The past few years have been tumultuous for those of us leading DEI in our organizations. The ongoing pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, the politicization of DEI and now we are heading into a year of politics. It can be easy to listen to the news and feel nothing but doom and gloom. To gaze into 2024 with nothing but trepidation as we teeter on the edge of losing hope. But...what if we change the narrative?
What if we all took a leap of faith and:
We recognize that the past few years built up our strength and resiliency?
We believe that in the midst of turmoil our organizations need us now more than ever?
We accept that each of us is exactly where we need to be?
We each found ways to build incremental steps forward that changed our corner of the world?
I know that 2024 will throw up some challenges for all of us doing DEI work. It would, even without it being an election year. But, those of us called to do this work are made of strong stuff. I was recently reminded of this quote from George Bernard Shaw which I think encapsulates much of our work as DEI professionals. "I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations.” The coming year won’t break us. It will make us! It will shape us into the powerful difference makers that we are all capable of being.
At CCI, our motto for 2024 is "We got this!" I hope that while doing the hard work of changing your organizations for the better that you take care of yourselves and that you remember that "you've got this!"
-Kari Heistad, CEO, DEIBoxx
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