By Marianne Delorey, Ph.D.
“We are greater than, and greater for, the sum of us.” –Heather McGhee
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have stirred up a fair share of controversy in political circles. The topic may be even more sensitive for older adults because it is hard to hear that ‘the way you’ve always done things’ may be contributing to the problem. Also, they may feel like they (or their generation) are being blamed exclusively for inequities. Of course, no one person or one generation created our world so no one should bear complete blame.
However, it would be futile to not consider the historical context of inequities when trying to make our corner of the world better. For instance, in our world of housing, we are keenly aware that the effects of redlining are still alive in Worcester. Poverty in the city is still concentrated in the same neighborhoods that were affected by the disenfranchisement of the past. Not surprisingly, the color of the skin of our residents tends to follow this pattern and people from other neighborhoods of Worcester do not automatically feel at home within our walls. The purpose of a thorough DEI examination of our industry is to say, I can’t fix the past, but I can make it better going forward. I can, at a minimum, make sure we have as welcoming a community now as we can create. For us, this means:
- Reaching out to people who may be able to help me understand other perspectives
- Hanging signs welcoming everyone
- Making sure certain documents are translated
- Putting on a multicultural festival to shine a light on other groups
- Addressing any known barriers (like stairs for people with mobility impairments)
At a company level, many companies are embracing DEI initiatives under the premise that incorporating many ways of looking at the world make decisions stronger. I have seen this in action. The choices I make are limited by my experiences. People with vastly different values and ideas can help me see a more complete world. This additional knowledge and perspective made my decisions stronger and better.
We, as an agency, have been grappling with DEI issues for several years. Here are the three most important lessons I have learned about our journey thus far:
- These topics are going to make you uncomfortable – Reliving times when people have not been treated fairly to see what impacts it has on today is distressing. Being willing to sit and listen to difficult stories (sometimes when you or your ancestors had a hand in creating part of the problem) is at least in part about embracing discomfort and living with a history you cannot change.
- Sometimes there is no answer; sometimes just discussing the issue is enough. As noted above, we can only control so much. Understanding there has been inequity is a basis for building empathy, which from my vantage point, is the most important part of the process.
- Start by taking baby steps, but start. This is important work. There isn’t a magical list of items that you can tick off like a to-do list. Each aspect of the agency needs to be examined for concerns. The purpose is to fix what you can today but also to set tomorrow up for better equity. If you don’t know where to start, hire an expert. There are people who have already done this work for others; why reinvent the wheel when they can walk you through many next steps.
I, for one, recognize that we have only just begun to change our organization for the better. We will never be perfect, but I will keep trying to make Colony as fair as possible in a world that hasn’t always valued equity.
“Creating and managing a diverse workforce is a process, not a destination.” –R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.
Marianne Delorey, Ph.D., is the executive director of Colony Retirement Homes. She can be reached at 508-755-0444 or mdelorey@colonyretirement.com and www.colonyretirementhomes.com.
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