DGR Coalition Quarterly Roundup

Quarterly Roundup

April - June

2023

Helping you increase your understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), address gaps in representation on your teams, and explore the unintended consequences that result from policy and advocacy that lack diverse representation, voice, and perspective.

Events to attend

Attending events can enhance understanding and provide exposure to new tools and ways of thinking. Below are upcoming events that offer an opportunity to recognize the barriers to increased diverse representation and sharpen various skill sets.

American University Washington College of Law is hosting an Intersectional Feminism in the Law: Exploring the Experiences of Women of Color symposium is taking place April 14, 2023. The American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law, in collaboration with the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia, is hosting an event to highlight “the legal issues that impact women of color and the unique challenges that women of color attorneys face in the legal profession.”

Public Affairs Council’s (PAC) Virtual Workshop: Advancing DEI at Associations is taking place April 26, 2023. Register now to “join a conversation with seasoned association leaders on diversity, equity and inclusion in the association space.” Click here to see other PAC events taking place this year related to better understanding how to incorporate ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and DEI into business and advocacy practices.

T he Almond Group (TAG) is hosting Community Conversations and the next one is taking place June 12, 2023. These conversations serve as a “guided community forum for people of different walks of life to come together in community - taking time to get to know each other, discuss the issues of the day and learn from various lived experiences and worldviews.”

Women in Government Relations' (WGR) DEI Summit is scheduled for June 27-28, 2023 and seeks to “provide personal and professional development for government relations professionals allowing them to engage in critical conversations and exercises around relevant topics that will equip them with the tools to improve their personal relationships and workplaces.”

Resources to leverage

The impact on communities should always be considered when approaching advocacy and policymaking. Workplaces are microcosms of our broader communities, and workplace culture plays a large role in how we experience society. For meaningful policymaking, we must consider the impact of lived experiences outside and inside the workplace. Below you’ll find articles and reports to add to your resource pile illustrating the importance of accounting for differing experiences and providing a framework for incorporating equity and inclusive thinking into your role as government relations professionals.

(Policy Brief) Tax Policy Center, Reflections on what makes a policy racist by William Gale - providing perspective on “what makes a policy racist.”

(Brief) Urban Institute, Confronting Structural Racism in Research and Policy Analysis, by K. Steven Brown, Kilolo Kijakazi, Charmaine Runes, and Margery Austin Turner - “aiming to advance understanding of, and attention to, structural racism as it relates to the larger field of policy research.”

(Guide) Kirwan Institut e (The Ohio State University), Principles for Equitable and Inclusive Civic Engagement by Kip Holley - increasing “mindfulness when it comes to those excluded from community-based decisions but not excluded from community development impacts.

(Report) National Disability Institute, T he Extra Cost of Living with a Disability in the U.S. - Resetting the Policy Table - an illustration of equitable policy considerations as it relates to impacts on Americans living with a disability, providing context and encouraging “greater equity across the public benefits space and the tax code.”

Media deserving attention

Conversations and storytelling can provide a window into life experiences, perspectives, and approaches that differ from our own. This increased awareness can help identify unintentional bias, shift from a fixed to a growth mindset, and cultivate more inclusive thinking and behaviors - especially as it relates to attracting, retaining, and upskilling professionals engaged in policy research, analysis, and advocacy.

(Podcast) What’s the DEIL:

Closing the Loop: Diverse Talent Pools + Labor Shortages - a conversation surrounding recruitment of diverse talent.

Problematizing “Professionalism” - a discussion on how professionalism-related terms and definitions can be exclusive.

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