Strategy, leadership development, and workforce training
with an equity and inclusion lens
Opening day for the University Link light rail extension, Capitol Hill Station - March 19, 2016
L-R: former Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, then-King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dow Constantine,
and University of Washington - Tacoma Chancellor Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange
"Kimberly proved a superlative and versatile leader who was instrumental in advancing the Urban League's mission. She worked as easily and effectively with high-profile public elected officials and board members as she did with community advocates and program staff --- a true and trusted partner on whom I could always count to get the job done."
R.Y. WOODHOUSE, PH.D., FORMER PRESIDENT & CEO
URBAN LEAGUE OF METROPOLITAN SEATTLE
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Today's employees and community stakeholders are increasingly diverse -- and savvy. Which means when an organization sets out to create a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace, and then tell its story to its employees and communities, stakeholders expect more than periodic statements and splashy web pages. They expect organizational leaders to develop real and meaningful change. To co-create solutions for lasting cultural transformation. To walk the talk. Not once, but every day, every month, every year.
When EDI initiatives miss the mark, long-simmering resentments internally and externally can calcify -- and eventually erupt, damaging leadership credibility and equitable progress in and outside of the organization. Even worse, fallout can go viral in today's 24-hour news cycle, with legacy and social media repetitively amplifying negative narratives. Organizations' reputations can nosedive overnight, causing reputational damage that can take months if not years to rebuild -- and stalling if not derailing meaningful progress.
Fortunately, leaders can mitigate if not avoid missteps by bringing Black, Indigenous and other PR experts of color to the EDI strategy table. Considering that 83.6% of PR professionals in the U.S. are White while only 9.9% are Black, 13.6% Latine, and 5.9% Asian (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019), integrating diverse voices is critical to fully engaging your workforce, creating a vibrant work culture, and building authentic, lasting community relationships.
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EDI Strategies, LLC complements the expertise of in-house teams. Drawing on decades of leadership, strategic communications, and social impact experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, EDI Strategies, LLC is uniquely positioned to provide culturally-responsive consulting services that can help organizations meet today's dynamic challenges.
