Do you feel like your organization is frozen in a mid-organizational change process? Is your organization expressing equity fatigue? Are your staff asking for more transparency and accountability? Now more than ever, organizations are constantly changing to remain relevant to the communities they serve and are part of. External and internal dynamics can catalyze or impede centering equity as a core business practice. This can challenge progress towards just, fair organizations or incite regression.
Session One – Stages of Change
Amber Trout, Senior Associate, Organizational Effectiveness at Community Science, discusses our experiences surrounding equity-infused change management practices and the measurement of progress among other leaders driving change in their organization. We will explore research and practice-backed strategies for moving your organization through equitable change and touch on the increasing backlash to DEI. Amber will be joined by Community Science’s Organization Effectiveness practice area panelists Jasmine Williams-Washington, Michelle Haynes-Baratz, and Suprotik Stotz-Gosh.
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Webinar Deck
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Still more to go. And so we’re excited to be here with you all as you, see folks coming.
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Okay, and I know sometimes Zoom takes a minute.
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Part of what we hope to do today with, is really share what is the evidence and practice based strategies we’ve heard we like to say to move an organization through to that equitable change.
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Be at your end goal having equity be explicit in that strategy or
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So, what is the vehicle that lens that you see all the pieces of your organization How do you manage equity in the different political moments, environmental moments to keep things moving through?
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And then, out to you all that spoke to us before this webinar. We hear you. We heard, please not a 1 0 1 give us concrete
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How do we move through? How is it strategic? How do I connect my values to the system change?
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How do I talk to speak to staff commitment when it feels like maybe the staff are moving faster than the leadership team.
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But there’s buy in on the leadership team, but it’s unclear how to operationalize. We will do our best, not as our goal today is really to talk about the how to.
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To when you once you have that equity commitment or statement or you say we’re doing it How do you go from your current state to where you’d like to go?
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But before we jump in, I want to say welcome to new friends that might this might be your first community science.
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Webinar so we’re so excited you’re joining us. Just wanted to share this is could be science.
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This is all the lovely faces and social scientists and facilitators and practitioners that are that make who we are and make our heartbeat.
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We’re research and evaluation and strategy firm. Really we see how do we help get that data to support the community voice, get the change they see.
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And so really we, our motto is how do we roar towards equity in every moment. And for us, the.
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Organizational effectiveness team who you see in the lovely screens with me right now is how do we see that’s that unit of change, that living organism that exists in the ecosystem that can push and create that demand and that shift.
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For equitable change.
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So why are you here? Before we bring our panelists and we wanted to share that Generally in the literature, it looks so easy.
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Stages of change. I build awareness. I get some information, I get organized. I understand what policies I want to change.
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We implement that change and then I sustain it. We know that’s not the actual experience. To really have where does my current state to go to my desired state rarely feels like that who’s been on a road trip where you really thought you saw thought that was the on ramp and the next thing you know you’re going the wrong direction.
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That’s part of the journey that we love so much, but sometimes an organization can really, induce fatigue or lack of clarity.
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But that’s okay. Cause we really see organization change as a compass. Where do you wanna go?
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So with those stages of change, it’s really a roadmap.
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Of on ramps to get to that desired state. And so what we’d like to share today is first off, how are you honest with what your current state is?
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What’s really going on? Can I look at myself, my organization, how we make decisions? And where do we want to go?
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What is the desired state? And then that makes sense for our organization. And so although this looks linear, this is just the limitation of my growing.
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We know that it goes right, left, up, down, maybe a couple And then once you feel like you got that How do you do this change in the external, context that your organization exists?
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And the histories because those histories in your community are the histories that are going to be in the people that make up your organization.
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And then considering what’s the organizational context. Why was the organization created in the first place? What was its purpose?
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Is it still meeting that purpose? And what’s the history of the organization, not only with the staff, but with the community and the ecosystems and partnerships it’s been in.
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Lastly, we know when you’re trying to change your organization, to advance equity or have equity throughout your policies practices and how you see the world is building that capacity.
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What’s interesting is all of that work and you could see so you’re building awareness you’re getting organized you have this compass it’s telling you where you want to go you start implementation we even we haven’t even mentioned when do you start seeing the changes you hope to see.
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This is sure a lot of effort before. We get to that ultimate impact. So we share all that to say is often times we’re working with organizations, we notice there’s this desired state that everyone’s working towards it.
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I want to be equitable in my community for food outcomes or for educational. And it’s the highest form of equity.
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And for us, when you’re getting started and thinking about those stages of change.
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So is your equity, what you can achieve in terms of what equity looks like along the stages of change.
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So as you’re surfacing, you really understand what what is the history? How do I acknowledge those impacts and then use those most impacted by my organizations decisions or within the organization to identify what are potential solutions and metrics.
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Then, is defining with the people. And thinking about what are the measurements that make sense for this organization.
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And the ecosystems it’s part of. And then how do we build Each layer.
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To that commitment. We have a tree here but for us
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Single tree and it’s really about those roots and how those roots connect to other trees. To really communicate with each other and to really make sure equity is not only enterprise wide, but shows up in your partnerships and how you can have shared agendas with others.
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Most importantly, in addition to
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And the and the commitment, the moral commitment, there’s a financial commitment. All these components are what’s needed to get to that desired state.
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But still now, it even sounds a little bit easier than what it feels like when you experience it. So I’m excited to bring the panelists.
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I don’t know about you all, but I’m not.
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Sure it goes just like that.
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Jasmine, do you mind?
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Yourself and sharing a couple opening thoughts about, equitable change and what that means to you and organizations like, Hey, trying to get to somewhere, but I.
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Okay.
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Yeah.
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Thanks. And.
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As she mentioned, I.
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Washington. I’m really excited to be here with you all and with my colleagues to chat with you about what it takes to get equitable change to drive equitable change in an organization.
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For me as someone who spent many years as a community organizer organizing in spaces in places that I’m not a part of right so being an outsider coming in I have a very deepened understanding of the levers the barriers levers to organization change.
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Brand by experience and organizing. So the first thing is focusing on Getting it right and not being right You may come to this process and you may have that thing in mind that you want that it’s that desired state that you want to be, but maybe it’s not right now, right?
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So not want to be right, but getting it right, getting it right for the organization.
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Right? The other thing is the the ability
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Able to manage and navigate the resistance that will.
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Okay.
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Process, okay? And we’ve changed, there is resistance. So as Amber mentioned earlier, there is a desired state and in my experience organizations tend to have that desired state in mind that can be fuzzy, it’s not exactly clear. And this process and the effort.
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And that those on around is really a part of aligning the intentions of the efforts with the actions that you need to take for the organization.
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So really getting into alignment. And we do that by asking questions of our.
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Other leadership.
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Right? But before we can even get there, we have to really be honest with ourselves. The Amber’s point, how far Are you willing to go?
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And how far can you go considering your content, the organization’s context? Okay, so when I say how far can you go, how
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What?
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For leaders of efforts such as this, it means, hey, are you ready? Are you ready to actually receive feedback and to sit in a place of learning?
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And reflection right understanding that your desired state or that aspiration where you would like to carry your organization may not be the right the right move for the
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Organization.
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It won’t happen at the right and at the pace that you feel or you would like it to actually happen. Right. And then again, thinking about the organization.
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You have to be realistic about, again, the current state. What can you do being realistic about the role of the organization inside of this equitable change process, right?
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What do you, what does the organization actually outside of or with the political factors. Included because what we do know in our experience about doing this
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Work is that.
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Thing is apolitical, nothing. So whether you are a government agency, a federal or local, philanthropic organization or nonprofit.
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There are always political considerations and when considering how far. Are you willing to go? How far can you go?
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All of those things.
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Matter inside of this process. The other thing I mentioned to y’all, you know, I was an organizer.
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So I sit in doing things with people and not 2 people. In my experience, things are sustained.
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Things carried through things are transformative when people are a part of the process. People make up your organization, people are going to be impacted by whatever change, organizational change process that you all embark on, right?
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And will change. Comes resistant behaviors. I want to they will change, will become. Come resistant behaviors.
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What do I mean by that? First of all, resistance happens, right? It’s not if it’s when.
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It’s not if, it’s when. Right? And that path, those on ramps that Amber shared earlier.
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Is a way to get ahead of those some of that resistance that you may meet along the way. So if we’re on a road trip, maybe it’s this number of speed bumps that you’re gonna hit along the way.
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Okay? So we want to make it as smooth as possible. But again, Resistant is natural when change happens.
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It is a natural thing. But how can we get in front of those things? In addition to those on ramp.
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And that route that you’re taking. It’s about the pacing of your change process. Right?
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And we move too fast, right? People are not able to get, get there, hey, pack their bags.
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I didn’t get to, pack my snack bad that I need to take on this road trip.
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We’re going on, the things that I need to show up and engage or I wasn’t able to ask Amber all of the questions you know will I have access can we talk about these things or things being shared with me if the of the change process is too fast.
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Right? But again, we want to do things with people and not 2 people. So what if we slowed it down a little bit?
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Blow down that change process just a little bit. And we get we have more time but we float it down people have time to ask their questions what is on my packing list Wish how long is this road trip going to be?
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You know, by when will we get to buckies? I love bookies. If y’all go on a road trip, go to bookies.
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Best bathrooms ever. You won’t regret it. Trust me. Okay.
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They’re able to get out questions, right? Because again, change. Change is hard no matter what type of change it is Okay, people need to be able to ask questions.
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And also, Back to an earlier point, not wanting to be right. Not wanting to have all the answers. But
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The right pacing, the right.
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Organization because
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We pause and we slow down and we listen. And we listen. That insight that came from what we saw as a resistance, right, resistant behavior.
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It’s actually an opportunity for us to be clear about our final destination or maybe it’s not the final destination.
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Maybe it’s just the first pit stop along along our road trip because O Maybe again considering pacing.
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We may not be able to run that race and get to the final destination. And that first 6 months.
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Maybe it won’t be in 12 months. Heck, maybe it won’t be in 18 months.
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The point is. This process goes at the pace. Of both trusting the process and trust is earned not given, right?
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And we do those things and we build trust along the way by being transpiracy, by bringing people along with the inside of the process.
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And we’ll talk more about that later. But what I would like to say, ultimately the goal is.
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The impact will change to be transformative, okay, again to be transformative. To be transformative.
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And to sustain the change that we work toward. Right, and I’m gonna pause and with that I wanna.
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Send it over to my colleague.
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Thanks, Jason. It is about transformation and, I’m happy to be here as part of with you all and a hundred of you, right?
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Over a hundred and they were double that number. Who actually signed up so it’s important to know that we are we are part of this larger group.
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That is trying to figure out, you know, transformative change and when we’re talking about equity equity, it always is about transforming a chain.
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So this is my favorite conversation. And as I have, been part of and have been tasked to lead several different transformative change efforts catalyzed by commitment to equity.
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What I found is that I’m actually deeply oriented to the cycle of transformation. And something that feels, natural actually.
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But I think, I think that’s actually true of all of us. I think that we are actually all oriented to the cycle of transformation and we can think about these experiences from our own lives.
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Where you have shifted from something to another way of being and I think those cycles that we’ve gone through as individuals are really helpful through this process.
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So in those moments where you might feel stuck. Important to name like you know where are we trying to get from to I think of it to help the little tool to think about transformation as a from to sequence and to engage.
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You know, on your own and or with with your colleagues and saying, where are we trying to get from and to?
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So. I think we can all be more grounded in transformation instead of potentially feeling like this is something that we don’t know. Actually.
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These cycles. And so when we think about the transformations that we’ve experienced as individuals, I know that we all know that, there are moments of real darkness.
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There are moments when we feel lost. And so
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You know, in moments when you’re lost, really important to like slow down as you’re doing here, right?
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And reaching out for first support, right? And whether that’s it to your own organization, in your community, or with people like your community science.
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Yes, reach out for support. And that is part of the process of getting through it. But the more you’ve done it
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More you’ve completed these cycles of change.
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To get through those moments. So, when we’re talking about stuckness on these journeys.
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What I found and, you know, maybe what’s drawing over 200 people to this kind of conversation is that it does seem like they’re potentially more, ways than ever to get stuck.
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And, so
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Spend a minute on that and thinking about that when we When we talk about being stuck or frozen or whatever, you know, whatever drew you into this conversation.
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When I think of it in terms of a cycle of change, I think of it as the, status quo working.
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And
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As it was designed to work. And because it
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Are always equity is a cycle of change. It is a cycle to disrupt and to create something, you know, something new and different.
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So when we see that these processes are but we feel like we’re stuck. We, it’s a point of a question to ask is like, well, who is being served when I’m feeling step?
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Because the
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Yeah.
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The system is operating. The status quo is operating. And so when we think of, stuckness viewed this way.
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We can think of it as. There’s always new ways to get stuck because it is a.
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A backlash to our progress. And so I just think of 1 1 of the latest ways to give, for us to get stuck is potentially, you know, what I believe we’re seeing is potentially in some ways an overreaction.
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To the Supreme Court decision on a affirmative action. We’re seeing that that actually is having an effect.
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I’m actually part of this broader thing. A bigger stuckness than I might have known otherwise. On this issue of getting stuck, I’ve recently had a newer reaction to it because, in my own community here in Southwest Michigan, that’s where I’m based.
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We’ve, there’s been a 40 year effort to address the black infant mortality right here.
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And I was at a presentation where one of the leaders was showing that actually 20 years ago, the rates were nearly equal.
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Black and white infant mortality, nearly equal in my community. And this was after 2 decades of work.
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And, And now, 20 years later, these rates are back up to where they were 40 years ago.
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And so when you had to ask that question in the moment, like what happened in the community at that at that moment and the person presenting said well a lot of things happened but those who were mobilizing to address black infant mortality felt stuck That was one of the observations.
