VIVA NOLA November 2018

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion As a
Strategy for Growth
by Alejandr a Guzm an
@aleguzm an
Our goal is to create a beloved
community, and this will require a
qualitative change in our souls as
well as a quantitative change in our
lives.
? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
There is plenty of evidence that
communities that embrace
diversity, equity and inclusion
(DEI) perform much better than
those which do not. As the United
States becomes a minority
majority country, being able to be
inclusive will be fundamental for
the prosperity of our nation.
Earlier this year the Brookings Institute released
research results stating that economic inclusion may be
the key to lasting growth and prosperity. Their
publication shows that the relationship of growth and
prosperity to inclusion grows larger and stronger over
time.
To advance in DEI, it is important that we embrace
changes at an individual level but most importantly that
we change organizations and ultimately systems.
Understanding the underlying cause of the
lack of diversity and then acting upon it is key.
I belong to organizations where we have
looked at our teams and realized the
executive team members and leadership are
not representative of the communities we
serve. Intentionality becomes relevant in
these situations, so in some instances, we
have slightly changed procedures to
guarantee we truly embrace DEI.
New Orleans has the fortune of being home to
organizations that understand the need for
diversity, equity and inclusion. These
organizations also help others achieve their
goals in this regard. Founded in 2017,
Beloved Community is a New Orleans based
organization committed to building a new
4
ecosystem that can sustain equitable, diverse schools,
businesses and neighborhoods. Their name is inspired
by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. teachings. He promoted
the concept of inclusiveness, both economically and
socially, through the notion of the ?Beloved Community.?
He stated that achieving economic and social justice is
necessary for a healthy society.
In their first year of operation they have reached more
than 1,575 students, over 170 school faculty, and more
than 2,000 youth. Beloved Community has helped
multiple organizations obtain a
budget increase allocated to
diversity, equity and inclusion
initiatives.
Beloved Community is building a
diverse voice in local leadership
across education, housing, and
the corporate sectors. They are
devoted to making sure that the
commitment to real solutions to
support DEI remains long after
any individual leader, local legislation, or funding stream
is gone. Most importantly, they are true believers that
people change systems, which is why they offer
capacity building programs to support, build and sustain
the path for growth. You can find more about their
services at wearebeloved.org.
Until next time!