You Can’t Spell Diversity Without D.E.I.: The Importance of Equity and Inclusion in Diversity
By Hali Anderson
As someone who has served on various diversity committees, I know firsthand that recruiting diverse students or employees is one thing, but retaining and ensuring that these diverse individuals maximize their potential is a whole different ballgame altogether. In a past issue, I briefly covered the Google lawsuit and the now infamous Google memo written by James Damore. In that memo, Damore shared his ideas on how diversity is harmful to Google as well as the diverse candidates who were being forced into job positions with which, he believed, they were biologically incompatible. Damore’s employment with Google was terminated as a result of this memo. In his subsequent lawsuit, Damore alleged that he felt that he was unlawfully discriminated against for his status as a white male and his conservative viewpoints. The lawsuit and the memo illustrated an interesting dichotomy that we are also seeing play out in our day-to-day lives. As the world becomes more diverse, how does one make sure that everyone still feels included?