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And that certainly wasn’t on their own. There were a lot of forces at work to keep the black infant mortality and white infant mortality rates disparate.
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And so it’s just important. Yeah, for me, this is a more recent example. Where I can draw upon to say when we get stuck there are actually costs to human lives.
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It is not just our own right we are in service of our communities. And so our own stuff, this has, I’m just reminded of the, of the human life costs when we are trying to figure it out.
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So last, last on this, idea of stuck is actually don’t like the stuff medical.
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And I don’t like the stuff metaphors because it’s it’s a machine. Metaphor, right?
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And we all know we are human beings. We are living systems. Our organizations are living systems and actually think that the more we apply living systems metaphors it helps us get different information.
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It helps us know what to what we’re looking at and how to assess differently and potentially better than applying machine metaphors.
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But on to a conversation about assessment. I’m going to pass it to my colleague Michelle.
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Hey folks, thanks Teek. Thanks to all of you for being here. Super excited to be with you all in community with my amazing OE team.
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And so as T mentioned, I’m going to talk a little bit about assessment and you know I’ve been doing this sort of data research piece of the FBI journey for a long time and I’ve looked at it from all sorts of different angles.
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So, you know, what does equity look like in organizations and how do we actually measure that, right?
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What are clever ways to get at what equity looks like? What does inequity look like and how does it show up again?
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You know, from a data perspective and what does data look like when it’s in equitable or when there’s inequity in a space.
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And so there are, I think, a lot of different ways to slice and dice it. But in the end.
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For me, equity is when you cannot predict someone’s outcomes by virtue of their demographic characteristics, right?
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So when their experiences, whether they are positive, whether they are negative, whether they are challenges. That those experiences within a system.
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Occur independent of your race independently of your gender identity independent of your neurotypicality and all the intersections that come in between.
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And so, To that effect, you know, I am a, I am a data sort of nut, if you will, and I, I do love a big data set.
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But when you do this work, I really think you need to be clear about what kind of data you want.
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What you need and how to interpret it and so I just like to offer 3 sort of takeaways to sort of think about in the context of assessment.
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So all of my colleagues have touched on this idea of Intel information awareness and really it’s always about being data-driven, right?
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We are such, we’re such contextual beings and so we really have to have an understanding of where we are.
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And so to Jasmine’s point, you need to know where you are and how far you’re willing to go.
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And ultimately, you have to know what that looks like, right? And that does really translate into data.
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So the only way to sort of plot your course is to figure out where you are to figure out what that ends state or midpoint state looks like and then try and backwards map how you get there.
00:24:59.000 –> 00:25:08.000
Points at other point beyond being data-driven is to not get swayed by small numbers.
00:25:08.000 –> 00:25:22.000
Small numbers are sometimes folks think, well, you know, When I look at a data set, if I look at how, people are feeling in the context of an organization, well, you know, 97% of folks are happy or they’re endorsing an organization.
00:25:22.000 –> 00:25:27.000
Well, that may be true and it’s sometimes tempting to think, okay, well, we must be doing all right.
00:25:27.000 –> 00:25:37.000
Okay, only only a few people are either unhappy or experiencing this challenging outcome. But the reality is that equity is in the margins, right?
00:25:37.000 –> 00:25:44.000
So if that organization, you take a step back and you look at, well, who is it? That’s endorsing the organization.
00:25:44.000 –> 00:25:52.000
Who is it experiencing the positive versus the negative outcomes? If those 3% of folks who are having those marginalized experiences are folks that don’t fit into that.
00:25:52.000 –> 00:26:04.000
Dominic culture box, then you have a clue that things are not necessarily, going, going well, right?
00:26:04.000 –> 00:26:15.000
And so there is this temptation sometimes to look at data and think only about the numbers and that small numbers are somehow easily dismissed.
00:26:15.000 –> 00:26:24.000
And I would argue that that’s a real. That’s that’s a real fallacy because again oftentimes you need to look at the margins to figure out what’s going on with equity.
00:26:24.000 –> 00:26:30.000
And so that leads me to sort of my third point, which is really the importance of qualitative data, right?
00:26:30.000 –> 00:26:35.000
So stories and lived experiences are supremely important. You know, there’s a long tradition of dominant cultures using numbers, you know, numbers, science equals truth.
00:26:35.000 –> 00:26:50.000
Okay, but using small numbers. Is also an excuse, right? It can be an excuse to exclude or to hide the experience of those who are in the margin.
00:26:50.000 –> 00:26:57.000
And so if you want to understand what is going on, I think it’s really critical and we science really believe in this sort of quantitative and also qualitative piece.
00:26:57.000 –> 00:27:11.000
So that you can get the whole story for everyone and you can figure out. Who for whom are things working and for whom are things not working?
00:27:11.000 –> 00:27:17.000
And that becomes a clue as to where you might need to drill down in terms of some of your change efforts.
00:27:17.000 –> 00:27:24.000
And so with that, I’ll go ahead and pause. And send it back to you.
00:27:24.000 –> 00:27:29.000
Look, if that’s great and we’re already hearing from you online, I love it. Okay.
00:27:29.000 –> 00:27:32.000
Stop taking care. I’m not stuck. We’re ready to move forward. Resistance.
00:27:32.000 –> 00:27:37.000
Got it. And we’ll come back to that. There’s a question of what if someone doesn’t want to come to the table.
00:27:37.000 –> 00:27:45.000
By thinking about Jasmine what you were saying like how far do you want to go? And is the pace of change.
00:27:45.000 –> 00:27:52.000
What makes sense for your organization and how far depends on your context. Are you a government organization? Are you nonprofit?
00:27:52.000 –> 00:27:57.000
Do you have the resources and staff capacity to do that? And Michelle, what I loved you saying is the data helps you decide that priority.
00:27:57.000 –> 00:28:08.000
So once you say, yes, we want this desired state to advance equity in our organization and community. Where?
00:28:08.000 –> 00:28:15.000
For who? And where should we start first, right? And then take what are your views? Just try it.
00:28:15.000 –> 00:28:22.000
Once you get that priority and that first step after you back, backward map. Try it. See what happens.
00:28:22.000 –> 00:28:31.000
And if you get stuck, learn from that. And so what folks are really interested in is like, okay, now what does that strategy look like to help us move through?
00:28:31.000 –> 00:28:38.000
What are those critical conditions I should be looking for in my organization, my leadership team and our culture, right?
00:28:38.000 –> 00:28:56.000
So if you don’t mind starting this off, Teek, what are some of the barriers and facilitators when designing an equitable change system to get some an organization or supporting that driver from that current state to that desired state that only that organization can work towards.
00:28:56.000 –> 00:29:00.000
Yeah, thank you. So I’ll start with the, facilitators. I think of what’s, what’s primary in, in every effort, no matter the context.
00:29:00.000 –> 00:29:08.000
Is, is the process of mobilizing. There’s a process of growing who is actually in the effort with you.
00:29:08.000 –> 00:29:38.000
Always anticipating there will be barriers and challenges right they’re out there there always will be moments when you are experiencing the resistance but mapping you know getting concrete about who’s who is on board with whatever effort right and getting you know, the, in a way moving beyond being stuck can mean adding one, right?
00:29:38.000 –> 00:29:52.000
One more person or taking one step. I think often when we are feeling like yeah we don’t know where to go next it’s because we, were holding potentially too tightly onto the end goal.
00:29:52.000 –> 00:30:01.000
And we’re not opening ourselves up to to the feedback that we’re getting. So thinking of the thinking of that and then in terms of inhibitors.
00:30:01.000 –> 00:30:17.000
1, one can be thinking about the, holding onto the goal too tightly. Another one that comes to mind is, is, operating with the same kind of infrastructure that you’ve had throughout the process.
00:30:17.000 –> 00:30:29.000
Meaning like that an organization had been going, then you bring in an equity initiative and then we’re still trying to operate with the same one the same structure, the same feedback loops, which are which need to be significantly expanded.
00:30:29.000 –> 00:30:42.000
When you are doing equity initiative because there’s just so much more you’re trying to take in as you’re trying to move the work forward.
00:30:42.000 –> 00:30:47.000
To this day, unmute yourself, right? Still gets me.
00:30:47.000 –> 00:30:54.000
With those infrastructure considerations, Jasmine, what folks are really wanting to know is how do you keep leadership at the table, right?
00:30:54.000 –> 00:31:09.000
What are the facilitators, the barriers you’ve seen when working? When a leaders like that’s that inequity is not there or this conflict doesn’t make sense. That inequity is not there or this conflict doesn’t make sense.
00:31:09.000 –> 00:31:15.000
Or even Michelle, when, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts like what data really moves a leadership team to take action.
00:31:15.000 –> 00:31:26.000
So, Jasmine, I was wondering if you can open us up. Same question, but kind of weaving in knowing sometimes there’s a difference of piecing and how far people want to push when you’re designing this.
00:31:26.000 –> 00:31:27.000
Your organizational change.
00:31:27.000 –> 00:31:37.000
Right, right, so. Knowing how far we want to push. Right, leaders that disabled that what I hear you saying, They’re not at disabled.
00:31:37.000 –> 00:31:47.000
They’re not wanting to come to the table. Here’s the thing, this process in my experience, it can only, move at the pace of how fast leadership or how far leadership is willing to go.
00:31:47.000 –> 00:31:59.000
So what I would They is oftentimes when leaders are not necessarily fully onboard or they’re like, mmm.
00:31:59.000 –> 00:32:06.000
That’s sounds good. Maybe, maybe it sounds good. Maybe it’s different, maybe it’s not whatever it is.
00:32:06.000 –> 00:32:22.000
It sounds good. Weary of it, star from where they where they are right so it’s not necessarily making them uncomfortable not I mean comfortable with the idea of staying maintaining the status quo or maintaining the current state, right?
00:32:22.000 –> 00:32:33.000
But it’s saying, okay, what step are you willing to take right now? Can we both agree in my experience it’s much easier in this work to start from a place of agreement.
00:32:33.000 –> 00:32:41.000
Right, so they’re even willing to have the conversation. Where can you agree? So now we both agree we want to move and have an equitable change process inside of this organization.
00:32:41.000 –> 00:32:51.000
Boom, okay, we both, we can both agree there. All right. How far? Like, what can we do, right?
00:32:51.000 –> 00:32:59.000
Offer something, offer a step. Right, because it’s a, based off what to said and in our experience, the point is to move.
00:32:59.000 –> 00:33:07.000
Right? I would challenge you all not to be. Or you are not to become stuck because of someone else’s reaction.
00:33:07.000 –> 00:33:17.000
We have to also understand that everyone is in a different place as Amber mentioned earlier about the roots and how the roots are connected and that people make up these organizations.
00:33:17.000 –> 00:33:22.000
We have to realize that we’re not robotic, that we have fears. We have all these things.
00:33:22.000 –> 00:33:30.000
And so having those conversations, particularly in the planning phase of your, your, this process is really important.
00:33:30.000 –> 00:33:37.000
It’s not saying that they’re not gonna move, but it’s time. Y’all, I cannot say that enough.
00:33:37.000 –> 00:33:42.000
You have to invest time in planning to bring people to the table. There are, the leader has to be brought in, right?
00:33:42.000 –> 00:33:54.000
Depend what you’re doing in cases HR made for non It’s the board. There are pieces.
00:33:54.000 –> 00:34:05.000
There are people that are necessary through have bought into this process. There’s a difference between being bought in and saying, hey, I’m I’m with you.
00:34:05.000 –> 00:34:09.000
We can move forward and saying, hey, I’m where you are. Those are 2 different things.
00:34:09.000 –> 00:34:18.000
What I would challenge you all to do in those situations is not to other, right? So we stop and we say, oh, this leader does not want to do this.
00:34:18.000 –> 00:34:28.000
Then we stop all movement, all progress and we will never go anywhere. And so Tee’s point, who benefits from that?
00:34:28.000 –> 00:34:35.000
Is working as intended, right? Who benefits for that? And then who loses? Right?
00:34:35.000 –> 00:34:49.000
Who’s impacted by that? So being willing to meet people where they are being willing to have conversations, being willing to have the difficult and uncomfortable conversations and asking clarifying question, what is it about this?
00:34:49.000 –> 00:35:01.000
Step. What is it about this strategy that makes you uncomfortable being very explicit and being comfortable and standing saying we really need to know because you’ve already said.
00:35:01.000 –> 00:35:13.000
You’ve agreed to go up on this journey. So the accountability. Is to the organization and to the people within it because if we do not move then now we’ve done harm.
00:35:13.000 –> 00:35:17.000
And then what are the implications of that?
00:35:17.000 –> 00:35:21.000
What makes the thread between, you and Getting the planning phase is to get clear on what your organization can change, right?
00:35:21.000 –> 00:35:34.000
That’s where everyone’s great. We’re here because of the mission. And we notice that there’s a constituents we’re not serving, right?
00:35:34.000 –> 00:35:41.000
And then often when we’re working with the senior leadership teams like, wow, but it’s a hundred percent that needs to be bought in.
00:35:41.000 –> 00:35:57.000
That’s when the pause is wondering like, well, have there been other initiatives that maybe are explicitly equity that you move forward where there wasn’t a hundred percent buy-in, yet you still did it and move kept momentum forward.
00:35:57.000 –> 00:36:01.000
That’s the
00:36:01.000 –> 00:36:06.000
And sometimes that headwind is your dog. So there’s a headwind.
00:36:06.000 –> 00:36:14.000
Preventing you from doing your work. And so in those moments, the literature and change management shows that there’s 80%, 80% buying.
00:36:14.000 –> 00:36:22.000
And so what narrative do you want to feed? You could spend 80% of your investments and times and resources to the 20% that.
