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It\u2019s episode 22 of Blended: I\u2019m joined by another fantastic panel of guests and, today, we\u2019re tackling another tricky issue \u2013 tokenism. Tokenism is a relatively new idea \u2013 the term was only coined in the late 70\u2019s \u2013 but we are hearing it more and more as the conversations around diversity and inclusion grow. And, when issues like this arise, that can potentially derail the really good DEI work that so many people are doing, we have a responsibility to address it and get it out in the open \u2013 which is one of our favorite things to do on Blended!

Today, our guests will be exploring exactly what tokenism means; sharing their personal experiences; and discussing how we can start to tackle tokenism in the workplace.

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[00.54] Introductions to our Blended panelists.

• Gennifer \u2013 Founder/Executive Director at TransNewYork
• Clarecia \u2013 Chief Consultant at Global Compass Consulting Services Inc
• Breanne \u2013 Growth Coordinator at Let's Talk Supply Chain

[06.20] The group discusses tokenism: what it means to them, and how it fits into diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Being reactive vs proactive
• Issues with awareness days
• Box ticking
• What\u2019s visible to the public vs what\u2019s behind closed doors
• Having a seat at the table, but not a voice
• Accountability
• What are businesses actually doing to change hearts and minds, and help educate?
• Conflicts of interest
• Incorporating DEI into value systems and business norms, not one-offs

\u201cTokenism is being included but not being included \u2013 it\u2019s about being included in spaces, only because someone wants to tick a box.\u201d Clarecia

[27.37] The group share their personal experiences of tokenism, and the impact those experiences had on both themselves and their communities.

• Differences between generations
• Leadership
• The makeup of C Suite
• Commitment to change
• Listening to understand
• Appreciating others' experiences, not just treating them as a problem to be solved
• Sense of belonging

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to break down those walls of, not only people using tokenism on me, but me not wanting to feel like I\u2019m projecting tokenism onto somebody else.\u201d Gennifer

[51.03] The panel summarizes their ideas on how organizations can successfully avoid tokenism, and they sum up their thoughts from today\u2019s discussion.

\u201cI would love to see more accountability, more showcasing year round; understanding that everyone, whether it\u2019s for pride or black history month, it\u2019s not a box that everyone fits into\u2026 you need to be thinking about everyone as an individual and as unique.\u201d Breanne

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You can connect with Gennifer\xa0and Clarecia on Instagram. For Breanne, you can shoot her an email at: breanne@letstalksupplychain.com.

If you found this episode interesting, you might enjoy Episode 21, Boost Your Bottom Line: Why You Should Be Retaining Diverse Talent or Episode 9, Handling Diversity in Business: Is there a right or wrong answer?

Check out our other podcasts HERE.