Strategies for Engaging White Men as Allies in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work
For far too long, white men have been centered, advantaged, and treated as the 'standard' or 'norm' in workplace structures and cultures. This is not surprising, considering that the same forces are at play in the wider systems in which we all work, live, and play. The systemic inequities both perpetuate and are reinforced by assumptions and biases about white men. As DEI work aims to move societies and workplaces forward into a new paradigm where all people are valued and where equity is finally established, how can we engage white men to be allies and even co-conspirators in the effort? This presentation will explore strategies for calling white men in to this work and getting them invested in dismantling the structures and cultures that have produced the inequity. This will also be a productive session for white men themselves, who have especially in the past three years, been wanting to practice allyship but lacking in the tools and the feelings of efficacy to do so.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain a deep understanding of the ways that structures, cultures, and interactions include some groups and exclude others, sometimes in the most subtle of ways.
- Explore our own biases and habits regarding identity, privilege, and biases that we may bring to DEI work.
- Learn strategies for engaging white men (and others) in workplace DEI initiatives.
- Add concrete tools to your toolkit of interactive inclusively with everyone and supporting truly inclusive and equitable workplaces.
In-person session offerings are on a first-come, first-served basis.
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All virtual sessions inherently run the risk of audio or visual issues due to factors out of our control. If any technical difficulties arise, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work diligently to resolve it. Most virtual sessions are recorded and will be available to view on demand until Monday, August 14 at 8:00 AM PT.
Michael Baran
Dr. Michael Baran is the CEO of Iris Inclusion, a global diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) firm. Dr. Baran draws on his own social science research to inform his DEI speaking engagements, writings, consulting, leadership development, and eLearning. After teaching at Harvard University, he has been supporting DEI in organizations for 20 years. His work has been covered in the New York Times, BBC, Forbes, CNN, NPR, and more.
His recent book, Subtle Acts of Exclusion, was named by Forbes as one of “The 11 Books To Read To Be A More Inclusive Leader” and has won several awards.