00:36:22.000 –> 00:36:34.000
Maybe aren’t ready to change, need to understand more or just to disagree. Where you could spend 80% of your money on the 80% to find more commonalities.
00:36:34.000 –> 00:36:43.000
Right. And so then Michelle, it makes me wonder. So in those meetings, when you’re working with the board or or senior leadership team, again, that’s like, well, we need all or nothing.
00:36:43.000 –> 00:36:53.000
What are you thinking about? So going back to the conditions. So we’ve heard who’s at the table, what leaders are at the table that are bought into where you want to go.
00:36:53.000 –> 00:36:54.000
Maybe not the actual behaviors yet, but everyone is there because they want to see that desired state happen.
00:36:54.000 –> 00:37:07.000
We’ve heard how do we keep momentum and finding the small wins while still having space for people to ask questions and keep learning, right?
00:37:07.000 –> 00:37:11.000
But then we’re all there’s a balance so it’s not at the harm of those that where could we keep going right?
00:37:11.000 –> 00:37:22.000
Where the little pockets that we keep moving forward. Michelle, what I love that you were opening up with is the different data to help find the hotspots or maybe even put some little bread seeds along the pathway to see where to move forward.
00:37:22.000 –> 00:37:28.000
Do you mind sharing some thoughts?
00:37:28.000 –> 00:37:37.000
Yeah, I mean, so it. It it reckons back to that. Question of, you know, what moves people, right?
00:37:37.000 –> 00:37:46.000
And I think that it depends, you, you know, the context person, so different folks are moved by different things, but I’ll, I’ll quote Jasmine here.
00:37:46.000 –> 00:37:55.000
This is human work. Right? And it is relational work and I actually have found that you can be.
00:37:55.000 –> 00:38:04.000
Very quantitatively oriented, but what often changes. Or can move someone? Are the stories, right?
00:38:04.000 –> 00:38:12.000
That those human connections, those human stories, these lived experiences that people are having. And once folks You know, it’s a bit of a cliche, but this, you know, this is not just a number.
00:38:12.000 –> 00:38:27.000
These are human beings that you have. Connection with, that you are in community with in your organization and knowing a little bit more about the experiences that they’re having.
00:38:27.000 –> 00:38:40.000
Can sometimes really be. The The switch, if you will. You know, I’ve been, I’ve worked with some organizations.
00:38:40.000 –> 00:38:53.000
One example comes to mind, it was a particularly, I will just say conservative organization and to the point where it was even challenging to use the word.
00:38:53.000 –> 00:39:01.000
Diversity in the context of a conversation. It was that kind of like, You know, scary for them.
00:39:01.000 –> 00:39:31.000
It turned out that a leader was willing to share a story about Her child who belonged to a you know a marginalized population and particularly in that their context and somehow She shared how’s that just it softened everyone like here’s this person I have a relationship with I I connect with them and now I understand that it’s not just about politics but this these are real stories and so I think that that is the power of
00:39:34.000 –> 00:39:45.000
Humanity. I think that’s the power of when we think about different kinds of data. Yes, you want the numbers, but you also want that qualitative story, those lived experiences, because that’s where you can get the connection.
00:39:45.000 –> 00:39:53.000
The other thing I wanted to just pick up on, it’s a bit tangential. But Jasmine, you were talking about sort of slowing down.
00:39:53.000 –> 00:39:55.000
One of the things that we notice sometimes, I mean, I could not agree more. There is no one and done.
00:39:55.000 –> 00:40:03.000
This like if you’re looking for it is not gonna work. It’s just not gonna work.
00:40:03.000 –> 00:40:14.000
But when you slow down and you start to implement these change efforts, when you’re looking at the data oftentimes and this gets scary for folks, things look like they get worse.
00:40:14.000 –> 00:40:15.000
Before they get better, right? And they were like, it’s not working, it’s not working, we’re making it worse.
00:40:15.000 –> 00:40:23.000
We’re stirring the pot, right? This kind of idea of like, let’s back away, right?
00:40:23.000 –> 00:40:30.000
We’re somehow stirring the demons. And it actually turns out that’s pretty common. And sometimes when things get worse, it’s pretty common.
00:40:30.000 –> 00:40:51.000
And sometimes when things get worse, it’s because Folks feel freer. To report folks feel freer because they see themselves they’re like oh I didn’t I didn’t know that was a thing and that’s happening to other people will let me speak up about it right so oftentimes even in the context of looking at data whether it’s the lived experience sort of more qualitative or
00:40:51.000 –> 00:40:58.000
it’s the quantitative, we see weird blips and it can sort of spook people if you will.
00:40:58.000 –> 00:41:07.000
It’s pretty common actually to see things get worse before they get better. You know, there is, right before the dawn and there is a reason for that.
00:41:07.000 –> 00:41:17.000
And it’s generally a good sign. That you are close to a turning point. So. Just another offering.
00:41:17.000 –> 00:41:28.000
Just to build on that. Just wanna note that, in my own experience, but also as I look at, you know, I talk about living systems a lot, but I’m, I’m new to gardening.
00:41:28.000 –> 00:41:32.000
But when I think of my own growth, but also when I look at plants grow or just like. It’s not pretty, you know, like it takes a while for something to grow and get pretty, right?
00:41:32.000 –> 00:41:41.000
Like when I’m growing around some new, cycle, like I, it’s totally. Willering.
00:41:41.000 –> 00:41:42.000
So just your point about like it can get feel worse but it’s just it can just be different than what we’re used to.
00:41:42.000 –> 00:41:56.000
And if we can make it through that really difficult, you know, period. That’s a tough here to get through, I think, in these change process.
00:41:56.000 –> 00:42:01.000
That’s but we can get through it and then we can, you know, get to the, to where we are feeling.
00:42:01.000 –> 00:42:07.000
Oh, this actually does potentially feel better too.
00:42:07.000 –> 00:42:14.000
What I also hear is what are the data, right? How are we monitoring for progress? A different way to hear to hear the data.
00:42:14.000 –> 00:42:22.000
Cause I know the project, Michelle is talking about and really it gets to the different pieces. Is not this one component at a time.
00:42:22.000 –> 00:42:28.000
Right? It’s a leader that understands and a leadership team. We’re gonna focus on staff retention.
00:42:28.000 –> 00:42:36.000
Working with the HR department and saying great now people feel more comfortable going to HR. We might see a spike in saying I don’t feel like I have career directory.
00:42:36.000 –> 00:42:46.000
My boss is not clear. I’m getting microaggressions and it’s from these people, right?
00:42:46.000 –> 00:42:51.000
It’s it’s typically from this band of managers. Boom. One you get a hotspot.
00:42:51.000 –> 00:43:00.000
Right, of, oh, there’s a potential intervention. What, how are managers equipped and change manage it informed in real time and skilled?
00:43:00.000 –> 00:43:18.000
To have conversations across race across gender, geography, class. All the generational, right? It’s a band that’s forgotten at the same time because you’re seeing your numbers go up in HR, that’s a positive indicator that people feel comfortable speaking up.
00:43:18.000 –> 00:43:23.000
Right. So that’s that getting ready phase. Now sustaining is what do you do next? And that’s why we’re saying how do you keep moving forward?
00:43:23.000 –> 00:43:36.000
So what do you do next is what’s the next version and how responding. Right? To, oh, we’re seeing elevated complaints around microaggressions, right?
00:43:36.000 –> 00:43:38.000
The intervention might be getting feedback and hearing what the issues are and getting specific which group might need training or in their job description.
00:43:38.000 –> 00:43:56.000
Different behaviors to see, right? So then that next iteration. Might we might see numbers the same or go down, but more people getting promoted within or speaking up in meetings.
00:43:56.000 –> 00:44:03.000
We’ve seen in the business literature that it also facilitates increased innovation and your ability to reach out.
00:44:03.000 –> 00:44:04.000
We also have folks, handle us. I’m interested to hear your thoughts. We, we got a lot of things coming in.
00:44:04.000 –> 00:44:19.000
So we have a couple. One is how is equitable change process different than any other change? And I wonder like, if you had some thoughts, cause I know really changes change.
00:44:19.000 –> 00:44:22.000
It’s the word equity that might make it feel so different. But I’d like to hear your thoughts of is it different?
00:44:22.000 –> 00:44:30.000
Yeah. No, I think it is different. I don’t think change is changed. So, it is important to think about like we are placing equity as this transformational proposition.
00:44:30.000 –> 00:44:41.000
Where you are, you know, from something to something else, but that is different than something that is more developmental, right?
00:44:41.000 –> 00:44:50.000
There’s developmental change, which is a different process. You know, and so like to understand like, oh, are we actually in a transformation process?
00:44:50.000 –> 00:44:55.000
Is a really important question. And this goes back to what Jasmine was saying earlier, which relates to how far do you want to go?
00:44:55.000 –> 00:45:05.000
Equity is the way we see it here. Is about this, this, this capacity to be something different, but also we add on.
00:45:05.000 –> 00:45:06.000
It’s not just doing something different, it’s actually growing your capacity as you’re doing, right?
00:45:06.000 –> 00:45:21.000
It’s actually being more capable, you know, hopefully as you transform, you know, hopefully as you transform, you, you can, the organizations you’re working with are actually capable of solving bigger problems, right?
00:45:21.000 –> 00:45:33.000
This is about actually creating organizations that are places where there is more, you know, humanity actually than out going out into the world and accomplishing more goals, bigger goals.
00:45:33.000 –> 00:45:41.000
Creating more impact in accomplishing our missions in different ways. So I do think it’s a, there is all change is not the same.
00:45:41.000 –> 00:45:49.000
Would you say there’s certain things that are true? Like you have to find a priority. You have to resource that priority.
00:45:49.000 –> 00:45:56.000
Right. And this is where it’s like. Urgent in a way like that’s the one priority you’re focused on.
00:45:56.000 –> 00:46:06.000
So as other Ed and flow happen in the organization and externally, there are some steps. That are the same on how you change a state.
00:46:06.000 –> 00:46:07.000
I think so. Yeah.
00:46:07.000 –> 00:46:12.000
And would you say equity? So why does equity make it feel so different when you put the word equitable in front of it?
00:46:12.000 –> 00:46:14.000
So I just wanna push back a little bit. There’s some steps are the same. Yes. Right.
00:46:14.000 –> 00:46:18.000
Yeah, yeah, there. Sure. Yeah.
00:46:18.000 –> 00:46:23.000
And otherwise I’m like, oh my goodness, if this is different and it might be a way to stay stuck.
00:46:23.000 –> 00:46:24.000
So do you mind elaborating a little bit more?
00:46:24.000 –> 00:46:33.000
Yeah, no, I think there are. Yes, sure. No, I do think like everything we know about, about leading through change is applicable.
00:46:33.000 –> 00:46:40.000
Right? And I do think that the cycles that I’ve been a part of that we see organizations all around the that we work with.
00:46:40.000 –> 00:46:51.000
It requires more of us because we are, reclaiming parts of our individual selves.
00:46:51.000 –> 00:46:57.000
And the, this commitment to equity, which is, a discovery process along the way.
00:46:57.000 –> 00:47:09.000
You’re actually don’t know what your next step is until you take the step, right? So this is a 1 of these metaphors of when you’re when you’re in the dark and you’re lost is you you take your journey this following the next step.
00:47:09.000 –> 00:47:18.000
And then reassessing and then moving forward, right? And so we are learning very new behaviors as we’re taking all these steps that we’re learning how to engage with ourselves.
00:47:18.000 –> 00:47:27.000
How do I navigate this step differently. How do I engage with others differently, right? So there are I know there’s lots of different examples of organizations doing this and everyone needs to do it according to their own context, right?
00:47:27.000 –> 00:47:38.000
Everybody’s engaging with their, you know, the culture of their own organization is the people there, which I do think is both.
00:47:38.000 –> 00:47:44.000
So there’s both absolutely consistencies and there’s, you know, your journey is going to be different from the organization next door.
00:47:44.000 –> 00:47:49.000
Well, I’d love, I totally appreciate what you’re saying, how some parts are different.
00:47:49.000 –> 00:48:04.000
And when I really heard you saying some behaviors, right? Change it is status quo. We know this, this is the flow of the steps, there’s some input, what Perhaps on open to strong pivots when equitable is put in front of equitable organizational change.
00:48:04.000 –> 00:48:11.000
What I hear you saying is The steps might be similar, but knowing how to the behaviors needed. Is new.
00:48:11.000 –> 00:48:17.000
You may not be the expert and that feels not good, right? Most of us are trained to be the experts.
00:48:17.000 –> 00:48:29.000
We know the answer and then we then we go, but sometimes it requires pause doing need more resources, but there’s someone else that’s an expert in the room, but I’m not used to listening to.
00:48:29.000 –> 00:48:34.000
And then I need to do my work to be like, it’s not me to lead this. It’s someone else.
00:48:34.000 –> 00:48:39.000
Right, so getting really clear on what’s different. I just was picking up that thread you’re saying.
00:48:39.000 –> 00:48:56.000
So yes, there’s the flow. And it’s the different behaviors, the unknown that you’re not used to reaching for as an expert that makes it feel dangerous, risky or cautious because that calculation that you might make as a manager as a leader or a staff member.
00:48:56.000 –> 00:49:01.000
It’s it’s a little bit harder to calculate like what is the risk? This is new.
00:49:01.000 –> 00:49:10.000
This is uncharted territory. Jasmine, we’re hearing a lot like, okay, y’all are talking about the organization, line up that mission. Good to go.
00:49:10.000 –> 00:49:13.000
There’s a roadmap. Michelle’s telling me about getting the mixed methods in there, make sure there’s qualitative.
