Happy New Year - Here’s Your Name Three Challenge for 2021

Happy New Year, everyone! 2020 was a hard year for many of us. Whatever your journey to get to 2021, I hope you had a community of people – wherever they may be – supporting you every step of the way. And if you’re reading this, I hope you know that I am part of your community as well.

So where do we go next? For me, that’s continuing what I’ve done so many times in the past (close to 200 this last year alone) – trainings and workshops. In the months since COVID-19, I shifted to virtual engagements which allowed far more people to participate in conversations on race, bias, and allyship. If you’re one of my clients, thank you for your commitment to equity and justice. Let’s not stop anytime soon.

I also published my first book! Thanks to you, Authentic Diversity: How to Change the Workplace for Good, became a best-seller on its launch. Thank you for reading the book and for joining me on my virtual book tour. If you missed any of my appearances, feel free to catch up with me on NPR or read my article, "Mom, Why Don't You Have Any Black Friends?"

Finally, I expanded Inclusion Nation – by one. I happily welcomed long-time organizational strategist Kim Holmes to be Inclusion Nation’s first Strategy Consultant. With her extensive background in the tech world, Kim leads our coaching, survey, and consulting functions to keep organizations and leaders equipped and committed to their diversity promises.

But here’s the real truth. None of this would have been possible had the tragedy of May 25, 2020 not occurred. 

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered. The world of diversity, equity, and inclusion changed overnight. The urgent and overdue conversations on racism finally emerged into America’s mainstream corporate narrative.

That work will not continue without you. Which is both my hope for you – and my challenge. One question I have been asked over and over is how to make this into a movement, not a moment. That power lies with you.

So let’s start off 2021 with another Name 3 challenge. Two, actually.

Here’s the first.

As an individual, looking at your own personal world, Name 3 actions you have taken since May 25, 2020 toward racial equity and justice.

Here’s the second.

As a leader, at whatever level of your organization you are, Name 3 actions you have taken to ensure that your organization’s progress on racial justice continues.

Same rules apply as last time. Answer now or answer over the next three months. But hold yourself accountable to change. The work is long but the community is strong and the reward is justice. What better way to start 2021 than committing to that?

Happy New Year to every one of you. Let’s go.