The journey for Children’s Bureau of Southern California’s diversity, equity, and inclusion formally began five years ago. Many informal tangible and intangible DEI work has been done especially within our communities that we serve to advance Programmatic access, inclusion in our board diversity committee and other areas. This springboarded more intentional conversations which began with a firmly committed Board of Directors who self-challenged the criticality to ensure that our community messaging was clear that Children’s Bureau was a place of authenticity and belonging.
We began with the clear understanding that for this work to be sustainable, it was important that it was built to last. That commitment became evident as we shied away from labels that would include: “initiative,” “project,” “focus” and firmly landing on “movement.” This would indicate to every constituent and beneficiary that our movement was akin to a river. We could then envision the fluidity of a movement that would branch into additional tributaries such as the invested cohorts of our Executive Leadership Team, our Senior Lead- ership Teams and of course our staff. Through this movement, the various cohorts of learning and out loud work ultimately pooled into the larger framework of the communities from which we serve, live and work.
We are so very proud of the work that has been created within our organization to propel and further our commitment. Building innovative awareness-based education within our internationally recognized internal university, CBU, we created “Perspectives and Perceptions” for our staff. This interactive two-year mandatory learning program was built upon the pillars of bridging ongoing awareness through action and outcomes. Additionally, we challenged our employees to socialize their learnings by building intellectually curious participation buy-in. This “peer-to-peer social learning” has been our most powerful tool in how related information is disseminated throughout meetings. It also has the inclusion that needs to occur in meetings, building important allyships and holding each other accountable to the DEI pillars in protecting safe spaces for personal authenticity.
We began hosting several book clubs that read socially aware books with weekly dialogue that now has become a hallmark of our social learning platform. Additionally, we have created affinity groups and a very active DEI Council that supports organizational direction, ideation, and opportunities to annually expand our horizons.
Equally important is our “Inclusive Led Learning” series. This is also a two-year mandatory awareness learning program designed exclusively for our people leaders. This companion learning with Perspectives and Perceptions is critical to continue to validate our staff learning model as well as elevate our People Leaders to lead, act, think and behave inclusively in every aspect of their role. It will come as no surprise that we have completed more than 9,000 learning hours in three years through this systemic learning approach even during the uncertainty of a pandemic world!
Finally, the Executive Leadership Team has taken our DEI movement to the next steps in integrating these pillars throughout our business decisions and relationships. Starting with our procurement practices and vendor selections; our community access to programs, advocacy awareness and expansion. This serves to ensure that we each continue to create invaluable footprints in all our connections. This is the business of CB DEI and our commitment to authenticity and sustainability.
We pride ourselves in nurturing a Culture of Learning through Belonging. The organic alignment that our DEI movement has created with our Trauma Informed Resilience Oriented Care has given each of us the beacon of our DEI NorthStar. This movement hasn’t always been easy. The river takes our journey sometimes in unexpected directions that are challenging, for certain. But our firm belief that every person, every contact brings such invaluable treasures to us when diversity of thought and perspective; equitable practices through conviction and inclusive ideas and innovation are woven throughout the patterns of our organizational life.
We are humbled and honored to join others shoulder to shoulder to define and yes, redefine our place in the community as an organization that takes an active role in nurturing an inclusive and safe Los Angeles.
Kymberly Garrett, GPHR MBA is chief people & diversity officer for Children’s Bureau. Learn more at all4kids.org.
