Monday's Opening Thought: June 21, 2021

This week’s opening thought: I’m deciding to ignore the existence of the word “diversity” for the rest of my life. I’m adding it to my personal banishment list along with such words as “professional” and such phrases as “I don’t see color.” Why? Because our society has devalued the word and even the concept of “diversity” to the point where it’s a homogenized white-centered buzzword that only crops up when overwhelmingly white companies and communities get uncomfortable with their optics.

The truth is that the watered-down “diversity” conversations that take place in our workplaces and communities are used to replace having to do the hard, raw, uncomfortable work of building equitable and inclusive workplaces and communities. I’ve worked for companies where people has said such wonderful things about “diversity” as, “We need to hire some Black people because our donors keep asking us why we’re so white” and “We hired some Asians last year so I think we’re good with that for now.” I’ve been a part of conversations in the Portland metro area where people has said that they want the “right kind of diversity” in their neighborhoods and that certain marginalized groups “impact the appeal of our neighborhoods and resale values of our homes.” Whiteness wants diversity on its own white supremacist terms, not caring that this is not how the concept of diversity works. They just want the optics.

I refuse to be a part of any white community or institution’s optics.

Until y’all want to talk about building equitable and inclusive spaces that don’t solely exist just so white people can feel good about themselves we have nothing to talk about regarding “diversity.”

Consider this an Old Yeller moment.