@jessicabantom
Author - 'Design for Identity' and the 'Start Where You Are' blog
Jessica Bantom - Author|Speaker|Coach
Jessica Bantom - Author|Speaker|Coach
Jessica Bantom – Blog on Medium
Jessica Bantom – Blog on Medium
Read writing from Jessica Bantom on Medium. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Professional, Interior Design Consultant, & Author, Design for Identity (coming April 2023)
Order my award-winning book 'Design for Identity' today!
Order my award-winning book 'Design for Identity' today!
Check out the new Design for Identity digital workbook!
Check out the new Design for Identity digital workbook!
Identify an action you can take to continue advancing social justice
Identify an action you can take to continue advancing social justice
I started the ‘Start Where You Are’ challenges blog in August of 2020, in response to the surging outreach from people who wanted to ask me, as a DEI practitioner, what they could do to promote social justice. Almost five years and one hundred posts later, I’m still here to fulfill that need. If yo
Reflect on your design work in 2024 - challenge #3
Reflect on your design work in 2024 - challenge #3
Reflect on your design work in 2024 - challenge #2
Reflect on your design work in 2024 - challenge #2
Opinions: Facing a Crossroads and Assessing the State of EDI in Design - officeinsight
Opinions: Facing a Crossroads and Assessing the State of EDI in Design - officeinsight
Reflect on your design work in 2024 - Challenge #1
Reflect on your design work in 2024 - Challenge #1
Ask yourself what action you’re willing to take
Ask yourself what action you’re willing to take
Consider your role in relation to the lived experience of others
Consider your role in relation to the lived experience of others
Practice asking how you should be involved
Practice asking how you should be involved
Look up how cultural observances are celebrated
Look up how cultural observances are celebrated
As we wrap up Celebrate Diversity Month, this is a good time to be mindful of how cultural observances are celebrated. We see holidays and observances on our online calendars and we likely scroll right by the ones that aren’t familiar or hold a particular meaning for us. But seeing them is actually
Try one new type of cuisine and learn its origins
Try one new type of cuisine and learn its origins
Listen to music from 3 different cultures
Listen to music from 3 different cultures
Continuing the recognition of Celebrate Diversity Month, take some time this week to listen to music from 3 cultures that are different from your own. This challenge comes from memories I have from childhood listening to the music of Brazilian singer Gal Costa. Growing up in a very musical household
Reflect on your identity and celebrate what makes you you
Reflect on your identity and celebrate what makes you you
Objectively evaluate your environment
Objectively evaluate your environment
Many organizations talk about the importance of recruiting to increase diverse representation and to add more diverse perspectives to create more innovative solutions. However, they don’t always consider the environment they’re inviting people of historically excluded backgrounds into. Would you
Research Black history makers in your industry
Research Black history makers in your industry
February is Black History Month and it’s right around the corner. While there are plenty of iconic, noteworthy figures who are typically honored during this observance, there are many others who also deserve recognition. This year, take some time to identify 3 Black history makers in your industry a
Be intentional about showing up
Be intentional about showing up
Consider starting a shared holiday calendar
Consider starting a shared holiday calendar
As we wind down for the end of the year, this is a good time to think about how we experience this “holiday season” and several other traditionally recognized observances in the workplace. Keeping in mind the diversity of our workforces, it would likely be worthwhile to get a sense of which occasion
Dear white men: Ditch “I’m just a white guy”
Dear white men: Ditch “I’m just a white guy”
Ask yourself what stories you tell yourself about “others”
Ask yourself what stories you tell yourself about “others”
Create a Google Alert for DEI news in your industry
Create a Google Alert for DEI news in your industry
Ask yourself if you would choose to be a Black employee in your organization
Ask yourself if you would choose to be a Black employee in your organization
Gauge the sense of inclusion you create by the depth and frankness of the dialogue you engage in
Gauge the sense of inclusion you create by the depth and frankness of the dialogue you engage in
Aim to practice Platinum Rule DEI
Aim to practice Platinum Rule DEI
Re-evaluate your definition of “qualified”
Re-evaluate your definition of “qualified”
The Lived Experience Quotient: The Most Overlooked and Undervalued Set of Strengths
The Lived Experience Quotient: The Most Overlooked and Undervalued Set of Strengths
Interrupt your bias by asking “What do I know to be true?”
Interrupt your bias by asking “What do I know to be true?”
Learn about what’s happening in your industry in another country
Learn about what’s happening in your industry in another country
Be mindful of the toll of identity-related tragedies on people you know
Be mindful of the toll of identity-related tragedies on people you know
Make space to discuss people’s lived experience
Make space to discuss people’s lived experience
Think about what holds you back from discussing DEIB issues
Think about what holds you back from discussing DEIB issues
Think of ways to activate DEIB in your day-to-day work
Think of ways to activate DEIB in your day-to-day work
Commit to building meaningful relationships
Commit to building meaningful relationships
Research Black history makers in your industry
Research Black history makers in your industry
Think about one way you’re privileged and what that means
Think about one way you’re privileged and what that means
Identify a bias you have and challenge it
Identify a bias you have and challenge it
Evaluate whether you’re setting your DEI committee up for success
Evaluate whether you’re setting your DEI committee up for success
Think about how you’re gauging your organization’s DEIB progress
Think about how you’re gauging your organization’s DEIB progress
Find out about a holiday you’re unfamiliar with
Find out about a holiday you’re unfamiliar with
Expand “work-life” beyond “work-family”
Expand “work-life” beyond “work-family”
Ask yourself – am I causing someone to cover?
