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As much as I believe and have even written about pushing away from this sort-of check-the-box approach to EDI work, which generally looks like adding more diverse dates and celebrations to the calendar- I love International Women's Month. This year, the joy and gratitude come with a larger perspective of what Women's History Month means in a more contemporary context.

Women's History Month celebrates the contributions of women in a world that continuously and historically chooses to exclude, undermine, and overlook us. As women, we have endured some of the worst conditions, experiences, and abuses, continuing to march forward with our heads held high. With the weight of generations of women before us, our families, and our futures planted onto the soft grooves of our shoulders, none of the women I know slouch beneath this heavy understanding. I truly admire so many generations of women that stood for what they believed, backs straight and tall ready to face whatever the world had to...

I’ve been doing work related to equity, diversity, and inclusion for nearly 30 years. I’ve seen the ebb and flow of interest and commitment by people in leadership roles, across organizations, and industries. The rationale has typically fallen into one of two categories: 1. “Our priorities have shifted. We have to focus on the immediate crisis at hand.” or 2. “We tried. We hired a person but didn’t get the results we expected.” As in the past, it may be tempting to table EDI “for now”, at least until after we get past Covid-19 and all its implications. I’m advocating here for exactly the opposite stance. Perhaps it's self-serving because I’ve spent my career educating and trying to advance EDI. I am a Black woman raising a Black son. So, I am not surprised but horrified by the disproportionate rates of Covid illness and death in Black and brown communities and where atrocities like the killing of Ahmaud Arbery...