, and privilege. This is new wokeness, not DEI. Consequently, the misrepresentation has led to mountains of corporations, non-profits, and government agencies abandoning DEI initiatives.
And the food & beverage industry is not exempt from these effects. According to 2021 Department of Labor statistics, nearly 50% of the food & beverage industry is made up of minorities. Sounds good, right? But according to a 2022 Deloitte report, food & beverage is still 58% behind other industries in minority representation in leadership positions. Believing in the new woke narrative could have a paralyzing effect on the food & beverage industry, including negative consequences for workplace culture and talent acquisition, customer perception, and the ability to innovate and adapt in a rapidly evolving market.
DEI is good for business and true DEI professionals know that white is not the problem. Neither is privilege—the lack of privilege is. No one needs to apologize for privilege, instead, we need to understand and acknowledge privilege. Qualified individuals are denied promotions and opportunities based on race, gender, religion, etc. This is true. Whether it’s your truth isn’t the point; acknowledging it is.
Both new wokeness and DEI recognize the reality of intersectionality and that individuals hold multiple social identities resulting in different experiences. The key differentiator is new wokeness specifically calls out privilege, while DEI focuses on inclusion. I wish all the noise affecting DEI was wrong, but it’s not. Like any other industry, some give it a bad name. According to an HBR study, American companies have spent over $8 billion in DEI training, yet reports of progress are abysmal. Combine the ineffectiveness of over 80% of DEI programs with the obnoxious perspective of new wokeness and boom, DEI is less credible. But we need it. Now more than ever.
By dismantling DEI (particularly in schools), we eliminate truth and fail to provide individuals with a comprehensive understanding of social issues to promote critical thinking and inclusion. Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, the role of educational institutions is to prepare students (our future business, community, and political leaders) for the real world. And the responsibility of business leaders is to take DEI seriously by doing more than performative training and speaking up for the importance of DEI to the business world. Basically, do more than check boxes.
According to the US Census Bureau, the world will drastically change over the next 20-plus years, resulting in a new majority and white minority population. Eliminating DEI initiatives puts us at risk of repeating the same cycles of division and dishonesty, while keeping it equips us with the cultural competency, empathy, and understanding to succeed in a diverse world. We need collaborative leaders capable of navigating various cultural environments that lead to better (and inclusive) business decisions.
Companies like Starbucks would benefit from real DEI. Instead, they took a new woke approach to the 2018 incident in Philadelphia where two Black men were discriminated against. The coffee conglomerate was recently ordered to pay $25 million for firing white employees who weren’t even involved in the incident. Decisions like that cause mistrust in DEI effectiveness and chip away at its credibility and, consequently, its necessity. Still, I assure you, we need DEI.
But first, we have to be honest and stop manipulating the facts. Truth hurts, and we know it. Yes, you spend too much money on shoes. No, you can’t sing. And I’d rather take romantic relationship advice from a nun. My feelings might be hurt if someone said one of these things to me. It doesn’t make them less true any more than telling a convincing lie. Like this one, "And we'll continue to move forward as a colorblind society, which is really, the aspiration I believe of every American," said Mike Pence.
Pence’s statement is tone-deaf. Colorblindness is not the answer. I am a Black woman and not uncomfortable being described as a Black woman. Seeing color isn’t the problem. Pretending you don’t is a problem. Treating someone differently because of their skin color is a problem. Refusing to acknowledge that life experiences can vary based on skin color is a problem. Suggesting that all doors are open regardless of skin color is a lie and a problem. Acknowledging that our country will not improve on its own and we all have a role to play is not a DEI, woke, or affirmative action issue—it’s an individual choice. One we must all make.
TaChelle Lawson is an international speaker and Founder & President of FIG Strategy & Consulting, where she counsels senior leaders on aligning DEI with business goals to effectively address challenges with employees, customers, and the community. Her services include business & brand strategy, culture transformation, and executive DEI consulting and training. Lawson is D&I Certified by Cornell University and Diverse Business Certified by the Tuck Business School at Dartmouth. She sits on the Leadership Advisory Board at UNLV, serves as the President of NAWBO Southern Nevada, sits on the DEIB Advisory Board for HR.com, and is a member of the National Diversity Council.
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