Attention White men in senior leadership positions!
There is a big difference between de-centering yourself in the diversity, equity, and inclusion conversation.
And checking out of the conversation altogether.
This difference is crucial.
You are in a position of high visibility. You have major decision making power. You have authority and prestige and autonomy.
People's careers and psychological safety and sense of belonging are depending on your leadership.
You cannot check out of the conversation.
Marginalization and discrimination and unfair hiring practices and old boys' networks and bro culture and daily microaggressions and systemic inequity and institutionalized biases and compounding privilege and intersectional disadvantages and othering aren't "their" problems.
These realities aren't realities that only apply to "those people."
These are everyone's realities to address. To change. To improve. To evolve.
You cannot check out of the conversation. You have to be present. You have to educate yourself. You have to listen. You have to be humble.
You have to do better.
You have to develop a point of view. You have to speak out. You have to be an ally. An advocate. An accomplice for change.
People are depending on you. You have to step up.