00:49:13.000 –> 00:49:25.000
But this organization also exists in a community. So how does the organization and in partnership or dance with the community influence an org.
00:49:25.000 –> 00:49:33.000
And there’s another question that’s in there. I think it’s important to say and how is it not always manipulating the sad stories, right?
00:49:33.000 –> 00:49:42.000
Mainly of people of color, marginalized identities to get an organization to act. So I was wondering if you could share a few thoughts on that.
00:49:42.000 –> 00:49:43.000
Oof!
00:49:43.000 –> 00:49:45.000
Oh, that last question I felt that emotional labor invoice right in the gut. I felt it.
00:49:45.000 –> 00:49:46.000
Yeah.
00:49:46.000 –> 00:49:58.000
I felt it. Right. Yes, so communities influence on the organization itself. Listen, are you living into the values that you set forth for the community?
00:49:58.000 –> 00:50:00.000
Are you leaning into those? Right? The community stood matter like in this in this process. Are they included in this matter?
00:50:00.000 –> 00:50:18.000
Are they do they have a decision-making process? Are you sharing information back with them? Are you asking them back to my My favorite question, or my favorite statement.
00:50:18.000 –> 00:50:25.000
I don’t wanna be right, I just wanna get it right. I think to Amber’s point that we are oriented to being experts.
00:50:25.000 –> 00:50:32.000
Right? And to the point about the lived experience, you also have to earn the right to even receive those stories.
00:50:32.000 –> 00:50:41.000
You have to earn the right to receive those stories. I’m gonna say that again. You need to earn the right to receive those stories because I do not owe you my pain.
00:50:41.000 –> 00:50:50.000
I do not owe you my story. And if you like inside of your your change process, how are you engaging with community?
00:50:50.000 –> 00:50:56.000
Right? What steps are you taking? What are you offering? Or are you sitting in what have traditionally been done, right?
00:50:56.000 –> 00:51:12.000
And we, if you with a university than any ever done any kind of community participatory research, go to the door, you go to the neighborhood, you have the university shirt on, they’re like don’t wear this shirt, don’t wear it out there because people are tired.
00:51:12.000 –> 00:51:21.000
Okay, so again the biggest thing about the communities influence on the organization is that you all the organization has to be willing.
00:51:21.000 –> 00:51:26.000
To receive the community as experts of their experiences. At first and how they’ve been impacted and also a source of the solution.
00:51:26.000 –> 00:51:36.000
Often we are very prescriptive. Right? So to me, it’s no different.
00:51:36.000 –> 00:51:41.000
The organization again is made up of people, right? So it’s no different. Inside of an organization is a system.
00:51:41.000 –> 00:52:07.000
Is this the closed system versus the community is sitting in. It’s the same thing. Don’t do things to people you do things with people you make a decision you share how you got there did we get it right this is the data we collected I went and got data from you hey we see now based off the data, we know where there is smoke, where there is fire and where that is, we’re smoldering.
00:52:07.000 –> 00:52:14.000
right? Where, you know what, that’s piping down, but because we see these hot spots, we see these things rising up.
00:52:14.000 –> 00:52:26.000
Community, how we think this, what do you think? Again, the to teeth point, Amber’s point earlier about equitable change.
00:52:26.000 –> 00:52:36.000
Again, equitable change, being transparent, doing things with people instead of 2 people. Challenges power dynamics, okay?
00:52:36.000 –> 00:52:45.000
It interrupts power. Okay, we have a say a power on the call yet, but people tend to look at power like a piece of pizza.
00:52:45.000 –> 00:52:49.000
There are only so many slices. If I take one, that means I’m not going to have a piece.
00:52:49.000 –> 00:53:02.000
Right? But we’re sharing power. It again, because we are respecting the stories and the experiences of those who are impacted by whatever system.
00:53:02.000 –> 00:53:16.000
So inside of a organization, it’s the systems and the policies and the procedures. Inside of the community, it is the, either, well, they’re the systems that they interact with every day, whether it be public service, whether it be education, whether it be anything.
00:53:16.000 –> 00:53:25.000
It is the same thing. It’s hates time. There are conversations. You need buy-in.
00:53:25.000 –> 00:53:37.000
Again, respecting lived experience. Are you going to Miss Annie on the corner that’s the candy lady that may not technically have power the way we receive power.
00:53:37.000 –> 00:53:45.000
But she is a go to person in the community and you need her by it. So again, for us that are, you know, Going along this journey, I asked us to challenge our own assumptions.
00:53:45.000 –> 00:54:04.000
What’s in your soil? We’re skating your plant? What mental models are you carrying that you cannot lean into that process that you will not take the time to actually be in relationship, be in community and to Michelle’s point.
00:54:04.000 –> 00:54:09.000
Again, there human. Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
00:54:09.000 –> 00:54:19.000
And that what I what I appreciate what you’re saying there is how is the community creating the demand but if the organization is not ready to hear the demand.
00:54:19.000 –> 00:54:31.000
The impact the delivery on mission is never going to be fully realized. And so part of that is that new muscle that T was saying, and we also have a question about incremental change.
00:54:31.000 –> 00:54:41.000
Is that equitable? Does that get you to equity or does it keep you in the middle? Right. And it makes me think about, I saw you jump on, you have thoughts.
00:54:41.000 –> 00:54:42.000
Okay. Yeah.
00:54:42.000 –> 00:54:43.000
Genentee, okay. I just saw it, I was like, bring it.
00:54:43.000 –> 00:54:57.000
Yes, so the This small one, the small one. The incremental change normally people look at the small wins and like oh no that’s just the low hanging fruit it hates low you have to get the small winds to lead to the bigger win.
00:54:57.000 –> 00:55:08.000
As long as it’s in alignment and it makes sense for the pacing. Right? To how fast you’re able to go for the speed of change, right?
00:55:08.000 –> 00:55:20.000
And it is on par with where that ultimate destination that there there’s nothing wrong with small wits and people need that y’all, let let’s be honest, we’re living the age of social media.
00:55:20.000 –> 00:55:33.000
I can just listen to a book. It’s instant gratification. You have to have something to keep people going and then say this is how this mall change this incremental change gets us to this big one.
00:55:33.000 –> 00:55:41.000
And the point is to keep moving one foot in front of the nut the other. So this is now that we’ve done this, this is the next step.
00:55:41.000 –> 00:55:42.000
I’m sorry to go ahead.
00:55:42.000 –> 00:55:48.000
Don’t be sorry. That’s great. No, it’s just gonna say like, this is one of the things that I feel like I tried to become.
00:55:48.000 –> 00:55:56.000
Good at, which is seeing as small of a change as possible. And then sharing that out because it just everything just, what you’re saying, Gives.
00:55:56.000 –> 00:56:01.000
And if we have to keep feeding our team, like, yes, we are making progress when we are, when we’re not, right?
00:56:01.000 –> 00:56:13.000
We need to be straight about that, but. Can we all get really good at noticing the smallest level of change and keep using that to reinforce and and get more people around?
00:56:13.000 –> 00:56:25.000
Yeah. Just knowing the time, man, it really flew. So, team, I’m gonna ask you what’s, 2, 3 words to keep you hopeful and moving forward for those that stayed with us.
00:56:25.000 –> 00:56:32.000
We, try to answer all your questions. We will curate those and, and find a correspondence back.
00:56:32.000 –> 00:56:36.000
I’m also talking to give my team a moment because they didn’t know this question was coming to them.
00:56:36.000 –> 00:56:41.000
But Michelle, would you like to kick us off? What, gives you hope to keep, going.
00:56:41.000 –> 00:56:45.000
Keep the inertia moving forward.
00:56:45.000 –> 00:56:57.000
Yeah, so. It’s a community. Such as these where everybody is working together. You know, transformation.
00:56:57.000 –> 00:57:16.000
And you said 2 words. So community. And Small change because you can only get to big change if you go through the small so that’s my hyphenated work small cheap too
00:57:16.000 –> 00:57:17.000
No, I’m terrible at 2 to 3 words. I need, so, Yeah, I can.
00:57:17.000 –> 00:57:22.000
I see a smile therefore, you have to go next. Okay. Please proceed with your phrases. Okay.
00:57:22.000 –> 00:57:30.000
No, I, mean, like I talk about the living system, but I, it is so important that we are feeding off nature, right?
00:57:30.000 –> 00:57:33.000
And that we are not just looking to the work in our workplace to feed it, right? Yeah, do your work and surround yourself with sources that are going to keep you in this work.
00:57:33.000 –> 00:57:48.000
And so for me it isn’t nature, it is also music. And, and then I love, just that I believe any time people are coming together like this, it is motivating.
00:57:48.000 –> 00:57:52.000
So, stay connected to other people.
00:57:52.000 –> 00:57:54.000
Jasmine, do you have? Some thoughts.
00:57:54.000 –> 00:58:00.000
Yes. Yes. Necessary good trouble. That is what keeps me here.
00:58:00.000 –> 00:58:20.000
Awesome. Thank you again so much everyone and for those you know if we didn’t get to all the questions that’s okay we have another go next week with some practitioners is a question that we really I really wanted to get to about how the leaders use data to tell A story, maybe not the story or stories others are seeing.
00:58:20.000 –> 00:58:25.000
And so perhaps we could pose that to this panel. Again, we’ll we’ll share out these slides.
00:58:25.000 –> 00:58:31.000
We’ll look at the questions and if you ever want to connect with us, please, please, reach out, send us feedback or let us know what you want us to talk about the next webinar.
00:58:31.000 –> 00:58:47.000
We want to design these for you and keep this community going. So have a wonderful day and thank you.
Session Two – Organizational Conditions for Change
Amber Trout, Senior Associate, Organizational Effectiveness at Community Science, talks with practitioners leading DEI efforts. You will hear from Lynda Gonzales-Chavez, Senior Vice President, Chief Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at YUSA, Jian Gallo-Kohn, Senior Program Associate VERA Institute of Justice, and Alex McCray, Interim Co-Executive Director and Vice President, Member Engagement and Strategic Initiatives Philanthropy Massachusetts about how they are navigating turbulence in the current environment.
Video
Webinar Deck
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Welcome, welcome, welcome, folks. I see a lot of, folks trickling in as Zoom lets you all in.
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We’re so excited that you’re here. Just gonna do a little linger for 10 s to let people come in and then, I’m gladly say, Hey, how are you doing?
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So my name is Amber Trout. I’m from Community Science from the organizational effectiveness focus area and I’m excited to be your host and journey person apart for this exciting panel discussion today.
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I share that because it’s a journey and we really hope this is interactive and we have fantastic panelists with us here today.
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What I want to say is what we really hope to talk about is build upon what you all were talking with us last week is really what does it take to move an organization through for equitable change?
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Equity could be the focus and the end goal of what you’re doing or equity is the vehicle you’re using to deepen your mission and your impact.
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We’ll also talk about managing your equity and your change. Right? You have different demands happening on your different political and social environments that everyone exists in.
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And it also really depends. Are you an internal driver to your change or an external driver trying to influence folks to change?
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And today as part of part 2, we’re really focusing on those critical conditions that help move an organization through.
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But first, for our new friends, just a quick plug that this is community science. We’re really roaring towards equity.
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We see that as essential into the research, evaluation and strategy development that we all do. And more importantly, here’s the fantastic panel that will be, sharing their wisdom, and how they have moved organizations through, walked with organizations and how to keep going, even when it seems like the peaks and valleys are endless.
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Also wanted to share to those who weren’t with us last week. An overall vision of change management.
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Is it really? I am here and I want to go to the end. No, not really. It’s like reading a roadmap and the roads going so fast that you missed your on ramp to or you’re off ramp on a freeway and you’re like, oh no, what do I go?
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I know it’s not linear. We also know we were talking last week, it’s critical to have a navigation, a guide to walk you through the different stages, cause we know it’s not a straight arrow and that it’s iterative.
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Sometimes it’s to the left to the right or all the way around. And for us, that looks like building awareness.
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Where am I at? Where do we wanna go? Getting organized? What capacities do we need?
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What are the inequities we think we want to change and how does that help us change the mission. To start implementing.
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Who’s responsible for what? By when and how do we know it’s happening? What do we feel differently for who?
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What are we experiencing and more importantly the communities we’re part of? How is their realities changing?
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And then sustaining the efforts. How do you sustain the effort of your equity change, given your environmental context in the history?
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Your organization’s context and its history as well as building your capacity. So last week we really focused on how, look different at the different stages of change, how it evolved, where do you want to go and is that realistic for your organization?
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From understanding the historical impacts to defining those measurements. To then building processes to support. Your vision and goals to happen at the everyday level.
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So every org function, every person understands how that equity goal translates in their daily interactions and then commitment.
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The people power, the financial power and aligning on that common purpose. But for these amazing people, we’re gonna focus on what are the essential organizational conditions specifically.
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We heard you. What is implementable? Not only cerebral, how do I get past the building?
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Awareness and into implementing. So that’s where we’re focusing today. We really appreciate you all sharing information before and even during this.
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The chat, the QA is at the bottom of this screen and you can feel free to submit questions throughout this.
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Alright, panelists, are you ready to go? Then start sharing my screen. I’m gonna ask each of these.
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Equity drivers to introduce themselves and then we’ll jump right in with the first question. Do you mind kicking us off, June?
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Yeah, hi everyone. It’s good to be here. I’m Gian Gallicon.
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She her pronouns. I’m the senior associate for race equity inclusion. At the Vira Institute of Justice.
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We call it RAI. That’s fair as kind of DEI arm and we start with race very intentionally because that is the primary indicator of how folks kind of fair in America.
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The Vier Institute of Justice, our goal is to. And the over criminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty.
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And so our equity work that is done largely internally, has been. Ultimately to try to be responsive to these communities that we work with and support.
