How I Came To The Work - Part 1: Introduction

I’m new to the game.

I didn’t identify as a person of color until I was in my early 30s. I didn’t go to my first DEI event (conference, training, institute) until the summer of 2017, and it wasn’t until last year, that I didn't fully grasped the true depths of the savage inequities in the criminal justice system until…last year.

It took four different presentations before I understood the concept of privilege, and while the myth of meritocracy got demolished in my brain pretty quickly in one podcast, my understanding of true power of the patriarchy continues to evolve.

I am a proud anti-racist, anti-colonial, privilege-acknowledging, social justice-embracing, demolish-the-patriarchy-preaching, diversity practitioner. I see the racial, sexist nature of our society everywhere I go, and in everything I see. My work is interwoven deeply into who I am and it is impossible to have a relationship with me and not see how diversity, equity, and inclusion goes beyond my work to every facet of my life.

Like President Obama’s view of LGBTQ rights, I have evolved and continue to evolve. It has taken years of work, the patience of so many teachers, colleagues and friends, thousands of pages of books and articles, and hours upon hours of podcast and books on tape for me to get to where I am as a diversity practitioner. While I am proud of where I am, I know that there is so much work for me to do.

This work is will never end. There will always be another perceptive for me to experience, another concept to wrestle with, and more for me to learn. It’s a journey, and like a life well lived, the learning, the growth, the evolution will never end. That seem daunting, but for me exciting. At the core of DEI work is understanding myself better, and seeing the world for what it is, and in all of the darkness, and trauma, finding hope.

I’m going to spend the next couple Friday’s unpacking my journey with DEI, and how I got to where I am. In the whirlwind of all that has happened in the past couple weeks, I feel a need to reflect, honor those who have helped me along my way, and share with others what it means to be becoming.

As these posts help me better understanding my journey, I hope my story helps you find your own way into and through this work.

I came to this party late, but I was welcome in with open arms.  I'm glad you are here and wherever you are at in this work, I welcome you.  It's a journey that has changed my life, and if we join together in this work, we can change the world.