Why I Am A Volunteer JEDI
Yesterday I spent a couple hours at a meeting of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) committee for a charity where I am proud to serve on the Board of Directors. These meetings happen 3-4 times a year and bring together members of the frontline staff, senior leaders, a couple board members, and some interested community members to discuss how as an organization we are working to minimize obstacles and encourage involvement of a more diverse representation for both our staff and clientele.
It’s highly engaging, taken seriously, and often humbling for me.
We are in a season where prominent corporations are ending their DEI programs and some people are getting lots of attention by decrying the very idea of promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. And that’s a shame.
Too often, on many meaningful issues, soundbites and slogans take the place of actual engagement and thoughtful consideration. It’s symptomatic of a troubling shift in society that concerns me deeply. The proliferation of dismissive clickbait, demeaning memes, and oversimplified sloganeering should bother all decent people.
I’ve written recently about The Cost of Diversity, encouraging leaders to seriously consider the why and how of trying to broaden the perspectives and talent on their teams. I gladly acknowledge that it comes with some challenges.
Now I want to offer my own take on why I think it is an excellent use of time and energy for me to participate in this committee.
It is an expression of my Values. I fundamentally believe that human diversity is an intentional part of Creation and that it is deeply good. We are at our best when we share our variety.
It makes organizations stronger. DEI isn’t about putting underqualified people in positions, it’s about ensuring the most capable people aren’t being excluded. We make better decisions, are more creative in problem solving, and often have a lot more fun when there are multiple perspectives involved.
It allows us to better serve our community. We live and work in an increasingly diverse city and society. It’s simply foolish to think that one viewpoint (perhaps especially the one that has been most privileged for so long) can effectively meet the needs of everyone.
I have a lot to learn. I’m a straight, white, middle-aged, highly educated, Christian, middle-class male. The systems of my society have been designed, built, and maintained by people like me and I haven’t even realized it a lot of the time. When I take the time and expend the effort to try to understand the experiences of other people I discover a lot of things I had never been exposed to, and a lot about myself as well. I want to keep learning.
It’s a good discipline for me. In most of my work life I’m seen as someone with insight and answers, my voice has particular influence. At these meetings I’m often the least qualified to offer perspective. Being a listener, speaking later (or not at all), and deliberately being in a context where I am not the expert or authority is very good for me.
It is consistent with my faith. This may fit within the above point about values, but since it seems that many Christian people are particularly vocal in their opposition to DEI I want to make clear that my understanding of Jesus, God, and the Bible make it absolutely essential that I should be seeking to bring more diversity, equity, and inclusion into every situation I can. That is absolutely fundamental to what the Kingdom of God is like.
I could go on.
I am grateful to have been invited to be part of a JEDI committee and for the experience of having these discussions. I think we need a lot more of this in our communities and organizations.
And if this makes me “woke” I will simply say I’m a much better person now than when I was asleep to these issues.