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Again, our work has been largely internal, but we’re trying to shift to help staff operationalize equity so that it is an equity lines is applied to our projects, our programs, and our relationships that we are building.
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Happy to be here.
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Awesome. Linda.
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Well, great. And thanks, Amber. Appreciate the invitation. Linda Gonzalez Chavis.
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I lead our global diversity, equity and inclusion work for Y.M.C.A. of the U.S.A. There’s actually YMCAs and 120 countries across the globe.
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And we have over 750 YMCAs across the US. This serves more than 10,000 communities.
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Each of those organizations is autonomously governed and managed. So much of the work that we’re doing is in partnership.
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With these local YMCAs. And the exciting thing around some of our global work now is we further discuss our contextual journeys, but some of the work that we’re doing with our overseas Y and CAs, our international Y and CAs as we journey collectively in diversity.
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Agreed and inclusion through a very intersectional lens. But it’s a. Real opportunity to be able to sit here and share with these great leaders.
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So thank you for inviting me to the panel.
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Alex, you’re rounding us out and starting this will that will start us off. Do you mind sharing a little about yourself in your organization?
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Thank you. And I like by other. Panelists and really excited to be here and part of this conversation.
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I’m Alex Mcrae. I use the he series pronouns and I’m probably serving in 2 roles here at Philanthropy, Massachusetts as we go through.
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Leadership executive leadership change. So I am serving as interim co-executive director of Massachusetts alongside my colleague Jessica Burns.
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As well as vice president of member engagement and strategic initiatives. I’ve been here for. Going on 7 years or so now and I was saying this earlier though.
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Is the most explicit when it comes to integrating and weaving in race equity diversity and inclusion.
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By no means does that work, it only with me. So I come from, or I’m using both an internal and an external.
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Lens when thinking about this work because like the why, we work in partnership with A ton of thunder institutions as well as nonprofits throughout the Commonwealth, the state of Massachusetts.
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So we have about a hundred 60 or so fund members and about 400 active non-profit.
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Nonprofit members. And our mission is to promote the practice and expansion of effective. Okay, so I’m happy to be here.
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Awesome. Linda, thinking of I will change and supporting other organizations to make that change. What have you seen as a supporter?
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Right, you can’t tell, local wise what to do. What are some of the challenges that also facilitators when thinking about designing and implementing your organizational trade strategy.
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To advance equity. Do you mind sharing some?
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Hmm.
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Yeah, sure, absolutely. I would say context context context. Each local Y is so different and so unique.
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What we do at the national office is it assure our frameworks. Which are highly participatory in development, very engaged with folks from across.
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The country across the globe in several of our situations so that folks are able to to organize their work in a way that we’re able to track up impact so that we’re still singing off the same song sheets, etc, but that we’re working with each of those YMCAs as they address the most pressing needs of their communities, including in the DEI space.
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One of the things that we’ve been really proud of in our global work has been each of our leaders are their indigenous folks to the communities that they’re serving.
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Each Y is autonomously governed and managed. And so we’re also able to lean into some very authentic voices.
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Hmm.
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I think a platform for us that really supported our overall portfolio was intersectionality. We have a very, a very, very comprehensive.
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Diversity will of which we’re really able to start looking at all the various intersections. That folks are addressing and where some of those demographics and addressing so many inequities and when inequities are elevated up.
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Through the lens of community is a way that we can really keep the work going. I would say one of the strengths of our strategy is the direct engagement with our communities and our local YMCAs so that there’s a constant conversation.
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Yeah. And establishing what we call our safe spaces, our brave spaces. So that we’re able to have the conversations in a way that isn’t threatening in a way that actually allows for diversity perspectives to be had.
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And a way for us to also start looking at the most important things for us to measure because so much of our work is also a constant evolution of tweaking and retweeting and making sure that we are.
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Addressing all the things that really come up in an average day of a local wide leaders. I would say another thing that has really supported this work is the mission of the Y.M.C.A.
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The fact that we have have ensured that every why in the country especially is welcoming and engaging and they’re committed to our our overall commitment to welcoming all.
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The mission of the Y.M.C.A. score values is also a way as this conversation can oftentimes become politicized that we’re able to keep it central.
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To the ethos of what the Y.M.C.A. is. So as you look at our history, we’ve been an organization that has not always been inclusive.
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But we’ve been able to open that inclusion door and incredibly from this day on, ensure that others are opening those inclusion doors.
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So that we are addressing those most marginalized, those most underserved. And then the fact that we’re looking at our own organization to ensure that our organizations, that our policies, our practices, our procedures are also in line with our equity work.
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And the expectations that our communities have of us is an evolving organization. It’s really about partnering and serving community.
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And that means that we also have to be nimble enough. To change in adapt as communities are also changing and adapting.
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But I appreciate you, Shame. I heard you say a clear framework for people to plug in. So you’ve had those conversations and the framework is defined by that mission, right?
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And then.
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Yep. Yep. And, yep, and focus areas, the focus areas. I mean, even if we start looking at some of the work that we’re doing to ensure that new because we can use one example, right?
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The inequities that are newcomers and immigrants. Are facing on a day basis. Well, we’re able to go in there and we have a very robust framework for how we engage newcomer and immigrants.
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From capacity building tools all the way to measurement tools. All the way to partnerships that you’re able to opt into.
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But each of those communities that are opting in are working on, say, for example, oh, welcoming newcomers and immigrants in the Y.M.C.A.
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But that can look very differently across. The country. We’re talking specifically about the United States and they’ll be serving different immigrant groups.
00:14:01.000 –> 00:14:11.000
So we keep it flexible enough. That they’re able to customize. The work to address again the folks that their most focused on serving.
00:14:11.000 –> 00:14:19.000
Thank you. Alex, what I’m wondering if you care about the barriers and the facilitators.
00:14:19.000 –> 00:14:26.000
But what about that framework? Linda is talking about that framework. How did you all approach your work to know where you want to go?
00:14:26.000 –> 00:14:41.000
I’ve been selecting those strategies. To keep the movement forward. Once that vision is there, how did you, how are you thinking through making it a real thing that everyone on your team and the members of your association want to be part of.
00:14:41.000 –> 00:14:49.000
Yeah, that’s a great question. So I mean, as you all know, just from community science.
00:14:49.000 –> 00:14:56.000
So I mean, as you all know, just from community science, you were, you and your team were really instrumental, from community science, you were, you and your team were really instrumental and working with us as a membership organization that serves.
00:14:56.000 –> 00:14:59.000
I can relate to what Linda was just saying, and working with us as a membership organization that serves.
00:14:59.000 –> 00:15:06.000
I can relate to what Linda was just saying about being responsive. Context matter matters because thunder institutions Right?
00:15:06.000 –> 00:15:14.000
It can be corporate. It can be private, family or non-family. It can be public, a community foundation.
00:15:14.000 –> 00:15:24.000
They all have different structures and systems in place. That warrant us as the connector, as the convener.
00:15:24.000 –> 00:15:33.000
As the one who is hosting more than a hundred programs on both the funder and the nonprofit side in terms of building awareness.
00:15:33.000 –> 00:15:40.000
H, being able to reach people where they are is really key for us, right? We’re responsive.
00:15:40.000 –> 00:15:50.000
And we lead with values. Just like, right? Like. Equity is central to what we’re doing and what we hope to do in the world.
00:15:50.000 –> 00:15:59.000
As a regional associations, we’re one of many across the country and so we can tap into other organizations like ours.
00:15:59.000 –> 00:16:02.000
As we continue to learn. And again, reach both funders and nonprofits where they are.
00:16:02.000 –> 00:16:18.000
Some of the barriers or resistance, right, is how do you maintain that commitment and I say all the time it’s a long-term commitment.
00:16:18.000 –> 00:16:24.000
I say that to the board. I say that to the team. Like, yes, there’s momentum.
00:16:24.000 –> 00:16:31.000
Back in 2020 and you know some of that remaining today but like. What if there is no momentum?
00:16:31.000 –> 00:16:41.000
Then what do you do? We still care about. Centering and advancing equity and inclusion and having diverse voices at the table.
00:16:41.000 –> 00:16:50.000
And so again, just community science. You were you were extremely helpful and helping our working group, which we developed.
00:16:50.000 –> 00:16:58.000
Co-develop a plan that has a number of strategies that are built over time. Right.
00:16:58.000 –> 00:17:12.000
So where I’m really excited about that and recognize that We’re at the beginning in some ways, even though We’ve been talking about this for some time in some ways.
00:17:12.000 –> 00:17:19.000
We’re kind of returning to the beginning. In order to build a stronger base. To move forward with.
00:17:19.000 –> 00:17:28.000
And again, that’s being as inclusive as possible. Really listening, really understanding. And really tapping into what is that desired state.
00:17:28.000 –> 00:17:44.000
Philanthropy, right? We asked our members, what do you want to see and really helping them supporting them and trying to Achieve that state, that ultimate vision because we can’t there’s no way we can do it by ourselves
00:17:44.000 –> 00:17:56.000
Really appreciate why here is the code development and understanding that desired state because that’s where the buy in in making it building the inertia to keep going through when there isn’t momentum.
00:17:56.000 –> 00:18:05.000
I really want to double click on that. And how to make sure people see themselves in it and what you’re saying it’s not linear.
00:18:05.000 –> 00:18:07.000
I mean, even the graphic we started with is is misleading. It’s circular. So there was a phase and I hear you.
00:18:07.000 –> 00:18:22.000
Mentioning it’s almost like the fatigue just to get to what we want to do. To regroup, rejuvenate with what I hear you saying, Alex, and then go through again.
00:18:22.000 –> 00:18:26.000
Now, what could we do now that we have that vision and we know who we’re walking with on that journey?
00:18:26.000 –> 00:18:33.000
Into the group. I’m gonna come back to everyone after Dion. What do we mean? By meeting people where they’re at.
00:18:33.000 –> 00:18:34.000
What does that mean? And how do you meet people at various stages of equity? It’s new to them.
00:18:34.000 –> 00:18:50.000
They’re not clear how it contributes to the organizational mission. Right. And those that are already bought in and like, let’s go, keep going.
00:18:50.000 –> 00:18:54.000
So just to give a minute for folks to think about, then going to Gon. You’re in an organization.
00:18:54.000 –> 00:19:03.000
So we’re hearing about providing frameworks, co designing together, your task with let’s go and helping.
00:19:03.000 –> 00:19:13.000
And the leadership team and all the different organizational functions implement that desired state you all agreed upon. Thank you. Thank you.
00:19:13.000 –> 00:19:19.000
Thank you. You’re some challenges and facilitators when you’re trying to move an organization through.
00:19:19.000 –> 00:19:35.000
Yeah, a lot of what Linda now looks like really resonates. Especially the nonlinear function of equity work it is kind of lifelong for individuals but also a really long term commitment for organizations.
00:19:35.000 –> 00:19:43.000
Vira’s equity work started about 7 years ago now, but it has been through a lot of iteration.
00:19:43.000 –> 00:19:49.000
So first it was kind of led by staff. Who’s full time job. It’s not equity work.
00:19:49.000 –> 00:20:01.000
And then it was pushed through and we became a department. And so now we’re kind of working, we have to go back and kind of do that initial groundwork and way of foundation and figure out what do we mean by equity?
00:20:01.000 –> 00:20:11.000
Why are we doing this? How does it connect to our mission? And over the last 4 years, the ARI department at Vira, we’ve really tried to to move from that talking phase into the implementation phase.
00:20:11.000 –> 00:20:27.000
One way we’ve done this is through, we had an action plan that was implemented for 2 years from 2021 until summer of last year, 23.
00:20:27.000 –> 00:20:36.000
These were 35 like high level actions that really helped Vera become more equitable over the span of 2 years.
00:20:36.000 –> 00:20:47.000
All of the options had. A an accountable department. So for example, human resources kind of took accountability for a few of the options.
00:20:47.000 –> 00:21:03.000
The race equity inclusion department did, development team did, and then programs did as well. And so that was really helpful for a accountability for the whole plan and how we saw our AI work going in the next 2 years or in the 2 years.
00:21:03.000 –> 00:21:17.000
But then also how to stay on track and hold each other accountable. In that space. One of the hardest things about doing this work is creating these kind of accountability bodies and mechanisms.
00:21:17.000 –> 00:21:37.000
And so we do have a committee on our board of trustees. For RAI and so they have been great at kind of being equity champions for the rest of the board and it sends a signal and message to our organization that we do care and we are committed.
00:21:37.000 –> 00:21:54.000
We also have a committee, a staff committee, on ARI, and so those folks are a diverse group of about 21 folks across the organization and we’re an organization of about 250 almost 300 people nationally and so folks.
00:21:54.000 –> 00:22:05.000
Remote, work in different cities, at different levels. And they’ve been really helpful and kind of being the eyes and ears for us who is a 2 to one person department.
00:22:05.000 –> 00:22:11.000
Can’t see everything like we’re not really on the ground with our programs but we do our best to have those touch points to really help folks.
00:22:11.000 –> 00:22:34.000
Operationalize again equity. And then yeah, one of the hardest things also is that shifting from okay we kind of understand collectively what equity is and what we mean by that but now how do we and we apply these values and these lenses to the work that we’re doing again to end over criminalization of mass incarceration.
00:22:34.000 –> 00:22:47.000
And so that’s been a really big challenge and it’s slow work and it’s hard when this work.
00:22:47.000 –> 00:23:03.000
Is really fast when the work that people are doing is fast and we’re reacting to a lot of laws and a lot of just backlash now and helping to and there’s a sense of urgency in the field and so we’re trying to combat that.
00:23:03.000 –> 00:23:09.000
But at the same time, make sure that we’re pushing ahead and folks know and feel that they that they’re heard.
