New Detroit's Town Hall
Last month, a few members of our team were privileged to attend New Detroit's Town Hall focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). As a coalition dedicated to fostering racial equity and understanding within Metro Detroit, New Detroit is committed to policy and system changes. Their efforts span education, training, services, research, and various programs aimed at combating racism across interpersonal, institutional, and systemic dimensions.
We heard perspectives about Civil Rights and DEI from Ken Coleman, Senior Reporter at Michigan Advance, and Dr. KimArie Yowell, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Rocket Companies, in a dynamic conversation moderated by Tonya Myers Phillips, Director of Partnerships & Development at Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice.
We got to learn more about DEI and the history of Detroit. Detroit has a rich history with roots in slavery. As a destination for slaves on the underground railroad, Detroit was at the forefront of the anti-slavery movement. This background is critical in understanding the development of DEI initiatives and policies that we see in many organizations today.
When thinking about DEI, something that stood out to us was the importance of focusing on diversity only after inclusion and equity are established. Inclusion is about having representation across different backgrounds and experiences, as well as fostering an environment where people’s voices are truly heard and valued. Achieving equity requires organizations to actively take steps to make sure that the processes and systems in place are accessible to all. This reframing of DEI was affirming to the work that FedUp is already doing to hire folks and create opportunities for the communities we serve.