Ask yourself – am I causing someone to cover?
Dig deeper into your employee engagement survey results
Dig deeper into your employee engagement survey results
Revisit your DEI “why”
Revisit your DEI “why”
Adjust your expectations about how other people will embrace DEI
Adjust your expectations about how other people will embrace DEI
Evaluate the financial resources you’re putting toward advancing on your DEIB journey
Evaluate the financial resources you’re putting toward advancing on your DEIB journey
Set a DEIB goal for yourself for 2022
Set a DEIB goal for yourself for 2022
Make an introduction that could potentially lead to a mentoring relationship
Make an introduction that could potentially lead to a mentoring relationship
Challenge what you associate with the term “diversity"
Challenge what you associate with the term “diversity"
Identify and connect with 3 leaders in your industry who are people of color
Identify and connect with 3 leaders in your industry who are people of color
SPECIAL BLOG - The Lived Experience Quotient: The Most Overlooked and Undervalued Set of Strengths
SPECIAL BLOG - The Lived Experience Quotient: The Most Overlooked and Undervalued Set of Strengths
Select a bystander intervention method you’d be willing to try out
Select a bystander intervention method you’d be willing to try out
Expand your awareness of holidays and cultural observances
Expand your awareness of holidays and cultural observances
Give credit for the work completed by your black colleagues
Give credit for the work completed by your black colleagues
Document your praise for a high-performing black colleague
Document your praise for a high-performing black colleague
Interview: Work Wider Newsletter - The Wider View
Interview: Work Wider Newsletter - The Wider View
Start with the basics: Who do you truly see in your day-to-day work interactions?
Start with the basics: Who do you truly see in your day-to-day work interactions?
Register for DC Design Week: Designing with Cultural Competence
Register for DC Design Week: Designing with Cultural Competence
Evaluate who you’re assigning grunt work to
Evaluate who you’re assigning grunt work to
Real Conversations in the Future of Work
Real Conversations in the Future of Work
Ask your manager for statistics on promotion rates across demographics in your organization
Ask your manager for statistics on promotion rates across demographics in your organization
Take note of your reaction to people’s use of language
Take note of your reaction to people’s use of language
Ask your black employees and colleagues whether your workplace is one they would refer friends to
Ask your black employees and colleagues whether your workplace is one they would refer friends to
Identify ways to properly pronounce people’s names
Identify ways to properly pronounce people’s names
Start Where You Are Blog
Start Where You Are Blog
Assess the fairness of the decision-making processes you’re involved in at work
Assess the fairness of the decision-making processes you’re involved in at work
Ask yourself whether you value your comfort over progress
Ask yourself whether you value your comfort over progress
Ask yourself what YOU are doing to demonstrate your organization’s commitment to DEIB
Ask yourself what YOU are doing to demonstrate your organization’s commitment to DEIB
Contemplate the weight of the burden of knowing
Contemplate the weight of the burden of knowing
Consider the diversity of the people you ultimately serve
Consider the diversity of the people you ultimately serve
Approach your employee resource groups (ERGs) about serving as advisors on cultural topics
Approach your employee resource groups (ERGs) about serving as advisors on cultural topics
"For us, by us:" How Black designers are combating inequity in an overwhelmingly White industry
"For us, by us:" How Black designers are combating inequity in an overwhelmingly White industry
Ask yourself if you would choose to be a black employee in your organization
Ask yourself if you would choose to be a black employee in your organization
Practice saying “Tell me more” when you encounter resistance, opposition, or correction
Practice saying “Tell me more” when you encounter resistance, opposition, or correction
Identify a diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging accountability partner
Identify a diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging accountability partner
Think about the macro effects of a microaggression
Think about the macro effects of a microaggression
Consider sponsoring professional association membership dues for one year for a young black professional you know
Consider sponsoring professional association membership dues for one year for a young black professional you know
Evaluate how you judge black people outside of work versus the black people you work and engage with regularly
Evaluate how you judge black people outside of work versus the black people you work and engage with regularly
Put yourself in the place of the “only”
Put yourself in the place of the “only”
Pledge to become a promoter of others
Pledge to become a promoter of others
If discussing race in the workplace makes you uncomfortable, ask yourself why (and a few other questions.)
If discussing race in the workplace makes you uncomfortable, ask yourself why (and a few other questions.)
Take note of whose performance you’re tracking more closely and who you’re advocating for
Take note of whose performance you’re tracking more closely and who you’re advocating for
On every call this week, greet someone who you don’t usually interact with directly
On every call this week, greet someone who you don’t usually interact with directly
Introducing the Start Where You Are Challenge
Introducing the Start Where You Are Challenge
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