Blog

Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women Who Advocate for DEI

by , , | Mar 27, 2024 | Other

To commemorate this year’s Women’s History Month theme, which celebrates women who advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Hodan Deria, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (DEIA) Intern, spoke with Aimee Peoples, the Vice President for DEIA, and Anagha Sreevals, DEIA Associate. In these discussions, the DEIA team explored their reflections of the significance of this month and its dedicated theme.

Hodan: Why do you think it’s important to celebrate/commemorate Women’s History Month?

Aimee: I appreciate the celebration of Women’s History Month because there is still so much to learn and appreciate about how women have (and still do!) contribute to our society. I enjoy having a month dedicated to learning about “unsung heroes” and uncovering truths, acknowledging the women who blazed the trails we walk today, and strategizing on how we are and can continue building on that legacy and make the world a better place for all women and girls.

Anagha: Seeing how often historical women leaders, advocates, and trailblazers are forgotten or minimized, it’s important to recognize the women who paved the way for our current progress towards gender equity (both in the U.S. and globally). At the same time, this month is a great opportunity to recognize the women who are history-makers and barrier-breakers in the present day.

Hodan: The National Women’s History Alliance theme for 2024 celebrates “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” – this includes people like you with careers specifically in DEI. Can you share a little about your background and how you got into the work of advocating for DEI?

Anagha: With my childhood background of living within an international community in Dubai and then immigrating to a very diverse neighborhood in the U.S., I have always loved learning more about various cultures, languages, and communities. At my past job, I truly enjoyed working on a voluntary DEI committee, but I knew I could further cultivate my interests and skills by working in this field full-time. I also have experiences in immigrant and refugee rights, disability advocacy, and locally led community development, all which empower me to approach my work with a justice-oriented mindset.

Aimee: As a Black woman, I think I have sort of been forced into advocating for DEI since I was a kid! Finding ways to advocate for myself to be included in spaces that weren’t always meant to include or see me evolved into a passion for doing the same thing for others. I was inspired by Brown v. Board of Education to want to become an attorney and since becoming one, I have advocated for civil rights and equity in many spaces, and have really focused on the opportunity for DEI to create equitable and psychologically safe workplaces. It has been nice to witness and contribute to the broadening of equitable workplace policies. Programs have evolved from being solely compliance based with a narrow-focus on anti-discrimination, to a more holistic view that centers DEI and the benefits of having diverse perspectives and equitable practices in your workplace and beyond.

Hodan: The theme for this Women’s History Month recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate inequity and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions. We’ve already talked a bit about how you two are women who advocate for DEI – who are some women who advocate for DEI that inspire and inform you?

Aimee: I have so many women I learn from on a daily basis and who inspire me on this journey – including my colleagues here at The Partnership – so this is a hard question to answer succinctly! I will pick four:

  1. I have to mention Kimberle Crenshaw because I remember the first time I learned the word “intersectionality” and what it described, it was like a lightbulb moment in terms of the power of words, framing, and perspective on my DEI journey. I chose my law school in large part because she was on the faculty.
  2. I also want to acknowledge Nicole Cardoza, whom I first came to know through her newsletter, Anti-Racism Daily, that I can’t wait to read every day. Her perspectives, nuance, and laser-focus on all things dismantling white supremacy and rallying for racial equity, justice and liberation are so educational and inspiring. In addition to working magic with words, she is also a literal magician! Black girls are magic and Black joy is revolutionary, so I love being reminded of that in this work.
  3. Speaking of joy, in her gold “1619” Bamboo hoops and stylish kicks, Nikkole Hannah-Jones, journalist and the founding director of the Center for Journalism & Democracy at my alma mater, is someone I’m really inspired and informed by. I love the way she reminds people that Black history is American history and unflinchingly speaks truth to power and tells America’s truths about itself in a way that creates space for more stories and more truths.
  4. Last, but not least, I want to mention Arian Simone, the Co-Founder and CEO of the Fearless Fund, the first Venture Capital Fund built for Women of Color by Women of Color. The Fearless Fund is currently in the midst of litigation after being sued by an anti-progress organization targeting its goal to bridge the (large) gap in venture capital funding for Women of Color. I had the opportunity to listen to her at a DEI roundtable hosted by Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and came away further inspired by her grace under pressure and how unapologetic and knowledgeable she is about the need the Fearless Fund is addressing.

