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As a DEI<\/a> consultant running my own business, I know this work isn’t easy. I have to constantly weigh the risks and rewards of incorporating DEI into all levels of my organization \u2014 and how to do it well. However, the risks businesses are facing around DEI implementation are worth noting. Ever since the Supreme Court essentially ended race-based affirmative action<\/a> in higher education in 2023, more companies and organizations have walked away from DEI, citing that it’s too “risky.”<\/p>\n The potential legal scrutiny<\/a> that comes with DEI programming may be too much to bear. Companies in nearly all industries have had to alter their diversity policies<\/a> to cover their legal bases. But at what cost? I would argue at the cost of fostering belonging, collaboration and the ability to create a workplace that celebrates diversity rather than hides from it.<\/p>\n We’re quickly approaching one of the most important Black holidays in the U.S., the day the enslaved people in Texas learned that slavery had been abolished and that they were finally free on June 19, 1865. I’m talking about Juneteenth<\/a>.<\/p>\n Many companies have turned their backs on cultural holidays like Juneteenth out of fear of repercussions for celebrating or prioritizing diversity. Here’s how they can reapproach them with the risks and rewards in mind.<\/p>\n Related: <\/b>DEI Initiatives Are Dissolving \u2014 Here’s How Managers Can Step Up and Reverse This Unsettling Trend<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Discovering one was finally free and no longer enslaved and then daring to take action on that discovery was both a revolutionary and scary thought back in 1865. Enslaved people at the time had only dreamed of the taste of freedom after hearing how fellow enslaved people in the South had migrated North to explore freedom in another part of the country.<\/p>\n Living as a full citizen in the United States at a time when dehumanization<\/a> was all too common was a reward finally in reach. It was risky to exercise your freedom a s a newly freed person. Clearly, the risks were worth the rewards. Envisioning and working toward the rewards that come from celebrating diversity and engaging in DEI efforts despite <\/i>the risks is what I would encourage companies to explore as well.<\/p>\n Companies can tie the holiday of Juneteenth to other scenarios and historic events when freedom was granted where it wasn’t before. Most American workers can relate to the ideal of freedom. Make the case that Juneteenth isn’t just a Black holiday but a story of freedom, liberation and the beginning of a certain group’s ability to exercise free will. Tying Juneteenth to larger themes not only covers the “risk” bucket \u2014 where you’re not only celebrating one group of people and their history \u2014 but it also invites others to emotionally connect with the universal value of individual freedom. This reframing invites inclusion and compassion into a holiday that would otherwise be seen as a “risk” to celebrate.<\/p>\n Related: <\/b>The 6 Do’s and Don’ts for Engaging in Juneteenth Conversations<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Not everyone knows a ton about Juneteenth. They may have first heard of it in 2021 when President Biden declared Juneteenth a national holiday<\/a>. Those who weren’t aware of the history may have seen Juneteenth as an additional day off, like the 4th of July. But it’s more than that. Make Juneteenth a learning opportunity for all. Without necessarily treating Black workers differently, HR, executives, managers and leaders can share the historical facts about Juneteenth so all workers can understand why it’s a national holiday worth celebrating. There is no risk in sharing historical facts, so employees are more informed about the holiday’s historical significance. The reward is a more informed and understanding workforce that can be grateful for how freedom for some means freedom for all and how that’s part of the fabric of American life \u2014 both inside and outside the workplace.<\/p>\nHow to reapproach Juneteenth with risk in mind<\/h2>\n
Make Juneteenth a cultural holiday that everyone can relate to<\/h2>\n
Make Juneteenth a learning opportunity for the company<\/h2>\n