00:23:09.000 –> 00:23:14.000
And then that goes into the question, ever you were saying about where meeting people where they’re at.
00:23:14.000 –> 00:23:24.000
That’s 1 of the biggest things that I try to do as ORI in Vira. Meeting staff where we’re at is also really important not only community members.
00:23:24.000 –> 00:23:39.000
Community members yes and how we co develop programs with them and how we make sure we’re not kind of coming in and We need work or taking over work that’s not even meant to be done or solving the wrong solutions, etc, but working with staff to like.
00:23:39.000 –> 00:23:58.000
Reach them or that so like data people might need some numbers and might need that diversity report but then facilitators might need that conversation and they need that why behind why we’re doing this and so that’s been really important along with kind of building those relationships internally and externally.
00:23:58.000 –> 00:24:03.000
What I love about your share is so powerful. What I heard about accountability. Yes, it’s the term, right?
00:24:03.000 –> 00:24:13.000
It’s thrown, it’s thrown out there a lot, but you’re operationalizing it and that’s not possible, but here with everyone without that we’re calling it desired state, but what are you working towards?
00:24:13.000 –> 00:24:18.000
What are you hoping is different and to have that’s the horizon you’re working through as a team.
00:24:18.000 –> 00:24:28.000
So when there’s behaviors that that don’t match that agreement or decisions that don’t match the values, you’re calling your calling folks into the vision.
00:24:28.000 –> 00:24:43.000
And not out and saying you’re a bad person. And, you know, when I was loving how you bridge to the ramps and interested Linda and Alex, what you were saying, the onramps and understanding, oh, this is a heart conversation. This is, oh, leading with the why.
00:24:43.000 –> 00:24:55.000
Perhaps this is leading with data and balancing. How do you keep moving through the urgency to address and still bringing people on?
00:24:55.000 –> 00:24:56.000
Hmm.
00:24:56.000 –> 00:25:00.000
That could get lost if you don’t know where you’re trying to go. Right. And I think perhaps that could be where like when a computer’s on and the wheel is circling.
00:25:00.000 –> 00:25:04.000
And you all send your frozen and you’re like, where did, where did 2 years go?
00:25:04.000 –> 00:25:12.000
I feel like we’re still in building awareness. And so I hear you saying multiple, there’s multiple skills that you’re holding, all of you with change.
00:25:12.000 –> 00:25:15.000
So Linda, I saw you on mute.
00:25:15.000 –> 00:25:34.000
I was just saying, perfectly stated, John, as far as examples of meeting people where they’re at, people’s lived experience oftentimes, requires that we mean them differently and we really took back in some of our core trainings when we just start getting people comfortable, we’re talking about their dimensions of diversity.
00:25:34.000 –> 00:25:42.000
We’ve really taken back this concept of ignorance and not fearing it, but rather leaning into it so that you learn what you don’t know.
00:25:42.000 –> 00:25:53.000
And sometimes cross-cultural competence can happen just by folks from very different backgrounds and lived experiences sitting together in the same safe space conversation and sharing those.
00:25:53.000 –> 00:26:03.000
We find that often people’s exclusion is out of fear. It’s out of ignorance. It’s having never in ever engaged with the other.
00:26:03.000 –> 00:26:18.000
That they are addressing or or. Or not welcoming. So it’s really asking those questions, meeting them where they’re at, asking the the the oftentimes questions that have to come.
00:26:18.000 –> 00:26:31.000
Just to start the conversation and that can be just some of the most basic. We understand that there are different communities across the country, for example, that are moving quicker in our equity work.
00:26:31.000 –> 00:26:38.000
We know that there’s those that are moving slower, but we expect them all to be moving in the direction of.
00:26:38.000 –> 00:26:54.000
Foundational diversity, equity and inclusion. And to really start addressing it. We’re finding that some of the greatest challenges have been the lack of opportunity for people to actually come together in these specific spaces to discuss equity.
00:26:54.000 –> 00:27:01.000
And so we look at the individual lens, but then we’re also holding ourselves accountable on the organizational side.
00:27:01.000 –> 00:27:18.000
To how we make progress in our DEI work, in our commitment work. As an organization. And so at John was stating, you know, meeting our staff at different spaces, our, our local Y.M.C.A. CEOs, the boards of directors.
00:27:18.000 –> 00:27:31.000
I mean, oftentimes it’s about having a conversation with the board of directors that had never considered for example welcoming a newcomer young person into our into our childcare programs or ensuring that .
00:27:31.000 –> 00:27:42.000
You feel safe at camp and so welcome to camp. Like how are we able to move into all of those particular spaces and I would say that’s so welcome to camp. Like how are we able to move into all of those particular spaces?
00:27:42.000 –> 00:27:55.000
And I would say that that would be the other areas. We look at the individual, the organizational, and then the greater societal commitment that we have that leads us to committing over and over again to the long journey of our every work.
00:27:55.000 –> 00:27:59.000
Because as we look at communities, is we’re looking at the communities that the Y.M.C.A. serves today, it is so important for us to reflect with those communities look like but also understand those communities.
00:27:59.000 –> 00:28:12.000
And I Encourage folks always look to where this greatest pain points are. Where is the greatest exclusion?
00:28:12.000 –> 00:28:22.000
Where is the greatest lack of access? How can we as an organization start looking collectively, not just moving individuals?
00:28:22.000 –> 00:28:33.000
But starting to utilize the organization to change some of the inequities that are so embedded into what our communities face every day.
00:28:33.000 –> 00:28:42.000
So I would say it’s the more that you. The more that you learn and hear about equity work, even sitting and talking to you all today.
00:28:42.000 –> 00:28:48.000
The more I, the more my own lens opens up, the more I feel that I’m learning.
00:28:48.000 –> 00:29:04.000
The more things that I see where I’ve missed. And so it’s that constant. Pursuit of your goals but then to self and self-organizational evaluation of ensuring that we’re listening to the voices, especially as We’ve seen over the last couple of.
00:29:04.000 –> 00:29:16.000
4 years or so, the dramatic societal shifts. That we’re doing and when you start looking at like the core part of the technical side of of organizational diversity.
00:29:16.000 –> 00:29:22.000
Equity inclusion. It’s just how you start the conversation now, but it is a change development process.
00:29:22.000 –> 00:29:34.000
It is organizational change. And as we’ve seen historically, how we need to open up the inclusion doors to ensure that our society has equal access.
00:29:34.000 –> 00:29:57.000
Those are the kind of things that again you can you can just continue to evolve and to learn. What I what I love about community science these spaces that we’re in is it’s always like seeking seeking new truths and new perspectives rather than stopping at an absolutist space where you feel that you’ve found your truth and there’s no more truth to find.
00:29:57.000 –> 00:29:58.000
You’re done!
00:29:58.000 –> 00:30:06.000
Which is, you’re never done.
00:30:06.000 –> 00:30:07.000
Absolutely.
00:30:07.000 –> 00:30:09.000
And you’re bringing in so with accountability becomes learning, right? Oh, okay, I’ve learned these are not the behaviors.
00:30:09.000 –> 00:30:18.000
This is a new person I haven’t interacted with new people part of the community. So what I hear is there’s a learning and another way to think about is data, right?
00:30:18.000 –> 00:30:19.000
Yes.
00:30:19.000 –> 00:30:27.000
The data to understand, hey, these are the communities we’re trying to serve. These are the staff folks that are making the mission part of the reality.
00:30:27.000 –> 00:30:31.000
And they’re not included. And it’s connected to deepening your impact. So I hear the balance of moral and business case to stay.
00:30:31.000 –> 00:30:37.000
Yes. Yes. Absolutely.
00:30:37.000 –> 00:30:46.000
Responsive. Right? And that people feel like there’s a belonging and buying in. And so Alex, I was I was wondering what are.
00:30:46.000 –> 00:30:50.000
What does it mean for you? So there’s the what we’re where we started. Let me start that over again, folks.
00:30:50.000 –> 00:30:52.000
Yeah.
00:30:52.000 –> 00:30:53.000
Where we were starting, which is the on ramps. How do you know you’re sticking on your strategy?
00:30:53.000 –> 00:31:06.000
You’re working with a group of people. What are you looking for with the fundra or organizations you’re working with to know, okay, they’re building momentum.
00:31:06.000 –> 00:31:11.000
What’s in place? What are you hoping in place? What kind of supports are you looking for?
00:31:11.000 –> 00:31:17.000
Basically I’m trying to push us to be concrete so our friends online go, okay, I get it.
00:31:17.000 –> 00:31:18.000
Here’s the next steps. I appreciate you.
00:31:18.000 –> 00:31:25.000
Yeah. Yeah, I mean, there was so much in what, both Linda and Gian said.
00:31:25.000 –> 00:31:44.000
And I want to start with just Just reiterating some of what I heard and each of of what you each said and that is disconnection between our personal selves and our professional organizational selves because my theory is my premise is until the person sees themselves.
00:31:44.000 –> 00:31:56.000
Themselves. In the other like in some other experience it’s really difficult. For that person to rally around, to connect with.
00:31:56.000 –> 00:32:03.000
The rationale, the wide centering and advancing equity and inclusion and diversity. Is so important. Right?
00:32:03.000 –> 00:32:10.000
Because they just don’t conduct themselves and their families and their communities to it. So just I just firmly believe that that’s the case.
00:32:10.000 –> 00:32:20.000
So like for me as a black person living in this country, like I have a lot to say about.
00:32:20.000 –> 00:32:21.000
Yeah.
00:32:21.000 –> 00:32:37.000
The systems in the structures in place and I feel comfortable speaking. How about them? Part of why I’m in the world, I’m in is because philanthropy with all the money, all the resources, the power, the decision-making, the influence.
00:32:37.000 –> 00:32:49.000
I want to do my part to help Yeah. Folks in philanthropy who work in it making decisions every single day about investments?
00:32:49.000 –> 00:33:02.000
Resource allocation. I want to be part of helping folks to think differently. About various communities. And I just mentioned you know, the African-american black community.
00:33:02.000 –> 00:33:14.000
There are other identities too, but You know that I’m a partner but like that’s part of why I’m in this and though it’s challenging and frustrating and there’s tension and it’s hard.
00:33:14.000 –> 00:33:24.000
A minute. I’m in it. So one thing I wanted to say about where we sit as an as a membership organization that has both funders and nonprofits.
00:33:24.000 –> 00:33:33.000
Involved is We have clusters of funders, so easily 15 or 16 groups of funders by roll.
00:33:33.000 –> 00:33:44.000
By Giography, by identity. By issue area who have come together in a network. Those networks are clusters.
00:33:44.000 –> 00:33:53.000
Places where we are leaning into and leveraging the power that’s coming from like the collective action, the collective learning.
00:33:53.000 –> 00:33:54.000
Yeah.
00:33:54.000 –> 00:34:02.000
Community science, right? And you know, with us really helped us to Hold on, that’s our way.
00:34:02.000 –> 00:34:13.000
To influence funders because it’s not just us, it’s what our peer funders seeing.
00:34:13.000 –> 00:34:14.000
Yeah.
00:34:14.000 –> 00:34:19.000
Amongst themselves because that’s the other thing, right? Like Hey, if a funder is doing something in a certain way, sometimes that can.
00:34:19.000 –> 00:34:26.000
Influence what another funder is doing no matter how much we at Calanthropy, Massachusetts.
00:34:26.000 –> 00:34:34.000
What? You know, something to change. So that that cluster of funders, those intimate.
00:34:34.000 –> 00:34:43.000
Save trusted spaces are critical. To us centering and advancing equity in question. They’re huge.
00:34:43.000 –> 00:34:54.000
They’re a big part of our ultimate set of strategies. To move to continue movement. Basically, so I just wanted to put in that plug for.
00:34:54.000 –> 00:35:01.000
Funer networks and cohort-based learning. On other sides of our business too.
00:35:01.000 –> 00:35:05.000
I’m just taking in the knowledge you just laid down Alex and I just what I what I hear you Oh, you did!
00:35:05.000 –> 00:35:07.000
Did I answer your question? Okay.
00:35:07.000 –> 00:35:08.000
And we’re gonna keep going with it. What I hear you saying is, the system lens, right?
00:35:08.000 –> 00:35:23.000
And so what I meant by hearing the knowledge that you laid down is yes, we meet people where they’re at, we understand, the different perspectives.
00:35:23.000 –> 00:35:29.000
We have our eye, all of you are saying on that horizon. And what you’re bringing is the role of decision making.
00:35:29.000 –> 00:35:36.000
So then if what your the goal we want to work towards, what’s getting in the way. And sometimes it might be surprising.
00:35:36.000 –> 00:35:46.000
It may not be what you assume is getting in the way for funders, for nonprofits, for individuals to buy in.
00:35:46.000 –> 00:35:51.000
And, sometimes we say people aren’t resistors, there’s resistant behaviors, right?
00:35:51.000 –> 00:35:57.000
And so my question to the group, I’m wondering, right, we’re talking about a lot about meeting people where they’re at.
00:35:57.000 –> 00:36:03.000
Making sure you have your horizon. And calling people in and Alex, you started that with that decision making.
00:36:03.000 –> 00:36:11.000
How do you know your strategy is really getting at the root cause? Cause sometimes you could spend most of your time responding.
00:36:11.000 –> 00:36:29.000
That there’s no chance or opportunity to lead to know that you’re going to the root cause that’s gonna reduce that in equity.
00:36:29.000 –> 00:36:36.000
Everyone uses the example. You hear about, you could feed people or you could fix the system, make sure there’s food available to people.
00:36:36.000 –> 00:36:44.000
And so when you’re thinking about your strategies, Right? So listen to people, make sure there’s that leadership team, there’s a horizon, the decisions.