Anagha: When I first started reading “DEI Deconstructed” by Lily Zheng in 2022, I realized the importance of reflecting on your work with a critical lens and with an open receptiveness regarding feedback. Lily Zheng is a transgender woman in the DEIA field who has started many conversations on DEI progress (as well as failures) – I appreciate that she emphasizes the role of systemic and organizational barriers to true transformative change in an organization. Reading Zheng’s work pushes me to be purposeful and thoughtful in my own work.

Hodan: If you could imagine a world (or workplace) where DEI was fully embraced and actualized, what would that look like for you?

Anagha: In an ideal world where DEIA is truly actualized, the values of equity, justice, anti-racism, accessibility would and must be incorporated into all aspects of life. This ranges from policy and government to educational institutions to community organizations to interpersonal relationships. I believe that openness to accepting and listening to others is the crucial component to transformative change – personally, an ideal world with DEIA embraced would not necessarily look like specific individual policies, laws, or initiatives, but instead it’d be a mindset that prioritizes understanding when it comes to different perspectives and ideas.

Hodan: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are increasingly driving forces in shaping many policies and initiatives today. How do you think the recent attacks on DEI initiatives will impact women? How should organizations, such as the National Partnership, respond to the increasing anti-DEI rhetoric?

Aimee: This is a topic I love/hate to talk about, because DEI is so important and these attacks, while not new, are so disruptive to the good work and progress that can be made for everyone if DEI is able to thrive. Right now, the attacks haven’t been so focused on attacking gender-equity programs, but seem very focused on dismantling programs designed to create racial equity and correct past racial harms. Because of intersectionality we know that Women of Color, especially Black women, will bear the brunt of the rollback of programs designed to right historic and systemic wrongs – as they say, when America catches a cold, Black America catches pneumonia. And with the impact to Black women, the impact is also felt in the identities we carry in addition to our Black womanhood – the LGBTQIA+ community, the disabled community, the immigrant community, and so on through other Women of Color, and ultimately all women and families. We know what it looks like for women to not be considered equitably and this is why DEI initiatives and this fight are so important. Especially when you look at healthcare access and disparities, it’s not an exaggeration to say literal lives are at stake.

The National Partnership’s mission of creating equality and equity for all women is of course impacted by the well-funded, well-coordinated attacks by DEI-obstructionists who feel threatened by their thoughts of what an equitable world means for them. There is a lot to do in response and this is something that our President, Jocelyn Frye, and I have talked about and our organization is giving a lot of thought to. Here are a few things that I think are helpful:

  1. Collaboration – we are not in this fight alone and no one organization has all the answers (or resources). Being in working groups with other like-minded individuals and organizations is important in strategizing how to fight back and maintain ground.
  2. Narrative – we can’t let people who are opposed to progress define DEI. Acronyms are easy targets to make into “boogeymen” but we can continue to make sure people really understand what DEI does, what it looks like, why it’s important, and how it benefits them and the society we want to have. It is so easy to weaponize language and paint a scarcity mindset to drive zero-sum thinking, and we need to be vigilant about being clear what DEI is and isn’t. This also includes fighting back against false narratives, such as DEI resulting in lowered standards or that DEI is “racism.”
  3. Stay focused and keep doing the work… and encourage others to do so as well. A colleague recently said it best – we can’t do our opponent’s work for them. DEI initiatives are essential, make good business and moral sense, and exist for a reason. Doing away with them makes companies more susceptible to lawsuits, more likely to experience high turnover and low morale, and can create reputational damage in addition to perpetuating injustice. We are on the right side of history, the right side of this fight, and it is our duty to win.

Hodan: What do you love most about working at the National Partnership? Why do you appreciate doing DEIA work with other staff members?

Anagha: While our DEIA team is developing new approaches and initiatives, I am grateful to work with a group of individuals who continuously engage with our work while also candidly sharing their feedback. As an early career professional, I am always open to anything that helps me grow, so I love that our staff feel comfortable coming to our team with their thoughts and ideas. With the patience, understanding, and empowering encouragement from those I work with, I truly enjoy working at the National Partnership on the DEIA team!

Hodan: I want to express my deep gratitude to Aimee and Anagha for sharing their insightful perspectives on the significance of Women’s History Month and their advocacy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEIA). This conversation reaffirms the importance of DEIA – it goes beyond representation to dismantling systemic barriers, amplifying marginalized voices, and creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. As we engage in discussions about DEIA, both within and beyond the workplace, it’s crucial to highlight the diverse perspectives of women leading this vital work. With this month’s theme celebrating Women who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, let’s honor not only ourselves but also the women who inspire and uplift us. Happy Women’s History Month!