DEI, JEDI, REDI, What’s the Difference?
A few of the acronyms of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work explained
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are terms and practices that are continually evolving and changing. How wonderful that we live in a world in which language and concepts continue to evolve and change over time. The problem is that we humans are very resistant to change. Allowing for the evolution of words and concepts in itself is a practice in radical inclusion and challenging rigid cultural norms. With the increasing awareness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts, the acronyms are running wild! So, today I wanted to share a short and sweet guide to start your exploration into a few key terms you’ll see me and other industry professionals use.
DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This might be the most common acronym you’ll hear - and rightfully so! It’s used to capture the entire field! It is a term used to describe challenging of norms in systems/society that perpetuate injustice and oppression. This acronym has lost some of it’s power because it became over utilized as a “catch all” or marketing tool without meaningful change. I choose to reclaim and share the deeper meaning of these concepts to help each team I work with re-infuse it with power and tools that are going to back up their systemic, cultural, and interpersonal changes.
“Diversity generally emphasizes the social, cultural, and other differences and commonalities among social identity groups based on the ethnic, racial, religious, gender, class or other “social categories” generally recognized within the U.S. These differ transnationally as well as historically. The goals of diversity include appreciation of differences among and within groups in a pluralistic society. “ (Adams, Bell, Goodman, Joshi. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice 3rd Edition. 2016).
Equity is often used incorrectly as a synonym to equality. An example of Equality is everyone receiving the same exact size shoe. Equity is everyone getting the size shoe that fits their foot. Equity is linked to building individual, institutional, and societal/cultural ways that treat people how they want/need to be treated (also known as the platinum rule). Working towards Equity in a society in which all can participate, prosper and reach their full potential. Equity can play out and be analyzed on individual, institutional and societal/cultural levels.
Inclusion is the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. Truly looking around and seeing who is not at the table and asking ourselves “why” so we can change what we are currently doing towards a place where a greater diversity of social identities can truly be and feel valued.
JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
This acronym adds Justice at the front to drive home that this work can not be done without a deep attunement to the deep injustices that have occurred and continue to be perpetuated. The concept of Justice is about addressing the issues of inequity that have created the current systems of privilege, power and oppression. And about making changes that not only make today better but address the many terrible injustices that people have faced to get to where they are today.
REDI : Race, Ethnicity, Diversity, Inclusion
Placing race and ethnicity at the start of diversity and inclusion is about prioritizing that race and ethnicity will be central to the work of diversity and inclusion. By including them both, it’s also drawing attention to them being two different terms/concepts trying to stress that they will not be conflated. When we learn about the socially constructed concepts of race and ethnicity we can better understand how we can more consciously challenge systems of oppression that reinforce inequities and uplift and support those who have been historically or currently marginalized, pushed aside and intentionally left out.
Race is the social construction of distinct groups that include but are not limited to skin color, phenotypes, ethnicity, and or ancestry. Race was produced to justify particular social, economic and political practices that justified enslavement, extermination, segregation, and exploitation of other “races” the meaning making system of race gained force and power through reproduction in the material practices of society and historical eras (examples include anti-miscegenation laws, segregation in housing, employment, schooling, and other areas of social life that reinforce these social categories).
“Ethnicity is often confused with, but is distinct from race. While “race” relates to physical features (skin tone, hair texture, eye color, bone structure), ethnicity relates to nationality, region, ancestry, shared culture, and language. It is also socially constructed. Racial designations tend to eclipse or render invisible the specific ethnic and national origins. Ethnicity is an attribution that signifies group affiliation with others who share values and ways of being. As social categories, ethnicity and race function differently. Racial categories are imposed from the outside of the purpose of ranking and hierarchy. Historically racial categories ensure that European adventurers, colonists, and settlers could seize land for cultivation and enslave people for profit. This theft was justified by a belief system asserted Europeans/Whites were superior to others deemed inferior (indigenous peoples, Africans, Arabs, Asians). Ethnic categories are generated from within to maintain people's sense of community and connection, especially if they are peoples in diaspora, living among others whose ethnicity (and perhaps race) differs. Communities sometimes prefer to describe themselves using ethnic rather than racial designations” (Lee Anne Bell, Michale S. Funk, Khyati Y. Joshi, and Marjorie Valdivia: Racism and White Privilege. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice 3rd Edition.2016.
Each acronym is powerful and each word can be defined differently by different practitioners. I encourage you, if you’re using these terms to define them for yourself, your group, or your company. It’s a great exercise to build a more meaningful way your group is addressing the changes it is aiming to make. But knowing that words constantly shift and change allows your definitions to iterate and check back to see how they have changed or stayed true to how they have been defined and how you’ll re-define them.
These definitions have been adapted from, Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition. Edited by Maureen Adams and Lee Anne bell, with Diane J. Goodman and Khyati Y. Joshi 2016