00:36:44.000 –> 00:36:45.000
I heard Alex you saying the
00:36:45.000 –> 00:36:49.000
How do you build momentum there? But you as drive
00:36:49.000 –> 00:36:51.000
Change.
00:36:51.000 –> 00:36:58.000
Who internally or through your data helping be your guide to know we have some root cause.
00:36:58.000 –> 00:37:04.000
Change levers, we’re also addressing through this change. Does that make sense?
00:37:04.000 –> 00:37:05.000
Does anyone want to jump in on this? I know it’s a new question, so I don’t want to direct it to anyone right
00:37:05.000 –> 00:37:07.000
I can start a little bit. So.
00:37:07.000 –> 00:37:20.000
The root cause is always tough to figure out but
00:37:20.000 –> 00:37:26.000
One of the big things that we try to do at Vira, at least with our staff and figuring out the root cause of.
00:37:26.000 –> 00:37:34.000
What we need to resolve internally is We try to get there by listening to folks a lot.
00:37:34.000 –> 00:37:41.000
So really creating those spaces, I think when you mentioned this for people to provide their feedback and for conversations to happen.
00:37:41.000 –> 00:37:51.000
Be really here and see. What the causes of things are.
00:37:51.000 –> 00:38:00.000
Even in those conversations, someone might be saying something and concerns with. One policy, but that’s not actually what they’re
00:38:00.000 –> 00:38:24.000
Genuinely concerned about and so even addressing these problems sometimes it’s not even about literally doing XY and Z in the next 5 months but it’s about
00:38:24.000 –> 00:38:34.000
Telling people or letting people know that like you heard them and you understand what they’re getting at and that you will at least work to.
00:38:34.000 –> 00:38:37.000
Interesting.
00:38:37.000 –> 00:38:56.000
That like what they’re feeling. And so sometimes it’s not only about
00:38:56.000 –> 00:38:59.000
The literal.
00:38:59.000 –> 00:39:08.000
Policy changes that you make or practices
00:39:08.000 –> 00:39:11.000
You enable. But.
00:39:11.000 –> 00:39:19.000
Another big part of that is, those accountability mechanisms that I was talking about before. So how do you have those like checks and balances internally?
00:39:19.000 –> 00:39:33.000
And then
00:39:33.000 –> 00:39:55.000
The work that we do externally, we work with, I work with our, our teams.
00:39:55.000 –> 00:40:03.000
Kind of help develop policies, work with stakeholders that they’re working with externally and then also
00:40:03.000 –> 00:40:07.000
How
00:40:07.000 –> 00:40:10.000
About their theory of change or theory. North Star goals for their programs. How are they working with these communities?
00:40:10.000 –> 00:40:19.000
And all of those questions are hopefully
00:40:19.000 –> 00:40:20.000
Okay.
00:40:20.000 –> 00:40:22.000
Thank you.
00:40:22.000 –> 00:40:27.000
Okay.
00:40:27.000 –> 00:40:37.000
Root cause. So if we if one program that we’re trying to develop is around the bail system.
00:40:37.000 –> 00:40:51.000
We would want to work with folks who are doing that.
00:40:51.000 –> 00:40:55.000
On the ground.
00:40:55.000 –> 00:41:06.000
Right now.
00:41:06.000 –> 00:41:08.000
And
00:41:08.000 –> 00:41:15.000
And help to understand.
00:41:15.000 –> 00:41:26.000
Where Vier can fit in. So not kind of coming in and saying we want to do this. We think this is a solution, but coming in and seeing like, oh, how, what is being done already? Where do you need our help?
00:41:26.000 –> 00:41:31.000
How can Vera help you do this work? And how can we all work together to advance that? Equity.
00:41:31.000 –> 00:41:46.000
Yeah, that’s holding your the accountability, whether you’re not only internally, but externally living into those values, not assuming you have the answers or what you all see as Linda, I saw you on mute.
00:41:46.000 –> 00:41:48.000
What are your what are your thoughts?
00:41:48.000 –> 00:41:50.000
Just in your question, you know, related
00:41:50.000 –> 00:41:53.000
Root cause is we’re working with our
00:41:53.000 –> 00:42:07.000
And even as we’re working@yusa. It depends on the problems that we’re trying to solve and what are the issues that the communities are having.
00:42:07.000 –> 00:42:08.000
Hmm.
00:42:08.000 –> 00:42:09.000
And so oftentimes root causes. Have many different layers. I mean, you just
00:42:09.000 –> 00:42:23.000
You can find one cause after another cause and you keep going into that particular space. I think that I think that some of the work that we’ve done very intentionally around understanding histories and lived experiences It’s been really helpful for us.
00:42:23.000 –> 00:42:36.000
Again from you know whether it be from a race perspective or a gender perspective, how we address the exclusions that have happened organizationally as well as in communities.
00:42:36.000 –> 00:42:44.000
And so looking at those. And then how we don’t stop. With just the analysis, but start moving.
00:42:44.000 –> 00:42:48.000
What Geon was stating where you start looking.
00:42:48.000 –> 00:42:54.000
Conversations that need to happen, where do we start collectively working together to organize around these shared issues.
00:42:54.000 –> 00:43:06.000
Conflicts, problems. How do we work at that? And then how do we get better skilled at taking the individual experience and this is what Alex was going on.
00:43:06.000 –> 00:43:12.000
Right, the path of introducing cohort experiences. And so working with cohorts, we.
00:43:12.000 –> 00:43:32.000
What we’ve worked with you Amber and community science is our equitable communities work with a cohort process and its intention was to move, individuals from their diversity, equity, inclusion journey and learning to start seeing how that gets applied organizationally.
00:43:32.000 –> 00:43:42.000
And that’ YMCAs from very diverse communities, very diverse parts of the. Country geographically spread out.
00:43:42.000 –> 00:44:02.000
But then again, utilizing the methods and the frameworks to start. Moving the organization. So that we’re not also repeating actions for individual problems that have not yet been discovered to be more broad based or organizational.
00:44:02.000 –> 00:44:09.000
And so how do we start moving in those spaces? And some practical, very practical things can come out of it.
00:44:09.000 –> 00:44:16.000
I know some of the early cohort work that we were doing around LGBTQ much of our issues.
00:44:16.000 –> 00:44:25.000
When we started as a organization moving from family memberships. To inclusive household memberships, for example.
00:44:25.000 –> 00:44:32.000
How something like that then can address some of the root problems for many folks that we’re trying to.
00:44:32.000 –> 00:44:51.000
Access the Y.M.C.A, whether that be foster families. Families living in low income environments, grandparents, raising children, all of those folks where we were able to use their issues a problem, but have a broader solution.
00:44:51.000 –> 00:44:56.000
It always reminds me of like for some of the DEI folks, it’s a big snowstorm.
00:44:56.000 –> 00:45:05.000
You know, comes and you make sure that you’re shoveling off the rather than the stairs so that everybody can use that wrap.
00:45:05.000 –> 00:45:06.000
So those kind of ideas of how does, how does our equity work actually focus on specific dimensions of diversity?
00:45:06.000 –> 00:45:19.000
How do we start leaning into that so that we’re becoming? More accessible and more inclusive.
00:45:19.000 –> 00:45:22.000
Across multiple dimensions.
00:45:22.000 –> 00:45:36.000
That’s a powerful example. And image, Linda, where it’s, there’s a mental model of what families look like.
00:45:36.000 –> 00:45:37.000
Yes.
00:45:37.000 –> 00:45:48.000
And assumptions and that desired state that all families different compositions in different ways and different ways of family can be networked together have access to the wise to have healthy thriving lives and that also connects to the wise business model right to be a service to be responsive but also to be able to generate revenue.
00:45:48.000 –> 00:46:03.000
To keep providing these services. So it required understanding. The lived experience, whatever you say was the data to understand where to put the focus.
00:46:03.000 –> 00:46:07.000
And I was wondering is there strategies you all have walked away from? Cause sometimes there’s strategies, like this is the one, but is it the one for your organization to do?
00:46:07.000 –> 00:46:20.000
And I know G on, you hinted that that in your response. So I was wondering, how do you discern this is the strategy that only my organization can to that in your response.
00:46:20.000 –> 00:46:23.000
So I was wondering, how do you discern this is the strategy that only my organization can do to contribute?
00:46:23.000 –> 00:46:28.000
To advancing equity. Either walking with people or our mission.
00:46:28.000 –> 00:46:38.000
I would say our constant evaluation, especially with the evaluation coming from the local WIS that we’re working with in the communities that we’re working with.
00:46:38.000 –> 00:46:52.000
Of course, there’s I can find numerous times where we had strategies that didn’t work. And we needed to, move specifically all types of them, but that’s the beauty of keeping a nimble structure that is as much
00:46:52.000 –> 00:47:09.000
Possibly be because of the different needs of different families. I mean, I can give some, you know, core, you know, one would be is when we started looking at, you know, say for example, increasing camp access to kids of color.
00:47:09.000 –> 00:47:19.000
And that didn’t necessarily work for all communities, right? It wasn’t just about scholarship, from the case of like Hispanic Latinos for example.
00:47:19.000 –> 00:47:29.000
The families weren’t trusting to send their children off. To a Y.M.C.A. camp. So they started looking at engaging Latino families more from a camp.
00:47:29.000 –> 00:47:40.000
Family camp process for some of the new immigrants that had been coming from refugee camps it was about explaining to it wasn’t about going in there and starting to talk about
00:47:40.000 –> 00:47:45.000
We weren’t recognizing how traumatic that word was. For some folks that may.
00:47:45.000 –> 00:48:00.000
Who’s been living in refugee camps. Amounts of years. And so how do we start looking at those particular things?
00:48:00.000 –> 00:48:11.000
Yeah.
00:48:11.000 –> 00:48:12.000
But.
00:48:12.000 –> 00:48:13.000
So sometimes for us it was about not getting out a broad message, but making sure understood more specifically. But I think that that nimbleness is really important for all organizations, especially as we continue to address societal changes of all types.
00:48:13.000 –> 00:48:18.000
That covers right over one of those critical essential organization conditions, right? It’s not about getting it right.
00:48:18.000 –> 00:48:26.000
But understanding the details to reach. Your staff to reach the community members or the constituents you serve. So it’s about the details to call people in.
00:48:26.000 –> 00:48:42.000
To ensure that the services or the policy. Or addressing the equity. Impacting them, right? And then that’s also what I hear you saying is keeping your eye on the system play, right?
00:48:42.000 –> 00:48:49.000
So you’re hearing, you’re on wrapping and you’re keeping your eye. Folks need access to different camps or foods or resources.
00:48:49.000 –> 00:48:50.000
And by being nimble, one another way hear you saying is data to understand, be reflective and move.
00:48:50.000 –> 00:48:51.000
And I know Alex, you wanted to jump in?
00:48:51.000 –> 00:48:52.000
Yeah, I just wanted to say a couple of things. I mean one is just that I mean I just wanna go back to the bundle networks that I had referenced earlier.
00:48:52.000 –> 00:48:53.000
Equity and this would have operationalizing of equity, getting concrete, getting specific. Getting as related to that funder network as possible exists within a certain fund group.
00:48:53.000 –> 00:48:54.000
So I think of say, the CFO network that we can be, right? Like they.
00:48:54.000 –> 00:48:55.000
Crowdsource a vendor diversity list so that folks could be thinking of who are the folks working with in the equity and inclusion space from a vendor perspective so that when we’re thinking about selecting our vendors, we have an eye towards a much more diverse and robust set of possibilities, right?
00:48:55.000 –> 00:48:56.000
So that’s 1 specific concrete example of. Crowdsourced vendor list that came from our CFO network.
00:48:56.000 –> 00:48:57.000
Fund network, but it’s different across networks, behavioral health, right? Focused on health equity or food equity, right?
00:48:57.000 –> 00:48:58.000
It just depends on the particular, I would say, fund a network when you think about.
00:48:58.000 –> 00:48:59.000
Those root causes, right? A group of education funders, right? Like, what is the language?
00:48:59.000 –> 00:49:00.000
What’s the communication that will resonate the most with them. For that group to understand. What’s the most important thing here?
00:49:00.000 –> 00:49:01.000
What are we driving towards? So It’s really knowing the audience, quite frankly, knowing the audience, but also continuing to learn.
00:49:01.000 –> 00:49:02.000
From the audience as your plan and your strategies. And change, right? Because again, going back to what vendors, I mean, you, you can start with a certain set of strategies.
00:49:02.000 –> 00:49:03.000
Begin to go down that path and learn that, oh, this actual, this either is going to take more.
00:49:03.000 –> 00:49:04.000
Or reassessing whether we’re the right ones. For it. And so we constantly ask ourselves like We sit in this kind of funny interesting space, right?
00:49:04.000 –> 00:49:05.000
We’re not on the ground. We’re a couple steps removed from that being on the ground.
00:49:05.000 –> 00:49:14.000
So how do we get closer and closer to the ground, but then. Raising that awareness for both of our key snakeholder groups, funders and nonprofits.
00:49:14.000 –> 00:49:22.000
So Again, where it’s just an interesting space to be in because we’re trying to influence and we have a voice.
00:49:22.000 –> 00:49:33.000
And at the same time. We want as many members as possible, right? It’s like. It’s this balancing, it’s a balancing act and in a lot of ways.
00:49:33.000 –> 00:49:43.000
And at the same time educating our 11 member staff at our 22 member board. Constantly as to one time role, who are we?
00:49:43.000 –> 00:49:50.000
And returning to that at moments in time. This is a really good moment in time for us because we’re going like I said.
00:49:50.000 –> 00:49:57.000
A leadership chains. So a new leader. Will come in with a vision and ideas, right? How does that get woven into current structures or culture?
