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A vent.
A thread.
I have to say this.
I love that institutions are speaking up but frustrated, annoyed, and angry that it has taken so long for higher education leaders to be vocal. 1/17
A thread.
I have to say this.
I love that institutions are speaking up but frustrated, annoyed, and angry that it has taken so long for higher education leaders to be vocal. 1/17
This has always been an issue but everyone waited for it to be an issue in 50 states and 18 countries as if that finally gave them permission or it was "popular." 2/17
We& #39;ve been fighting this same damn fight for years in higher ed. DEI professionals have come and gone, gotten reprimanded for challenging, disagreeing, & pushing, and been labeled as problematic when they were just trying to do their job. 3/17
Now white admins are getting the spotlight for their fight for racial justice, as if "they& #39;ve arrived." 4/17
There are so many Black folks, indigenous folks, people of color, & queer folks who are behind ALL of the conversations that are happening right now AND they& #39;ve been reprimanded for not staying in their lane. 5/17
They will never be highlighted for their work and tireless advocacy. Today& #39;s "bold steps" are the result of years of fighting, pushing, risk-taking, and silencing. And all I see are administrators - many of whom are white men - being lauded for their leadership. 6/17
I know so many DEI professionals who have been pushed out of their jobs for elevating the voices of students, challenging policy & practice, and speaking up when communities were harmed (translated: they did their job). 7/17
They were hired so that the university could say they had a position, a center, a department, a person. They were hired to support the institution, not advance change. They were hired to say yes, no questions asked. Any inquiry or concern is labeled as insubordination. 8/17
When they did what they thought was their job, leadership felt threatened and replaced them with people who would "follow the rules" (translated: remain silent). 9/17
Now all of a sudden institutions are waking up and all we see are administrators taking the credit.
There is immense pressure placed directly on the departments and people hired to change campus culture. 10/17
There is immense pressure placed directly on the departments and people hired to change campus culture. 10/17
Those same people are then scapegoated when change doesn& #39;t happen, even though it was administrators in power who resisted the change that was necessary because it meant giving up power, positionality, privilege, and paycheck. 11/17
I am one of many DEI professionals who have pursued independent consulting because working for institutions that don& #39;t really want to change is exhausting. 12/17
When I say change I& #39;m talking about cultural shifts and changing how an institution thinks and functions (at all levels) not just erecting buildings & offices and hiring people. 13/17
I& #39;m talking about how resources are allocated & staff are compensated. I& #39;m talking about allowing folks they hire to do their jobs & make people uncomfortable. I& #39;m talking about institutions & leaders prioritizing change over donors, alums, & others who value status quo 14/17
Instead, [DEI] professionals get reprimanded by people in power for saying too much (trying to do their job) and students, staff, and faculty for saying too little (trying to keep their job). It is a thankless job without tenure or union protection. 15/17
Have you ever wondered why most DEI administrators and CDOs are at-will employees? Think about it. Nothing feels more powerful than answering "why am I being fired?" with "I have no obligation to tell you." 16/17
So to all of you who are doing DEI work in higher ed, I see you. You& #39;re the real MVPs and I know you are tired. It is okay to rest & be still. This work will never be done & you need all the energy you can muster. Protect your spirit. 17/17 
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