Someone asked me if I would consider a career in diversity and inclusion strategy and I audibly laughed out loud. Here's why:

Too often my peers and I are pressured to choose between working in service of our community or working in service of our discipline: becoming a familiar face to those that come after.

But here's the very honest truth: They shouldn't be mutually exclusive.

Any role titled “diversity & inclusion” or “multicultural” is inherently biased. Take Multicultural Strategist.

This sends two messages: (1) that you can never practice your ability to think strategically outside of multicultural contexts and (2) no one else on your team has to.

As a strategist, my job is to help people, brands and organizations: (1) answer the questions, "what's next" and "so what" and (2) be different.

Like creative work, strategy is ignited by our individual perspectives, cultures and experiences.

And because culture eats strategy for breakfast, my work is absolutely worthless without the support of diverse, equitable, and functioning cultured teams and workplaces.

Fixing my organization’s flaws around diversity, equity and inclusion (especially when I believe in the vision of the company) will allow me to exercise my craft more effectively while simultaneously paving the way for Black, Brown and LGBTQ+ peers.

It’s a win:win to me.