Elevate Your HR Practices: 6 DEI Thought Leaders to Follow in 2021

It’s hard to forget a day like May 26, 2020; the world had changed nearly overnight. George Floyd’s murder was the catalyst for a world-wide racial reckoning. Systemic racial injustice was undeniable, and there was a demand for everyone to speak out about it. As a necessary fallout, many companies began releasing statements and scrambled to improve their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices. DEI, once a subset of Human Resources, saw an urgent and unprecedented demand as senior executives sat in the discomfort of their own feelings and the collective voice.

But, DEI goes far deeper than one-time, band-aid solutions. 

Even seemingly “easy” fixes like unconscious bias training can  do more harm than good. In fact, many workplace inclusion training programs are about as useful as Michael Scott’s Diversity Day on the hit show ‘The Office’ — leaving marginalized employees feeling less seen, and more frustrated, while management checks off a box towards inclusivity that has very little impact on the actual work environment.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though.

(Very much the opposite.)

There are plenty of thought leaders in DEI that are paving the way for companies to bridge the gap between intention and action — and create lasting change. 

(Need some inspiration? Check out this stellar list of the top companies making real, sustainable change.) 

Although implementing meaningful inclusion practices isn’t easy, we’re not alone in our pursuit of creating a better and more equitable working world. Learning from others is a great way to gain ideas on how to build or boost company culture and can help guide your company’s DEI initiatives, which is why we’ve put together a list of six phenomenal full-time People “people” and HR consultants that you should be sure to follow this year:

Nika White, President and CEO of Nike White Consulting

Nika White is a valiant advocate and authority figure for DEI and best practices in HR. With over 20 years of leadership experience, she is an award-winning consultant, speaker, author, and DEI practitioner.  Her consulting company’s commitments to DEI include intentional communication, generous paid time-off policies, and creating a culture of compassion, empathy, and concern. Beyond following her on LinkedIn, take a read through her books The Intentional Inclusionist and Next Level Inclusionist: Transforming Your Work and Yourself for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Success.

Steven Matly, CEO of SM Diversity

Steven Matly started a boutique diversity and inclusion firm called SM Diversity that specifically focuses on staffing and recruiting. SM Diversity’s core values include community engagement, consulting, and network partnerships. Beyond this, Steven also  created a Seattle-based D&I Meetup with over 600 members, and continues to be an important  advocate for recruiting diverse employees.

Lily Zheng, Author and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Strategist and Consultant

Lily Zheng offers a refreshing perspective on DEI that concentrates on the outcomes of DEI practices, rather than intentions. Specifically, she moves companies from the “listening and learning” stage  to actually taking inclusive action. Her consulting approach begins with a comprehensive survey to understand the unique challenges facing companies and empowering leaders to carry out effective change. Along with following her writing on LinkedIn, BK Publishers, and Harvard Business Review, her books Gender Ambiguity in the Workplace and The Ethical Sellout offer further insights into her DEI approach.

Agatha Agbanobi, Founder, CEO, and Principal Consultant of Optimal Leadership LLC

In addition to being an educator and program manager, Agatha has been a leader in the equity space for over 10 years. Her specialization began in gender equity, but the evolution of race and gender equity practices together have influenced her unique approach to consulting. Through Optimal Leadership, she provides antiracism diversity, equity and inclusion consultation services, as well as staff training and resource development.

Karlyn Percil, CEO of KDPM Consulting Group

Karlyn is a renowned leader in DEI who spent 23 years in the financial industry before building her consulting practice. She holds a Certificate in Neuroscience Coaching and is trained in Positive Neuroplasticity. Karlyn’s approach to DEI is rooted in research and science which can be seen in her Leadership Pathways to Success program and Growth Mindset Training. For more guidance from Karlyn, check out her Well-Being Playbook.

Larissa Crawford, Founder and Managing Director at Future Ancestors Services

Larissa is a multi-faceted powerhouse in diversity and inclusion advocacy. She led anti-racism and Indigenous research initiatives while in university and has participated in programs focused on Northern Indigenous climate knowledge, and intersections of race and climate justice. Her consulting practice, Future Ancestors Services, is a youth-led professional service that advances climate justice and equity through the lens of ancestral accountability. 

It’s hard not to feel inspired by this MVP list. And, if there’s anything we can take away from these thought leaders, it’s this: Authentic, sustainable and meaningful DEI practices are achievable. At any time. From any starting point. In any industry. 

And don’t forget...

This is the bedrock of our work at Areto Labs.

We encourage companies to easily and naturally build inclusive work culture by creating micro-moments of online connection via Slack. Our product, Coach, utilizes machine learning to  facilitate team building and boost productivity, morale and engagement — all while saving HR leaders time and energy.

Download Coach to begin your30-day free trial and start elevating your company HR practices, today!