APMA News - September/October 2023 - 14

Debunking
the Myths
Behind DEI
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is not a
new concept. With origins in the 1960s Civil Rights
movement, the term has been around for a while.
But like any social movement, it has evolved significantly
over the years-and it may not mean what
you think it means.
While DEI started with acceptance and tolerance
Sharonda
Simmons
of people of other racial identities, it has grown
exponentially to encompass proactive inclusion
of people of any identity-whether racial, ethnic,
gender, sexual, religious, or otherwise.1
APMA News spoke with Sharonda Simmons,
APMA DEI consultant and founder of Thrive And
Shine and TNS Consulting, to learn more about
some of the common misconceptions about
DEI and get the facts about this concept that is
all about inclusivity, mutual respect, and valuing
others' perspectives.
What does DEI mean to you?
The definition of DEI is belonging. Diversity, equity,
and inclusion means having a space where
there are people of different backgrounds, ways
of thinking, and social identities, and they respect
each other and value each other. Power is equitably
distributed, and people are valued. It really is
that simple.
14
apmanews
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023
Are there common myths and misconceptions
about DEI that you encounter
frequently?
There is the misconception that DEI is political.
When you look at the definition, I don't think it's
political. Of course, regardless of where you sit on
the political spectrum, when you see an issue or a
policy that you consider discriminatory, it may put
you in the mindset of laws and politics.
But DEI is not about changing people's beliefs
or opinions. It's about coming together as human
beings to equally distribute resources and power,
to respect one another, and when that doesn't
happen, to think about ways to mitigate it.
When you talk about equity, inclusion, and
belonging, instead of saying I'm going to judge
your values, you're saying, I'm going to be open
to learning about your lived experience. We don't
have to change things that we value, but we can
respect our differences.
The other misconception is that it's something
that's only done because it's nice to do or because
it's in vogue, which harkens back to the political
issue. The reality is that DEI really makes a difference
for organizations. When individuals feel they
are valued and matter, they stay at organizations,
they engage, they feel better about their work. If

APMA News - September/October 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - September/October 2023

Contents
APMA News - September/October 2023 - Intro
APMA News - September/October 2023 - CT1
APMA News - September/October 2023 - CT2
APMA News - September/October 2023 - Cover1
APMA News - September/October 2023 - Cover2
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 3
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 4
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 5
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 6
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 7
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 8
APMA News - September/October 2023 - Contents
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 10
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 11
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 12
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 13
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 14
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APMA News - September/October 2023 - 65
APMA News - September/October 2023 - 66
APMA News - September/October 2023 - Cover3
APMA News - September/October 2023 - Cover4
APMA News - September/October 2023 - A1
APMA News - September/October 2023 - A2
APMA News - September/October 2023 - A3
APMA News - September/October 2023 - A4
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