Category: Gen Z on DEI

Gen Z and Y on D&I: Existing Beyond Borders: Mental Health and Citizenship Status for Latino Migrants in the U.S. 

Latino migrants in particular face significant barriers to belonging in the United States, which can gravely affect their mental well-being. The U.S. government plays a major role in the trauma and violence that is faced by the Latino community – through inaccuracies and stereotypes in political discourse, rigorous and intensive immigration policies, violent border control, and lack of resources for migrants.  

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: “All *fill in the blank* Matter”

All spaces are not for, nor should be for, those with the most privilege in our society; they have literally everything else at their disposal. Our work of carving out spaces for the oppressed will continue to be of the upmost importance until the people dismantle the patriarchy, white supremacy, and ableism within our systems. Please don’t insult and invalidate our work for liberation by saying we should focus on all lives when systemically all lives do not matter yet.

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: Re-imagining a Different Way to Work and Live

It’s been a difficult year and a half for many of us, and we’re all trying our best to simply survive. Some days feel heavier and other days feel lighter, but I hope that both have caused us to pause and reflect on how we can do our part to care for ourselves and for those around us. As I’ve had time (maybe too much time) to reflect on all these things, this is what I’ve come to realize…

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: When Interests Converge

Racism metamorphoses based upon the needs of the hegemonic order. The theory of interest convergence provides a lens for understanding Brown v. Board of Education and other major changes to the social order in which the power structure enacts policies that appear to be in the interest of subjugated or oppressed communities, yet is really intended to serve the best interest of those in power.

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: The Power of Storytelling to Unearth Justice and Cultivate Hope

The persistent nature of social justice challenges can leave organizations in the precarious position of not doing enough, leaving teams feeling discouraged, frustrated, and overwhelmed. As a clinical psychologist, I have learned the importance of listening to how we share stories. How we share stories in our organizations and teams can either inspire or dampen efforts to support connections and move us toward a collective vision of equity. Stories that center only the challenges can often leave us feeling hopeless about creating change.

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: Racism and Climate Change

Concern for the state of the environment has never been greater. We cannot think about environmental justice without considering environmental racism. Now more than ever, it is evident that we are living in a climate emergency which is directly linked to racial injustice, and the legacy of colonialism is directly linked to climate change. To save the planet — to save our lives — systems of oppression must be dismantled. Acknowledging the inextricable connection between climate action and racial justice is a good first step.

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: What, Now, is the “American Dream”?

Homeownership is seen as the pathway to wealth — a path to the “American Dream.” However, for many marginalized communities, this dream is far off, even unattainable. Structural barriers, such as low wage employment, a lack of intergenerational wealth, unfair mortgage loan policies and mortgage bias, and systemic racism, are impediments to achieving the dream of homeownership. What, now, is the “American Dream” if not every American has access to it? 

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: The Future is Intersectional

Some would argue that new identities are “coming out of nowhere.” This is not the case: most of these identities have always been a part of the human experience, but being our authentic self requires risk, and people have not always had the same access to information, support and community that they do now. As the DEI field and society continue to evolve, it is time we fully embrace and begin to apply an intersectional lens. 

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Gen Z and Y on D&I: Empowering Myself to Confront Modern-Day Racism

I am adopted and was raised in a small town by my adoptive family. My enduring, supportive and loving family, worked hard to provide me with the social and emotional tools required to build a really good life. Even though my adoptee-brain makes it difficult for me to process why someone would choose to love me, the continued reassurance, backed by constant action, gave me extra bursts of strength when I needed them most. As I grew older, I began to realize that the way I was raised stirred up a lot of turmoil inside of people who couldn’t stomach the idea of a biracial person living what they deemed to be a “white” life. 

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Gen Z and Y on D&I : Rights to the City – What Do Low-Income Earners Do?

The simple act of play or leisure can be limited depending on if one is a low-, medium- or high-income earner. While this is an uncontrollable play of economics in our current systems, it is worth reflecting: what kind of policies or designs make it so that the simple and necessary parts of life depend on how much income one has earned? Do public spaces truly function as communal points for everyone, or are there several segregated points that cater to just one spectrum of the economic scale?

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Racial Justice at Work: Practical Solutions for Systemic Change

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