Programs

We get a lot of calls for diversity and inclusion trainings and workshops.  Because most organizations and groups don’t really know what kind of training they need, In order to assess a starting point for your organization, we walk you through a brief yet meaningful conversation beginning with this question:

“Why do you want/need training?”

Answers to this can be varied.  Here are a few common responses:

“Our Board of Directors see both the financial and intrinsic value of improving diversity and inclusion. By a mix of persuasive research; pressure from shareholders, employees, customers and business partners; as well as our own intuitive sense of what’s right, we’re seeking guidance as to how to best approach this meaningful work.”

“Our diversity is growing and we’d like to ensure that our organizational culture grows with it.  We want everyone entering our organization to have a baseline understanding of what diversity and inclusion are, what the concepts mean to our organization and how they apply to our work.”

“We’re not as good as we would like to be interfacing with the  _________________ community and we need cultural competency training around this.”

“There’s a negative narrative about working here or going to school as it pertains to being a person of color (substitute: woman, person with a disability, member of the LGBT community, millennial, person who is not a member of any dominant group). 

“We’ve had documented cases of employees/students/patrons lodging complaints – from HR conversations, to exit interviews, to formal EEOC complaints, to general feedback.  We want to work on making it better.”  

“We’ve recently had an incident involving our organization.  The incident has gone viral, and reflects poorly on our leadership/faculty/employees/students.  We need to take urgent action which involves putting out a statement about our commitment to following up with corrective action.” 

Depending on the answer, your approach should be different.  Our approach and recommendations will best accommodate your need.

WE HELP INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS STRENGTHEN THEIR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND CREATING SAFE SPACES OF BELONGING

Board members are the fiduciaries who steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the nonprofit has adequate resources to advance its mission. Shifting culture and climate for the purpose of equity, efficacy, and ultimately continued success requires that diversity & inclusion efforts be integrated at every level and into every facet of the organization.  To this end, our work with Leaders and Boards in particular is extremely important, and necessary; and allows board members to be the champions of “top-down,” imperative change.

FOSTERING INCLUSION

If you’re looking to foster inclusion, it’s likely that you have had at least one conversation among leadership about the meaning and value of diversity and inclusion in your organization.  You may be working on building a greater diversity at the employee/leadership/board levels and want to ensure that newcomers to the community are welcomed into an inclusive organizational environment.

Perhaps you’re looking to extend inclusive thinking throughout your various function areas i.e. programs, communications, operations, fundraising etc. for the greater good of your organization and for organizational success.

CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

Sometimes we become aware that individuals/teams within your organization don’t have enough information or insight about, and/or meaningful interactions with a group(s) of people in order to serve them well. Sometimes this is an internal shortfall. It’s imperative to learn about the cultural norms of the groups you serve, as well as the groups within your organization.  This builds inclusion as well as belonging, and increases engagement.

TROUBLESHOOTING

You/your leadership team realizes that there is deeper work to be done.  If there is a negative internal/external narrative or specific complaint, this could be the “tip of the iceberg.”  If you engage in D&I training without laying the proper foundation or providing the proper support, you may leave your staff/constituents/community members feeling that the trainings and workshops are simply a veneer without real substantive intent or meaning.  Negative narratives suppurate when they aren’t attended/tended to, or given the space or understanding to properly air out or process.  Window dressing these sort of matters will do more harm than good.

COMPLIANCE

Given rapid shifts in cultural landscape both in the United States and abroad, many organizations have moved the diversity and inclusion needle beyond compliance to systematic integration.  Diversity and Inclusion and the benefits therein have become organizational imperatives across all areas and functions—from recruitment, retention, and advancement to sales, marketing, development, and community relations. Before an organization can fully realize the power of D&I on its growth and bottom line, it must first build a strong foundation for D&I through legal compliance. Our compliance offerings include the following:

• Equity Audits
• Partnering with you to build and implement an EDI Framework

HOW WE CAN HELP

Our team uses an evidence-based, customized approach to developing solutions to support for you and your team(s).

• Broad-based Diversity and Inclusion Training:  We provide onsite training and education to help you establish a new organizational culture.  We follow up to measure effectiveness and progress.  You’ll typically see/feel results of organization culture and climate shifts within one year.
• Cultural Competency / Cultural Responsiveness Training: Our Cultural Competency and Cultural Responsiveness work begins with an assessment.  We work with you to determine where your organization stands as far as cultural competency/responsiveness.  We then build a framework for progress which includes: raising awareness, righting wrongs, building community and belonging, and strengthening your commitment to diversity.  Additionally, we work with leadership to communicate goals and measure progress.
• Data Analytics: We help you transform data into answers by identifying existing diversity gaps and then use the information to customize and roll out trainings, projects, and initiatives around your specific shortfalls to help you see results.
• Compliance: We help your leadership team understand the difference between Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA), and what are the key components of each.  We review the legal ramifications of EEO, AA, and other federal mandates. If there is a need, we help your team understand different types of compliance reviews and lastly, we provide assistance with developing EEO and AA statements.

TRAININGS & CORRESPONDING WORKSHOPS

There’s a diversity of facets to diversity training.  Our trainings are unique because rather than administer a “cookie-cutter” training, we work in partnership with you and your team to roll out a three-tier D&I framework comprised of the following:

Because this important work is intended to be comprehensive and ongoing, most of our trainings have corresponding workshops that provide the opportunity for participants to continue  to develop awareness, increase knowledge, and build skills.

Some of our trainings and corresponding workshops include:

The Cultural Competency Continuum

Workshops:  Identity, Self-Awareness, and Self-Reflection;  Culture vs. Ethnicity;  The Cultural Iceberg; Anti-Racism and Anti Oppression; Increasing Inclusiveness, Accessibility, and Equity; Fostering Human Resources; Creating Inclusive Climate; Creating and Supporting Affinity Groups;  Valuing Differences

The Growth Mindset and Cultural Proficiency

Workshops: Shifting Mindsets; Allies vs. Accomplices

The 7 Essentials of Cultural Competency

Cultural Competence Training for Foster and Adoptive Parents

Inclusive Leadership

Workshops: The 3 Enemies of Listening; People & Circumstance; Self-Reflections, Mindfulness, Empathy; Reserving Judgement; Inclusive Meetings

Identity & Intersectionality

Workshops:  Power, Privilege, and Identity Politics; Privilege Walk; ‘Racing Space’ ‘Queering Space’

Implicit Bias

Microagressions: Examining Intent vs. Impact

In this training we cover the following:

• What microaggressions are and the negative effects they can have on others
• Why certain remarks are considered microaggressions
• How to respond to microaggressions in a positive and effective manner

Workshops: Stereotyping & ‘Flipping the Script’; Making Room; Bias Cleansing

Systemic Bias

Workshops:  ‘Upstanding’ and Holding Space; Showing Up

Understanding Microaggressions

Inclusion Literacy – The 6 Key Traits of Inclusion

Workplace Resilience

Talking About Race and Antiracism

Connecting Through Crisis

Building a Culturally Competent Board

How Boards Contribute to Inclusion