The Grove Foundation’s Post

Encouraged by my network, I'm excited to invite you to join Marked Safe, a new initiative dedicated to Black women's empowerment in the workplace. This platform offers a safe space for sharing experiences - both positive and challenging - faced in professional environments. The inception of this idea was sparked by the growing demand for action in creating avenues that ensure the safety and support of Black women in their professional environments. 🌟 Why Marked Safe? Black women are increasingly leaving leadership roles and facing undue stress due to workplace issues like bullying, harassment, and lack of support, despite companies claiming to support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Marked Safe aims to make DEI more than just a term; it's about accountability and ensuring safety. ✍🏾The Black Female Voice Matters By sharing your stories, you're not only shedding light on your journey but also guiding others in making informed decisions about their career paths. Your insights can help build a community that advocates for safer, more inclusive work environments. How to Get Involved: 🙏🏾 Participate by visiting Marked Safe: https://lnkd.in/gRYbMmea and sharing your experience with safety. Your contribution can make a significant difference! 🤝🏾 Let's join hands in making workplaces better for every Black woman. Share, participate, and let these voices be heard and seen. #MarkedSafe #Empowerment #WorkplaceInclusion #MakeYourMark

Let’s learn more about how Dr. Andrew Kim brings together scholars and students to understand the sorts of problems the humanities are uniquely equipped to address.

Today, on Non-Binary People’s Day, we honor and celebrate the vibrant voices and invaluable contributions of Nonbinary People of Color. In a world that often tries to confine us within narrow boxes, we rise above, defying societal norms and embracing our authentic selves. As People of Color, we intimately understand the intersections of identity and the vital importance of inclusivity. Today and everyday, let’s commit to amplifying the narratives of non-binary People of Color, showcasing their strength, resilience, and unique perspectives.

Chief Diversity Officer, Jomil Guerrero, listed as Power Player. Chief Diversity Officer, Jomil Guerrero, was included in PoliticsNY's inaugural list of Power Players in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Check out this post to learn more! #NYLProud #DEI

Today, I led a panel discussion with an audience of over 250 people at Penn State Strategic Communications' annual conference for Penn State communicators — and I did it in Barbie-pink with a trans pride ribbon on my lapel. There's power in visibility. There's power in self-expression. There's power in being your full self in every room you walk into. Femme is professional. Queer is professional. Bright and neon is professional. When you create space for everyone in a professional setting to be comfortable as their authentic self, you create stronger teams, build better organizations, and empower historically marginalized communities. That's part of why I try to make every room I walk into a little brighter, a little more fun, a little more queer. It's a small act, but sometime the small, daily acts are the ones that can be the most radical and the most transformative over time.

In her LA Times piece, English numerates some questions for those who employ DEI individuals to assess how far they have actually come: What purpose do these roles serve in your organization? To whom do these roles report? What authority are these leaders given to make decisions that directly impact the business? How are they and their teams being funded? Who is tasked with coming up with solutions? Who is responsible for implementing solutions? How is the accountability for achieving these solutions shared across leadership? How are you taking the weight of this work off the shoulders of a select few? How is success being measured? How are you ensuring that individuals in these positions are given the grace and gratitude to try, fail and try again?

“I sat in the crossfire between the communities I was advocating for and those I was calling on to champion change. On both sides, there was fear. … Fear created an impasse.” I felt this so deeply. I’m not a CDO, but a couple years ago, I started to believe that moving between being gaslit by your peers and having your Black card taken by employees was simply the Black-ad-agency-CPO’s plight. I had begun running that play daily, from meeting to meeting. I started to believe that continuing this career as *me* meant accepting that plight, and even made it my mission to deconstruct that particular part of the system. It broke me. I broke a little. I started holding my breath like I hadn’t ever before. I struggled to do my work as *me* even though I believe(d) it to be part of what makes me good at the most strategic (and human) parts of my job and valuable to an agency/this industry. Gross, right? Maybe it is our (unoriginal) plight as Black CPOs, or it’s a zero-sum game. Maybe corporate DEI’s mark on history will be that even the marathon was never going to be enough—because it, corporate DEI, was the broken thing. For me and for now, I’m in repair. I’m remembering to breathe again and I’m back to believing that both things can be true: Me *and* my work. And that’s a (re)start. #agencylife #humanresources #chiefpeopleofficer #dei #leadership #blacklinkedin

The conversation around racial polarities in the workplace is more important now than ever. By acknowledging and addressing these issues, we can create meaningful change. Let's continue to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace along with effective change management strategies. Together, we can work towards a just and inclusive culture. #blackprofessionals #diversity #equity #inclusion #changemanagement #justice #culture

Just finished the course “Understanding Intersectionality” by Cory Wade! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gEbfJr6h #intersectionality #diversityequityinclusionandbelonging.

Just finished the course “Understanding Intersectionality” by Cory Wade! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/g4deuXHz #intersectionality #diversityequityinclusionandbelonging.