Rohit Bhargava - Beyond Diversity: 12 Non-Obvious Ways To Build A More Inclusive World

BEYOND DIVERSITY

ADVANCE PRAISE:

As a Black woman I have long advocated for organizations to address the systemic racism that Black and Brown people struggle with every day. Beyond Diversity lifts the lid on how bias and privilege have benefitted the privileged few at the expense of the marginalized many. It provides a much-needed directive for those in power to get educated and use their influence to finally break down the barriers that have left so many of us behind.

MINDA HARTS, Speaker, Founder, and Author of The Memo

Beyond Diversity is an urgently needed, eminently practical book that every leader should read. Bhargava and Brown have taken on a tough topic with sharp minds and open hearts. In a dozen crisp and fascinating chapters, they show how to move past mere sentiment to bring genuine inclusion into action.

DANIEL H. PINK, New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human

Successful women advocate for themselves. This wonderfully wide-ranging book offers a valuable look at the context of the world we all must live in today, and offers an eye-opening roadmap for how any of us can do that more effectively. For any woman of color seeking to unearth her individual power, this is an essential read.

DEEPA PURUSHOTHAMAN, Author of The First, The Few, The Only and Co-Founder of nFormation

Thought-provoking, layered, and fresh. Each one of us has a part to play in creating a more inclusive world. Wherever you may be in your journey, Beyond Diversity is the weapon in your DEI arsenal. For the non-believers, bystanders, and uninitiatedbe inspired to make better inclusion choices. For the believers, advocates, and expertsbe rejuvenated in your fight for equity.

MICHELLE KING, Author of The Fix and CEO of Equality Forward

With this important contribution, Rohit Bhargava and Jennifer Brown invite everyone to see themselves in the diversity and inclusion conversation. Beyond Diversity provides a roadmap to help all of us step into the conversation, however imperfectly, and to learn to take action and be a part of the movement toward a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable society.

ERIN URITUS, CEO of Out and Equal

Really enjoyed this book! I loved the simple structure and use of storytelling to build empathy and understanding across all the different dimensions of diversity. Beyond Diversity is a must-read for anyone committed to a world where we all belong and contribute fully. Authors Jennifer Brown and Rohit Bhargava write with compassion and empathy, while giving us a little kick in the pants to get involved at the same time. The reality is, we can all do more to make our communities and workplaces more inclusive. This important book provides a pathway for making it happen.

MICHELE MEYER-SHIPP, Chief People Officer for Major League Baseball

Jennifer and Rohit have artfully used the power of storytelling to connect the reader with the lived experience of LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized communities that have been systemically discriminated against and othered for far too long. We must build a society that is more inclusive of transgender and non-binary people and honors their contributions and realities. Their book opens eyes, hearts, and minds!

AMBER HIKES, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

To embrace change and create a more inclusive workplace, we must tackle demanding questions that diminish opportunities for minorities and under-served groups. It will take bold action and uncomfortable moments. Yet, in this new era of hope and resilience, we will collectively navigate endings and embrace new beginnings. Now, more than ever is time to dismiss old practices and pivot to real, sustainable change. The progress beyond these breakthroughs will create a generational impact.

JORDAN BABINEAUX, Former NFL Player

As a theoretical neuroscientist focused on the future of human potential, and the tax so many of us pay on being different, this book educates the reader beautifully on what gets in the way of our ability to thrive. With real insights from real people, Brown and Bhargava document concrete ways we can together build the kind of world I want my kids to live in.

DR. VIVIENNE MING, Founder & Executive Chair, Socos Labs

Copyright 2021 by Rohit Bhargava & Jennifer Brown

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher, except in the context of reviews.

Printed in the United States.

Ideapress Publishing | www.ideapresspublishing.com

Cover Design: Amanda Hudson

Mosaic Art: Zharia Shinn

Cover Fonts: Trenda, LatinoType

Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.

ISBN: 978-1-64687-051-6

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12 Non-Obvious Ways To Build A More Inclusive World

ROHIT BHARGAVA
JENNIFER BROWN

With:

Andrius Alvarez-Backus, Chhavi Arya, Karen Dahms, Sandhya Jain-Patel, Kaleena Sales, Monika Samtani

For all the voices that chose to share their stories, and all of the stories yet to be told.

There is always light. If only were brave enough to see it. If only were brave enough to be it.

AMANDA GORMAN, AMERICAN POET

This ambitious book exists because more than two hundred people were willing to engage in difficult conversations. In January of 2021, we all gathered at the first annual Non-Obvious Beyond Diversity Summit. The ideas in this book are inspired by the themes we explored across that week-long virtual event.

