On July 6, a 36-year-old resident of Springfield, Illinois, called 911 to report a prowler at her home. Two deputies responded, and a half an hour later, one of the deputies fatally shot the resident in the face. The implausibility of his justification for that use of deadly force and the contradictory body cam video, resulted in his being fired and charged with first-degree murder.
It would later be revealed the deputy’s history involved being involuntarily discharged from the military, two DUI’s, a discharge from another sheriff’s department for not obeying an order to cease a high-speed chase, and several other short-term jobs. And yet, he was recommended for hire…my guess is his hire had little to do with qualification and more to do with looking like or having a relationship with those doing the hiring. I implore anyone to diligently search for one Black, Hispanic, or female deputy on this or any police force hired with this kind of background.
It is this kind of privilege in hiring processes that facilitated the creation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the country. DEI programs are not about hiring people who are not qualified to do the job, they are about giving qualified men and women who have not been privy to these old-school DEI-like programs that benefited primarily white males a fair shake in hiring and promotion processes. Actually, well-implemented DEI programs give companies and organizations the opportunity to have a workforce with a perspective reflective of all the customers they serve. They are not only beneficial for employees but for employers as well:
- Help companies attract a broader talent pool
- Improve employee engagement
- Foster a more inclusive workplace culture
- Create a more equitable society by providing equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or other social factors
- Foster creativity, fresh perspectives, and understanding
- Promote a welcoming, diverse and discrimination- and harassment-free workplace
- Highlight the values and best practices that your company prioritizes to both internal and external stakeholders
- Build engaged and happy employees
- Increase job satisfaction, higher levels of trust, and are more engaged
DEI is not a term that should be weaponized…it should be welcome. It is just one more tool in the toolkit of making this a more perfect union…making it for possible for everyone to have a shot at the American dream.
atthetablewitharlinder.com 