To Reach True Equity, Black Women Leaders Say More Work Needs to Be Done
2023年12月7日
Attendees and panelists at a GWAC event at Holland & Knight LLP discussing the state of Black women in the law. Speakers included Keela Seales, president of GWAC; Kwamina Williford, partner at Holland & Knight; Alfreda Robinson, associate dean at George Washington University Law School; Grace Speights, 摩根合伙人, 刘易斯 & Bockius LLP; 肯迪丝吉布森, president of the Women’s 酒吧 Association of the District of Columbia; and Robin Earnest of the Earnest Attorney at Law, 有限责任公司.
12月4日, 美国国家靠谱的滚球平台协会(NBA)女靠谱的滚球平台部门的大华盛顿地区分会(GWAC)举办了一次小组讨论，审查了NBA最近的报告结果, “The State of Black Women in the Law.”
8月上映, 报告显示，虽然法律组织在促进更多元化和包容性的工作场所方面取得了重要进展, Black women attorneys remain significantly underrepresented in the profession, continue to face discrimination, and feel the burden of educating others on diversity, 股本, 包容, and belonging (DEIB) solely because they are Black.
“Representation is not only to see what to aspire to, but it is also a mirror of your own greatness,凯拉·西尔斯说, president of GWAC and staff attorney at the D.C. 上诉法院. Citing statistics from the American 酒吧 Association, 报告指出，黑人女性在法学院一年级学生中所占比例不到5%，但在靠谱的滚球平台事务所合伙人中所占比例不到1%.
席尔斯说，亲缘靠谱的滚球平台协会在支持黑人女靠谱的滚球平台方面发挥着关键作用. “他们提供了一种联系, 指导, and a safe space to talk about goals and plan careers,她补充道。.
肯迪丝吉布森, 她是哥伦比亚特区女性靠谱的滚球平台协会的主席，也是摩根靠谱的滚球平台事务所的合伙人, 刘易斯 & Bockius LLP同意. 吉布森说:“亲缘团体中有数百名女性愿意提供帮助，因为有人帮助过她们。.
制作报告, NBA对163名黑人女靠谱的滚球平台(协会女性靠谱的滚球平台部门的成员)进行了调查，发现尽管66%的参与者同意他们的工作场所致力于改善多样性, 只有65%的受访者表示，他们打算在两年内留在目前的公司, 这表明不仅需要继续招聘和雇用黑人女性，还需要加强对黑人人才的支持.”
“Clients are demanding diverse teams, 这有助于推动业务发展，并为黑人女靠谱的滚球平台提供机会，让她们感到受到重视和包容,乔治华盛顿大学法学院负责审判辩护的副院长阿尔弗雷达·罗宾逊说, one of the report contributors.
The NBA report was the result of a partnership with Kanarys, 这家科技公司开发了一个客观的指标来比较不同行业的组织的DEIB表现——它的行业基准得分. 与基准相比，调查参与者对工作场所DEIB问题的总体评价低于平均水平, 强调“认识到黑人女性在法律行业所面临的交叉身份和独特经历的重要性”, 因为黑人女性的交叉身份代表了种族和性别的多重影响是如何导致不那么积极的经历的.”
And while a majority of the participants feel empowered, 受人尊敬的, and supported in their workplaces, 他们中的许多人在他们的组织中亲身经历(36%)或目睹(41%)歧视或偏见, 报告指出.
“当歧视和偏见事件发生在黑人和女性的交汇处时，它们会被放大,” NBA Women Lawyers Division Chair Desireé C. Boykin writes in the foreword.
近30%的参与者报告说，他们组织中的白人盟友感觉很有绩效, and 47 percent reported often feeling the burden of having to educate people on DEIB. “仅仅在组织中有白人盟友是不够的，还需要采取具体措施来减轻偏见和解决歧视问题. Otherwise, it is superficial and performative,” 报告指出.
In addition to discussing the study results, GWAC项目的小组成员还探讨了如何利用这些发现来改善DEIB支持有色人种妇女的举措.
Recommendations in the NBA report for organizations seeking positive DEIB gains include:
- Invest in hiring more Black women for mid-level and senior/executive positions. 这项工作包括跟踪黑人女性的人才储备和她们的招聘结果，以及对招聘人员和决策者进行DEIB基本概念的教育. Firms and corporations can also ensure diverse hiring panels and interviewers. Local affinity organizations can support hiring goals.
- 有意识地创造战略举措，以保留黑人女性，并解决组织内部的晋升不平等问题. 应该跟踪和监测绩效和进展指标，以更好地了解黑人女性的经历.
- Foster an inclusive culture and equitable work environment. 这是通过透明的沟通和履行承诺建立信任来实现的.
- 通过为期一天的课程、模拟法庭竞赛和夏令营等项目，让高中阶段的黑人女性接触到法律行业的职业选择.
Tynekia加勒特, a law student at Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, 是D.C. 酒吧’s writers in residence for 2023–2024.
