How do people promote diversity and inclusion in corporate America, and how can people of color navigate through the difficulties within the workplace? Sobering moments, unspoken social rules in the workplace, and threats to positive movement toward equality were just a few of the topics covered at Webster University’s fourth annual Diversity & Inclusion conference, which took place on the main campus in Webster Groves Feb. 26 to 28.
Free and open to the public, today’s session began with a welcome from university president Elizabeth Stroble, followed by keynote speaker Marilyn Booker, managing director and head of urban markets group at Morgan Stanley. Booker spoke about many important topics in society today, challenging the audience to take initiative and be active within the community. She touched on topics such as people who have been wrongfully incarcerated, as well as warned against threats to positive movement toward equality.
“Who can say that the freedom struggle is over, when the work of prison reform advocates…have produced irrefutable evidence that there are some significant numbers of people who are incarcerated today, and they’re imprisoned because justice did not work for them–not just on their behalf, but on the behalf of justice, affirmative action…?” Booker addressed the audience. “One of the few ladders out of poverty is being attacked. Civil rights gains, a bridge to a pluralistic and integrated society are being eroded. Americans of certain hues are being denied the right to vote, contrary to the landmark voting rights act of 1965. Regardless of your politics, who can say that the freedom struggle is over?”
Following Booker’s speech was a panel discussion moderated by Simone Cummings, dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology. Panelists included Kwofe Coleman, managing director at The Muny; Gisele Marcus, executive vice president for strategic initiatives and operations at the St. Louis Regional Chamber; and Michelle Tucker, soon-to-be CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis.
Spending much of her career in the Caucasian white, male-dominated banking industry, Tucker recounted a story about someone questioning her position because of the color of her skin.
“After the meeting, a gentleman walked up to me and said, ‘Wow, that was incredible. But I’m a little surprised, because when you walked in, I thought you were the secretary,’” Tucker recalled. “It was a sobering moment for me. It put me better, because I knew that I was the expert in that room. It gave me that much more ambition and drive to make sure I positioned myself well, and showed up in a way where I was as impactful as possible.”
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