00:49:57.000 –> 00:50:10.000
So the organization continues to build and build and get better and stronger and All of that. Cause it’s a 54 year history.
00:50:10.000 –> 00:50:40.000
Behind us, right?
00:52:16.000 –> 00:52:25.000
Right. And a common thread amongst all of you. There’s listening, there’s being engaged, but what’s your role in the ecosystem?
00:52:25.000 –> 00:52:39.000
I also here does the ecosystem want you or understand your role to it and then can you deliver on your promise if you’re going to raise your part of this ecosystem here is what we can contribute.
00:52:39.000 –> 00:52:46.000
Part of that is being willing to pivot. Understand what you’re where you’re going but also being learning.
00:52:46.000 –> 00:52:53.000
Also, we’ve been spending a lot of time. Well, if we meet people we’re at, we hear them. Everything’s great.
00:52:53.000 –> 00:53:03.000
We just learn and the momentum keeps going forward, but we know that not to be true, right? There’s also moments where we’re trying to live into the vision, but there’s a misstep.
00:53:03.000 –> 00:53:12.000
By a manager by your organization when you’re engaging with the community. Maybe someone who just doesn’t want to participate in the vision.
00:53:12.000 –> 00:53:19.000
Then what? What does accountability look like there? How are you holding?
00:53:19.000 –> 00:53:29.000
Perhaps I would say resistant behaviors or an, right? If someone with good intentions, but it was a blind spot that really shakes through your organization and your efforts.
00:53:29.000 –> 00:53:37.000
How do you hold folks accountable? And keep momentum going in the direction.
00:53:37.000 –> 00:53:38.000
So I don’t know, Dion, if you wanted to share first.
00:53:38.000 –> 00:53:39.000
Yeah. That’s a great question. I don’t think there’s 1 answer and.
00:53:39.000 –> 00:53:40.000
There’s not one size fits all for every organization. Or for, even within organizations. And so one way that I think it’s really important that you have those structures set up so that folks know how they can react and how they can have those conversations if and when those like.
00:53:40.000 –> 00:53:41.000
Oops, these are mistakes happen. And so having that culture be one of learning, accountability, and moving forward and kind of calling in instead of out.
00:53:41.000 –> 00:53:42.000
That’s kind of a phrase that folks use, but. That’s really important. But then we also have to consider.
00:53:42.000 –> 00:53:43.000
You know, how Again, it’s all connected back to the missions. So like, how are we as we are?
00:53:43.000 –> 00:53:44.000
We grapple with this all the time. Like, okay, we get what equity is, I think most of us do.
00:53:44.000 –> 00:53:45.000
We try to like continuously help people learn and like row in their own journeys and on their teams.
00:53:45.000 –> 00:54:15.000
But then what does it actually mean for us as Vera staff to do this work to transform the institutions that we are working in.
00:55:04.000 –> 00:55:05.000
Hmm.
00:55:05.000 –> 00:55:06.000
And how our societal. Breakdowns and inequities reflected back in Vera and how are we interacting with each other to perpetuate that.
00:55:06.000 –> 00:55:07.000
And so that’s what we’re trying to disrupt. And you know when those mistakes happen, sometimes they’re called out.
00:55:07.000 –> 00:55:08.000
Sometimes they’re not and they kind of bubble up and cause more problems. But again, these bodies like staff committees, the board committee, you really want that holistic effort and I think Alex said this at the beginning but even though I’m a 1 person 2 person team for.
00:55:08.000 –> 00:55:09.000
I really depend on everyone. To try to advance equity and be that champion on their own teams or with their peers or with the partners that they work with.
00:55:09.000 –> 00:55:10.000
And so it’s really My job is to help people understand how they do that on their own so that we can all do it together.
00:55:10.000 –> 00:55:11.000
And so that is really one of the biggest ways that You can kind of navigate that, but it’s not easy.
00:55:11.000 –> 00:55:12.000
It’s not always gonna work. You’re gonna mess up a lot. It’s going to.
00:55:12.000 –> 00:55:13.000
Sometimes cause people to feel like they’re, we’re taking a step back or we’re not doing anything or reacting or responding to people’s.
00:55:13.000 –> 00:55:43.000
Concerns but at the same time I think even hearing concerns is an indication that We’re doing something, right?
00:56:20.000 –> 00:56:29.000
Yeah, I appreciate the vulnerability just being transparent of what it’s like in your response. And it makes me.
00:56:29.000 –> 00:56:35.000
Go back to the essential conditions in your response. You’re saying before knowing Doing new behaviors is not fun.
00:56:35.000 –> 00:56:45.000
Right? Trying to incorporate work out into my work week is not always fun and I definitely do lots of judgments on that.
00:56:45.000 –> 00:56:57.000
But in your response, you there’s the key structural components in place to metabolize when conflict or an effort right happened but it didn’t consider different, unintentional consequences that surface up, right?
00:56:57.000 –> 00:57:04.000
It may not be one time, but it’s 3 or 4 that has this cluster effect that all send boils up, but there’s the staffing committee.
00:57:04.000 –> 00:57:23.000
Others how to have conversations. There’s metrics that you’re sharing in your response to help metabolize whatever feels like going backwards to almost full circle come forward to keep going, forward with the work and going back to what all of you have been saying, why are we doing this in the first place? What’s our mission?
00:57:23.000 –> 00:57:35.000
Who’s it for? And just noting time and wrap us up. I wonder if you all had thoughts of.
00:57:35.000 –> 00:57:36.000
What do you do when it feels like it’s backwards? What’s your advice? Almost hopeful, like that hopeful goodbye to our friends.
00:57:36.000 –> 00:57:49.000
It feels like business as usual is seeping in and John’s words. It’s like that dominant normal ways of doing things or oh, it’s like water.
00:57:49.000 –> 00:57:56.000
It’s always trying to come in to your That’s our state. What makes you hopeful that you can overcome?
00:57:56.000 –> 00:58:04.000
When it feels like you’re settling back into business as usual and keep going forward. That makes sense.
00:58:04.000 –> 00:58:05.000
Yeah.
00:58:05.000 –> 00:58:06.000
I mean, I would say consistency for us is really been important. So having those consistent touch points and really being available to staff and folks and helping when you can and it’s not all.
00:58:06.000 –> 00:58:33.000
External or it’s not all look what we did we published support every other week but it’s really building those relationships and again maintaining that consistency and which expresses the commitment and the and kind of the why.
00:58:33.000 –> 00:58:34.000
Linda.
00:58:34.000 –> 00:58:35.000
I would say, Gianna, I completely resonate with what you’ve stated and having conversations like these, the constant revisitation.
00:58:35.000 –> 00:58:36.000
Of where progress has been made for conflict has existed. And what were the contributors to that, how will we able to again display our organizational values@theymca. carrying honesty respect responsibility and have that be a grounding for us and the fact that many different people from many different conflictive spaces have come together and created.
00:58:36.000 –> 00:58:37.000
In some cases friendships with each other in in other cases a mutual respect of which they welcome each other in shared spaces.
00:58:37.000 –> 00:59:07.000
And so I, we all have to be optimistic, especially as. Things get tricky. And so I think the solidarity and lifting up having conversations like these are very helpful.
00:59:29.000 –> 00:59:33.000
Awesome. Alex.
00:59:33.000 –> 00:59:34.000
Okay.
00:59:34.000 –> 00:59:35.000
Yeah, I agree. I’d also say for me, it’s just Reminding myself why this is so important.
00:59:35.000 –> 00:59:36.000
And finding opportunities when things are hard. As much as I possibly can, having that sounding board of support.
00:59:36.000 –> 00:59:59.000
Where I can just express and be super open because Right? I’m the type of person, like I have to get that out, you know, one way or another, right?
00:59:59.000 –> 01:00:00.000
Yeah. Yeah.
01:00:00.000 –> 01:00:13.000
Like. You know, and so I think just. Making sure that we as individuals have the kind of support.
01:00:13.000 –> 01:00:14.000
Hmm.
01:00:14.000 –> 01:00:15.000
Joy, balance in our lives, I think for me can go a really long way because there are moments where it’s like We’re hard, right?
01:00:15.000 –> 01:00:16.000
And some leave the field, right? The field of philanthropy is a wacky thing, but it’s, it’s keeping in mind why Why I’m in it.
01:00:16.000 –> 01:00:34.000
Why I’m in it. And again, finding those places of support and joy to help offset.
01:00:34.000 –> 01:00:35.000
Yeah.
01:00:35.000 –> 01:00:41.000
Any kind of difficulties or tension or conflict or. Mistakes or any of that stuff.
01:00:41.000 –> 01:00:54.000
That’s right. That’s right. That’s the one we didn’t talk about the keeping yourselves going as the leader, the driver, and that’s a great way to end this call and to keep the conversation encouraging those with you.
01:00:54.000 –> 01:01:01.000
What’s your support? Where’s your gratitude? Because the peaks and valleys and it’s really in the valleys where.
01:01:01.000 –> 01:01:10.000
You could get frozen. So what’s that inertia to drive you forward and find your moments of joy to Gian’s point consistency.
01:01:10.000 –> 01:01:21.000
Everyone’s watching and looking for inspiration as well as how do we keep moving forward? Sometimes just what do I do next is what helps people move forward and then to Linda’s point.
01:01:21.000 –> 01:01:22.000
Revisit, revisit, revisit, revisit. Cause the revisit finds that commonplace could find that friendship at minimum the mutual respect on the desired outcome we all want for people in our community.
01:01:22.000 –> 01:01:22.000
Thank you so much
Your Host – Sessions One & Two
Amber Trout
Senior Associate
Community Science
Amber has expertise in organizational effectiveness, change management, and leadership development and capacity building of nonprofit, intermediary government, and philanthropic sectors. Recently, she has focused on continuous learning strategy development, organizational decision-making and conversational capacity, and multiracial, multi-issue coalition-building efforts. She brings over 10 years of strategy development and research experience and has served as a transformational problem-solver to move organizations forward in their organizational initiatives, utilizing learning agendas, change management principles, and strategic coaching to broaden the perspectives of board members, leaders, supervisors, and staff.
Your Panel – Session One
Jasmine Williams-Washington
Managing Associate
Community Science
Jasmine is an experienced community organizer who uses her research and advocacy skills to promote organizational and leadership development, power building, and unlocking the potential of nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. She is an effective communicator who facilitates consensus-building processes for organizational strategic plans. She also acts as a coach and thought partner, guiding leaders and staff in navigating cultural and power dynamics for effective implementation. Additionally, she serves as the Project Director for the Building Equity and Alignment for Environmental Justice, further demonstrating her commitment to advancing justice.
Michelle Haynes Baratz
Managing Associate
Community Science
Michelle is an organizational psychologist who brings two decades of experience researching, developing, and implementing evidence-based interventions to create more equitable and inclusive workplaces. She specializes in leveraging data, both quantitative and qualitative, to understand organizational ecosystems with a specific focus on transforming organizational culture and climate with equity at its core. Her approach is deeply contextual, and she is a firm believer that levers of change exist at multiple levels of analysis, spanning individual, interpersonal, and organizational dimensions.
Suprotik Stotz-Ghosh
Principal Associate
Community Science
Suprotik brings over 20 years of experience in facilitating, building, and evaluating equitable systems, racial equity initiatives for leading multinational nonprofit organizations, philanthropic institutions, philanthropy-serving organizations, and consulting firms. Suprotik oversees the design of equity-centered strategic planning processes for organizations seeking to promote health, economic, and education outcomes.
Your Panel – Session Two
Lynda Gonzales-Chavez (she/her)
Senior Vice President, Chief Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer
YMCA of the USA
Lynda Gonzales-Chavez leads the Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion portfolio for YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) and is responsible for leading the strategic priority to ensure that all segments of society have access to and feel welcome at the Y. A key priority of this work is promoting an inclusive, anti-racist organizational culture that values equity, embraces multiculturalism and fosters community and global bridge-building. Lynda and her team are focused on organizationally embedding and operationalizing equity practices, advancing cultural competencies to engage the most underserved communities and promoting collaborative strategies to ensure that Y reflects and effectively engages the communities they serve.
Prior to her current role, Lynda held other key leadership roles at Y-USA, including Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion and Senior Associate, Y-USA International Group. Lynda began her career as Youth Director, YMCA of Central New Mexico and later as Senior Gang Interventionist, Youth Development, Inc., in Albuquerque, NM.
Lynda holds a Doctorate in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Public Service and Nonprofit Management from DePaul University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico.
Jian Gallo-Kohn (she/her)
Senior Program Associate
VERA
Alex McCray (he/him)
Interim Co-Executive Director and Vice President, Member Engagement and Strategic Initiatives
Philanthropy Massachusetts
Alex joined Philanthropy Massachusetts as the Senior Director of Programs Summer 2017 and assumed the role of Vice President, Member Engagement and Strategic Initiatives in June 2022. With a career in the social sector that spans nearly 30 years, prior to Philanthropy MA Alex McCray served in resource development capacities at several United Ways. Before working within that network, Alex was a Senior Associate at Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), helping to strengthen nonprofits and enabling social sector leaders to make sound strategic decisions. In addition to engaging in resource development and consulting, Alex has held leadership roles within youth, workforce development and arts-focused nonprofits. For four years Alex gained a funder’s perspective as a Program Staff member at The Rhode Island Foundation. Alex values his contributions as a Board Member of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN), and Project STEP, a Boston-based nonprofit organization which seeks to racially and ethnically diversify the classical music profession. In 2012 Alex received his M.S. Nonprofit Management from Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies, where he taught graduate classes in leadership for five years. Alex was awarded his B.A. in Economics and minor in Dance from Bowdoin College.