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As we work through this moment of racial reckoning in the U.S. - I& #39;m frequently asked by foreign policy orgs/professionals for "concrete steps" to move from statements of solidarity for diversity & inclusion to measurable actions - a thread.
While it& #39;s infuriating that people - purportedly of good conscience - needed to see George Floyd suffocated by police in order to self-examine - it nonetheless offers an opportunity to pivot.
The statements of solidarity made by NGOs/Think Tanks were affirming 1st steps - that should not be dismissed. But what BIPOC communities need is the removal of barriers to opportunity, fair pay and equitable treatment - in short: jobs and justice.
The foreign policy minded are inclined towards looking outward - and composing complex "theories of change" in overseas programming as a response - but the crux of this problem is right here - at home.
We should avoid this tendency towards "grand strategy" and focus on simpler and more direct actions that can be taken immediately.
For example: Does your org pay its interns? If not - pay them! If so - ask if it& #39;s equitable pay. Economic constraints to entry level posts reduce diversity in candidate pools - limiting access to BIPOC communities. Also - it& #39;s 2020 - why are we insisting on free labor?
Does your org routinely assess its gender pay equity? If not, why not? If yes - what are you doing with that data to make change? If nothing - then you are consenting to the idea that women only & #39;deserve& #39; $0.82 on the $1 for what men earn.
What is the racial and gender composition of your board and staff? Do you gather and publish this data routinely - either publicly or internally to a board of directors? How might you track it and demonstrate progress in this area year over year?
Beware of the "three demons" blocking the advancement of BIPOC and women professionals.
1 - that orgs/agencies "just can& #39;t find us" - we are legion - start here: @NatSecDiver, @WCAPSnet, @LC_WINS, @icapaa, @HUBuncheCenter, @BPIAtweets, @TrumanProject.
Also, while there& #39;s a woeful lack of diversity in DC think tanks - @BrookingsInst & @NewAmerica - are making great strides in their reporting on the issue, their hiring of fellows and staff, as well as their senior leadership.
2 - the belief that BIPOC communities and women have a dearth of "qualified" people in their ranks. This is a lie rooted in centuries long racist & sexists narratives. Talent is distributed evenly - opportunity is not.
3 - Once disabused of those two - we are left w/ the hard truth that our institutional biases and lack of regard for the power of diverse and inclusive spaces - is the real reason we don& #39;t have them.
This is a moral and ethical challenge; a lost opportunity to advance the democratic ideal - but perhaps most importantly for orgs who fail at it - it is a blow to their credibility and reason for being.
