When my NAME held me back ‼️ Over seven years ago, I gave a light hearted speech on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Becton, Dickinson and Company and today, the conversation is more relevant than ever. Fresh out of college, I spent weeks applying for jobs with no luck. Despite my security clearance and strong qualifications. Reluctantly, I changed my name on my resume from Deshauna to Shaun as recommended by my father and suddenly, my phone was ringing nonstop with callbacks. 2 weeks later I had a analyst job at the Department Of Defense and to this day, my former colleagues still think I go by “Shaun”. This is implicit bias—often unintentional, but deeply ingrained. It’s why DEI isn’t just a corporate checkbox—it’s a necessity. No one should have to alter their identity to access opportunities. To combat and dismantle implicit bias, we must engage in meaningful, sometimes uncomfortable, conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
#DiversityEquityInclusion #WorkplaceBias #ImplicitBias #CareerGrowth #HiringEquity