DEI strives to expand access, show talent and value of every group/person

Editor:

In the 1970s, women were about 5% of the total musicians in symphonies. The DEI change was to make everyone audition from behind a screen so that the judges could not tell who they were.

Women now make up over 40% of musicians in our symphonies overall. You see, we all have bias. If you have a brain, you have bias towards those that are like you. When approaching any issue we ask, who has access? Who does not? What are the barriers that are blocking access?

We then change those barriers. Unconscious bias was stopping symphonies from seeing the talent of women, just putting a blind in front of everyone leveled the playing field. This is a great example of DEI in action.

My name is Betty García Mathewson, and I am a DEI professional. It was called Managing Diversity when I was introduced to it in 1990. I found my calling, the idea of helping people to see each other and learn to work together made perfect sense.

I later realized that my parents had been involved in Managing Diversity when I was a child. We were the “new” people in the community. They worked to bring the Latino community’s voice to the table in our community.

There have been many names through the years and the work is based on the idea that there is talent and value in every group/type of person, yet everyone does not have access to opportunity. DEI is the work of expanding access to the American ideals. We work to help our country live our highest ideals found in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Freedom and justice for all is something we have not yet achieved as a nation.

People have been working to expand access to the American Dream since our country was founded. The abolitionists that led the way to the end of slavery were involved in DEI work. The Suffragists who worked to make our government give women the right to vote, were involved in DEI.

The labor unions that brought us the 40-hour work week, overtime pay, and safe working conditions were all working to expand access to the idea of equal justice for all. DEI is about leveling the playing field and making sure that everyone has access to try, it is not a guarantee that everyone will achieve their dream.

The pushback is all about money. Those using DEI to scare people are trying to keep fighting so we don’t notice the proposed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and food stamps.

People working to expand access to the American Dream have been successful. The people pushing back are trying to undo our progress. Every election cycle, different groups are chosen to divide us. It is often race, this time it is transgender people and immigrants of color (race).

Each election cycle is something designed to keep us fighting so the very few can control society at the expense of the many.

Betty García Mathewson

Albion