An interesting, if somewhat dry, view of the "diversity industry" in modern America and how it's failed its own vision.

I had seen not so amazing reviews on this, but I had still hoped to walk away with some good info. Regretfully, I didn't. It read more like a dissertation of dry research, but there was no solid conclusion or takeaways or successful actions I can take to a business.

I work building diversity, inclusion, and ethics initiatives for a large global tech association. As such, I spend a lot of time reading content that champions D&I because it is trendy, because it looks good, etc. It can become tiresome and draining to think of how many entities engage with D&I simply because it's a buzzword, and not because their motives are sincere. This is a must-read in that it gives some transparency around the "D&I industry" of which we should all be aware when making decisions.

<blockquote><i>"During more than three decades of my professional life, diversity has been a national preoccupation. Yet despite decades of handwringing, costly initiatives, and uncomfortable conversations, progress in most elite American institutions has been negligible. [...] <b>Why, after five decades of countless studies, public pledges, and high-profile initiatives, is diversity lagging in most elite fields?</b> And why do many White Americans believe that racial progress has been much better than the numbers suggest? </i></blockquote>

This is the research question that Pamela Newkirk, an award-winning journalist and professor at NYU, poses. She posits that the diversity conversation began in 1968 with the release of the Kerner Commission's report on the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow, calling for the inclusion of Black Americans in all institutions. Since then, no matter how often the topic comes up in lawsuits, affirmative action in higher education, #OscarsSoWhite, etc., we haven't seen a fundamental shift in the numbers of people of color in elite positions. Not only that, but there is now a billion-dollar industry around diversity, with millions of positions for diversity and inclusion consultants being advertised every year.

Newkirk focuses on three industries in particular: Hollywood, academia, and corporate America. She recounts the history, often shameful, of these three institutions when it comes to how they have portrayed and treated people of color. (A note that Newkirk deals only with racial diversity in this book, but acknowledges that other forms of diversity are part of the greater conversation.) She does a fantastic job at taking these industries to task, pointing out how they have succeeded, but more importantly, how and WHY they have failed to make significant progress.

<b>What I found most compelling about this book is Newkirk rooting the argument for diversity and inclusion in the greater conversation about race, equality, and discrimination in America.</b> This is a fundamental question when it comes to diversity - just look at Supreme Court decisions about affirmative action and you'll see justices of the United States questioning why diversity is important. In a political moment like this one, diversity is not just about proportional representation. It's about decisions being made by people who understand the world differently than the white male experience. It's about confronting that race relations in this country - racism, police brutality, voting rights, mass incarceration, etc. - will not change until we both reckon with our shameful history and work hard to erase it. The reason that racism is so pervasive today is the same reason diversity initiatives have not succeeded, perfectly summed up by this quote Newkirk shares, from Ford Foundation president Darren Walker:
<blockquote><i>"Progress won't come without us being uncomfortable [...] <b>People want to believe we can have diversity and not really get uncomfortable</b>...It requires incumbent leaders and managers to change their behavior and practices. It means that institutions have to change incentive structures and to fundamentally interrogate their own behavior, which is very uncomfortable.</i></blockquote>

There is so much more I could say about this book, but I recommend you read it for yourself. It is a fascinating work of history, but more importantly, a collection of valuable lessons learned on diversity, and what work needs to come next. Ultimately, shifts in diversity won't come about until we commit to restructuring who has power - and this will always come as a threat to those who currently have power. But if we want to truly commit to creating a more inclusive society and not just making empty promises, this is the work that needs to happen.