Race, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Othering and Belonging

Presented by Equius Group 

We are in a moment of realizing there is no going back to before March 2020, before COVID – 19 and the pandemic, and before the racial reckoning. Our country, and therefore our workplace, is forever changed. And, with quiet quitting, people becoming more entrepreneurial, and deciding what is best for them all ties into Belonging at an organization, and we don’t talk about it enough. We’re doing RDEI work, and don’t talk about the “B”.

Around Othering and Belonging, we use john a. powell’s language:  

• Othering is a generalized set of common processes that engender marginality and group-based inequities across any of the full range of human differences.
• Belonging, or being fully human, means more than having access. Belonging entails being respected at a basic level that includes the right to both co-create and make demands upon society. Belonging is more than a feeling. What are the signals that tell you whether you belong or not?

powell talks about the following as the indices of Othering: 

• Lack of effective voice
• Lack of representation 
• Lack of recognition 
• Lack of power

powell talks about the following as the indices of Belonging: 

• Being asked to give voice 
• Being listened to 
• Being valued and credited for your contributions 
• Seeing people who look like you up, down, and across the organization en mass – not just a few tokens 
• Being valued for your skills and expertise, and being paid and rewarded accordingly 
• Sharing power – being given the latitude to do your job 

Values are more than lip service, and there is accountability when that addresses behaviors and interrupts patterns that don’t align with the organization’s values and commitment.

Join our virtual meeting to learn more about Othering and Belonging and how to incorporate Belonging in the workplace during your organizational RDEI journey.

Zoom Recording

If you were unable to attend, or would like to learn what was discussed, please view the Zoom recording below.