Transforming Organizations and Practices: Bringing a Holistic, Justice-centered Approach to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Services.

Prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion values in internal and external practices and outcomes (how your practices impact diverse populations, including historically marginalized groups), reflects an organization’s commitment to principles of fairness and equality, including, for instance, its desire to create equitable opportunities for culturally and racially diverse populations. Promoting DEI values in practices and outcomes in an intentional, purposeful way also represents an organization’s goal to proactively mitigate various forms of systemic, institutional and cultural bias, including racial bias, which have disadvantaged marginalized populations and over-advantaged others.

Promoting racial equity through organizational practices involves specialized processes designed to mitigate, disrupt and/or challenge the impact of racially biased systems that have adverse impacts on the lived experiences and life outcomes of BIPOC (Black; Indigenous/First Nation; Asian; Non-White Hispanic/Latinx & Multiracial) populations. Such processes are meant to increase opportunities for social and economic mobility for BIPOC populations who continue to be marginalized by race and whose access to vital resources (i.e healthcare; housing; employment, healthy food; clean air, etc.) are disproportionately lower compared to White populations.

Justice-centered coaching services provided by Project 986 are tailored to the needs of individuals seeking to increase their capacity to model DEI-centered values through behaviors; interactions; decision-making and communication. Justice-centered coaching encourages individuals to explore opportunities to better understand potential challenges, barriers or obstacles – whether personal or professional – which may exist and impede their desire to promote DEI and justice-centered values in their roles and daily lives. As such, justice-centered coaching not only benefits the individuals experiencing them but also those with whom they work; serve and support in their organization.

No. However, prioritizing DEI and racial equity work requires ongoing education and learning, and clients seeking to promote DEI and racial equity through practices and outcomes should be prepared to engage in such efforts for the longer-term. While prior knowledge or training is not required in order to take initial steps to engage in this work, it is important to experience continuous education to support the long-term implementation of action steps consistent with DEI and racial equity goals and as your work evolves.

The most common challenge organizations face in this work is making the decision to commit to DEI and/or racial equity goals for long-term impact. Too often, organizations enter into this work for the shorter-term rather than committing to ongoing work which is meant to have favorable impact on diverse internal and external invested parties. It is important that organizations are prepared to invest in this urgent work beyond the shorter-term and in order to ingrain DEI and racial equity values into their internal and external-facing practices as needed.

Contact us. We are excited to have a conversation with you to learn about your desire to explore options for a pathway forward to promote DEI and racial equity values through practices and outcomes for the benefit of your employees and external invested parties.