Leadership Consulting with a DEI Lens
The Party Analogy
Jeff Hutchinson • Jul 25, 2020
The Party: An Analogy of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
The problem with any allegory, metaphor or analogy is that it can not represent the issue completely. There will always be exceptions and deeper meanings surrounding the problem that is being represented. There will always be a valid argument that some aspect of the problem is ignored or poorly characterized.
Allegories and analogies are still very useful. Dr. Camera Jones is a master of using allegories to help people understand concepts of race and racism, and her work is inspirational. Many of the descriptions she uses like the 'Closed' sign in a restaurant to her gardener's tale with pink and red flowers and have helped people better understand the systemic nature of racism. Another brilliant speaker, Vernā Myers coined the saying, “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.” She has an inspiring TED talk from 2014 soon after the death of Michael Brown that challenges us to be uncomfortable with our biases: How to overcome our biases and walk boldly toward them
The sad reality is that her message, many years later, is just as powerful without changing a single word.
The goal of any analogy is to start a conversation and to reach a shared understanding. If you can understand the abstract concept represented by the imagry then we can take the next step and work towards making things better. Let’s expand the party analogy to see how we can move towards being anti-racist and include both equity and belonging which is gaining traction as another important goal of those who do Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging work.
Diversity is being invited to the party. We only invite people to our home that we see as worthy and similar enough to enjoy the party. To be anti-racist in this scenario is to party with people who are different no matter how they arrive either through a friend or wander in off of the street. Having visibly different people in the room is the minimum.
Equity is having an accessibility ramp to the door. Not everyone can walk up the steps or through the door. Having the resources available to allow people with different abilities to get into the party is equity. Saying that anyone can come to your island but not providing a boat is disingenuous. Access requires a conscious effort to provide resources.
Inclusion is being asked to dance or being offered refreshments or being asked to help clean up. The fortunate few who have never stood awkwardly at a party waiting to fit in don’t understand how you can be surrounded by people and feel alone. The people with the power control inclusiveness. The social, financial, or organizational boss determines who is included.
Belonging is deciding the music, decorations or food. The best party is always the one you hate to leave because you feel like it is your party. It becomes your party when you are a part of it sharing responsibility according to your talents not sitting around hoping to fit in.
One day when COVID is manageable, we will be able to try this analogy in real life again.
Comments
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Mental health is health. ( Trigger Warning - Suicide)
Try these four techniques to help you through.
1. When the news of corrupt or self-serving people in power leave you feeling helpless, do something that you can control. Pick a junk drawer that you can tackle in one sitting and organize it.
2. Physical activity changes us physiologically and can help clear our thinking.
3. Be specific in what you are grateful for
4. Allow people to help you
Cleaning out a junk drawer may be what you need to stop doom-scrolling.
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To increase the number of under-represented people in a field let's talk pathways not pipelines. Pipelines extract a resource that once lost can't be restored. A pathway has unlimited opportunities to succeed.