Race, identity, gender, discrimination, equity, belonging and love are deeply emotional topics. To discuss them candidly in the company of others requires bravery.

Yet we know that creating a more equitable society has to go beyond conversation. Together with an amazing team of contributors, we wrote this book to imagine solutions and inspire actions. An inclusive world is worth making. Lets get started building it together.

Rohit and Jennifer

Michael Akinyele Debra Alfarone Samina Ali Zaheer Ali Jesse Cameron Alick Rajesh Anandan Luis Arandia Seth Arndorfer Chhavi Arya Leonor Ayala Polley Andrius Alvarez-Backus Jacqueline Baker Sanchita Balachandran Pun Bandhu Bennett D. Bennett Rohit Bhargava Shirley Bloomfield Melissa Boone Edith Bracho-Sanchez Isabel Bradbury Nicole Brewer Hollie-Anne Brooks Marisa Brown Jennifer Brown Mike Brown Leigh-Ann Buchanan Agata Buras Cerrie Burnell Lydia Caldana Diana Caldarescu Courtney Caldwell Stacy Campbell David Campt Brittany Castaneda Sacha Chadwick Aneesh Chaganty Ragen Chastain Angela Chee Maha Chehlaoui Nathania Christy Joseph Clift Isha Cogborn Carol Fishman Cohen Marc Cohen Rebecca Cokley Beth Comstock Charlene Polite Corley Henry Coutinho-Mason Joy Arlene Cox Courtney Craven Jan Mercer Dahms Karen Dahms Deniese Davis Jessica DeGroot Zora DeHorter Caroline Dettman Turquoise Devereaux Kate Devlin Jessica Doyle Natalie Egan Brandy Eggan Kety Esquivel Laura Evans Manatos Simon Fenwick Daniele Fiandaca Hajj Flemings Ayana Flewellen Kwame Fluker Aaron Foley Leslie Forde Dwana Franklin-Davis Augie Gastelum James Geurts Bianca Ghose Miranda Gohh Indrani Goradia Kishonna Gray Stephen Green Frank Gruber Winona Guo Alisa Gus Yasaman Haghighat Denise Hamilton Julian Harcourt Cortney Harding Kerry Harrison Felecia Hatcher Rachel Higham Quita Highsmith Travis Holoway Sabra Horne Jackie Huba Chipo Hwami Kate Isler Sahar Jahani Sandhya Jain-Patel Shelina Janmohamed Veena Jayadeva Emma Johnson Seb Joseph Vimbayi Kajese Allison Kalloo Allyson Kapin Lindsay Kaplan Alana Karen Sheila Kasasa Amy Kean Becky Kekula Sami Khan Thembe Khumalo Song Kim Heather Krause Pooja Kumar Leela Ladnier Myra LalDin Miah Langlois Scott Lanum Melody Lewis Brendan Lewis Dorcas Lind Janice Lintz Tiffany Lung MJ Lyons Mita Mallick Christopher Manente Debbie Nez Manuel Christopher E. Manuel Claudia Marks Chrisel Martinez Wendy Mayhew Pamhi Mbanga Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo Leila McKenzie-Delis Shannie Mears Parag Mehta Michael Mejias Meera Menon Jacqueline Mgido Simon Minty Dino Myers-Lamptey Paolo Nagari Mamoudou NDiaye Matt Ney Marlon Nichols Catherine Nicolaou Zahra Noorbakhsh Sue Obeidi Lindsay Orosz Waylon Pahona Jr. Maulik Pancholy Rohi Mirza Pandya Lydia Dean Pilcher Joy Pope Lylliam Posadas Beny Poy Ludmila Praslova Marilyn Price Alex Prout Deepa Purushothaman Suresh Raj Ripa Rashid Y. Shireen Razack Neil Redding Scarlett Richards Jennifer Risi Andrea Roane Kate Roberts Sergio Rosario Christina Ryan Monica Sack Kaleena Sales Monika Samtani Kate Snchez Jyoti Sarda Sabina Shah Zharia Shinn Martyn Sibley Anupy Singla Pamela Slim JJ Snow Gigi Sohn Yennie Solheim Sree Sreenivasan James Stellar Bonnie Stetz Tracy Stuckrath Amir Sulaiman Yonta Taiwo Alexander Taylor Jordan Thierry Tash Thomas Juhu Thukral India Thusi Jos Velasco AnaSofa Villanueva Priya Vulchi Elsa Waithe Angela Ward Chlo Skye Weisser Brenda Darden Wilkerson Arthur Woods Tiffany Yu Maysoon Zayid Johanna Zeilstra