Beyond DEI

How does your organization value, celebrate, and provide equitable access to people of varying abilities? We are passionate about inclusion and operate from an understanding that the differing abilities found throughout the spectrum of humanity and our shared ecological system are advantageous to developing a reflective, compassionate, and representative society that is equipped to meet the multi-pronged challenges of today and build a healthy and inclusive future.

How is diversity in age celebrated and valued in your organization? We harness wisdom, lessons, and teachings from a wide spectrum of ages. We believe that there is much value in creating spaces for exchange that tap into a wide-breadth of our collective knowing. Given the marginalization and disempowerment of youth and elder perspectives, we work to incorporate these valuable insights in our work, approach, and recommendations.

How does physical appearance impact how personnel, vendors, and contractors are treated and the opportunities they are afforded? At Beyond DEI, we operate from a framework in which appearance is a form of self and/or community expression that should not impact one’s opportunities for safety, care, employment, and the ability to thrive. We also acknowledge how rigidity around appropriateness of appearance often enforces colonial standards of acceptability that are performative, limiting, and harmful.

What is your organization’s understanding of race and its impact on clients, personnel, vendors, and partners? We operate from a standpoint that race is a social construct developed by Western colonial powers—a small subsect of humanity—to justify and enforce racist propaganda and belief systems. Racial categorizations have been forced upon people across the globe through colonial expansion and have become defining descriptors for human beings of varying skin tones, while also remaining wildly inconsistent. Western science, originally used to support this propaganda, has debunked its validity. However, as a social construct, race today has very real implications for people’s lives and livelihoods. In the work setting, structural and interpersonal racism limit employment opportunities and career progression while also severely hampering an organization’s ability to be a just, relevant, and trusted institution in today’s multicultural and interconnected world.

How does ethnicity show up in your organization and to what extent is ethnic diversity celebrated or discouraged? At Beyond DEI, we define ethnicity as a socio-geographical construct that interplays with culture and regional boundaries to attempt to categorize perceived social differences amongst people. Ethnicity allows for more complex understandings of human groupings. For example, within the Latino/a/x ethnic grouping exists different racial categorizations of human beings—including Afro-Latino/a/x, Euro-Latino/a/x and Indigenous groups.

How does the gender binary and patriarchy infiltrate every aspect of our lives, both personal and professional? How can we ensure all people see themselves in relation to predominant ideologies and the benefits of going beyond them? By recognizing the social constructions and limitations of gender while centering ways of living that challenge restrictive norms, we can foster liberation for people of all genders.

Indigeneity is often marginalized even within progressive DEI spaces—what does it mean to truly center Indigenous understandings in DEI work? By focusing on principles of Indigenization and ecology, we can build strategies in line with the needs and wisdom of Indigenous peoples and their self-determination.

In what ways does nationality impact opportunities for recognition and advancement in your organization? Are there unexplored biases that are impacting how nationality impacts career advancement? National origin defines rigid geopolitical boundaries ascribed to regional groupings of people often tied to the Western concept of the nation-state and enforced through military force. For colonized communities, this process occured amongst colonial powers and without consultation or buy-in from those living in these lands. As we exist in an increasingly globalized world, we seek to work with your organization to foster deeper understandings of the concept of national identity while also fostering safe and affirming organizational workforces for people from varying national backgrounds.

How is neurodiversity understood within your organization? And how are neurodiverse perspectives supported to create healthy environments in which personnel can thrive and contribute? We celebrate the unique wiring and necessity of each individual’s brain. Neurodiversity is the recognition that the human neurological spectrum is wide and nuanced. Some commonly described differences include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and others, that are natural variations of the human brain rather than defects that “need fixing.” At Beyond DEI, our approach involves creating environments that center and provide the desired resources, tools, and spaces for diverse cognitive styles, ensuring that individuals with neurodivergence are allowed to contribute to organizations in a manner that best fits them and enriches the community. We strive to dismantle the stigma surrounding neurodivergence, promoting inclusion and understanding in both personal and professional spaces.

How prepared and responsive is your organization’s operational and cultural framework with respect to disability inclusiveness? We reject ableism and recognize the inherent importance of the disability community, understanding that disability is not a monolithic or stagnant experience. Our framework for disability inclusiveness goes beyond mere compliance with accessibility standards; it involves actively fostering an environment where people with disabilities are fully valued and provided with experiences and spaces befit for their needs and desires. By acknowledging and accommodating the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities, we aim to break down barriers that limit their self-determined participation and contribute to building a workplace that embraces the full spectrum of human abilities.