Diversity, Equity & Inclusion In The Workforce What A Joke!

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In this episode, I am explaining the reason behind my long absence away from the podcast and  I am giving my opinion on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion In The Workforce. You Don't Want To Miss it! So Come Roll With Us!

Transcript

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Hey Everyone! And Welcome Back to Queens On A Roll Podcast

This is Latavia here and before we get into today's episode

I have a few announcements to make but first

(It's time for roll call sound effect)

I would like to say Thank

You to Shontae Usman and Eric Green for their

donations to Queens On A Roll podcast.

You guys are awesome in supporting

the podcast and supporting me.

Thank you for believing in me.

Thank you for believing in the podcast.

I greatly, greatly, greatly appreciate your support.

(Cheering Sound Effect)

(Delayed Beat Sound Effect)

And I would like to say thank you guys for

supporting me because I know I have been on a

hiatus and it's been a minute since I put out

an episode, and that is because your girl has been

experiencing so many deaths between her friends and her families.

And most recently, it's actually with a heavy

heart that I have to announce that one

of my previous guests Ismael Santos, sadly passed

away on January 26 of this year.

I've known him for 29 years.

His daughters and I went to United Cerebral Palsy and it

was there my mom and him became fast friends.

He was truly a dear family friend

and like a second father to me.

My prayers and condolences go out

to his family and friends.

Rest in peace, Mr. Santos.

I love you so, so much and I really, really miss you.

So I have been struggling with so many deaths

guys that it's just been hard to keep up

with the podcast and hard to maintain.

But I'm hanging in there, I'm doing well.

And like I said, I thank you

so much for all of your support.

I have missed you guys so much.

And I'm back now, so thank you so much again for just

supporting me in this time off that I needed to take.

And we are still on a roll.

We're still rolling.

(Sad Piano Music Instrumental)

So I decided to resume episodes this week because

I really needed to get something off my chest.

You know how in the workforce

they tout diversity, equity and inclusion?

Well, where is it?

It is time for another episode of 

(I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired when is change gonna come sound effect)

Alright Let's Roll!

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So I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired

of diversity, equity and inclusion being something we

tout but not live by in the workforce.

And what I mean by that is they

say they are inclusive, diversified, and all about

equity, but there is little to no action

to display these concepts in the workforce.

In my opinion, and from my personal experience, it

is nonexistent especially in the workforce and I know

other people would agree with me in the ably

different community because this is something we all discuss

at one point or another.

Inclusion in the workplace is a joke!

I became an independent contracting speech language

pathologist or slp not because I wanted

to but because I needed to.

Because not every school is handicapped accessible and if

I needed to take off because my chair broke

down it would need to be approved.

So to avoid all of that, I

decided I would be my own boss.

If inclusion was a real thing, every place

would truly be accessible and contingencies would be

put in place for you to work.

And actually contingencies are put in

place because we have the ADA.

(It's Fun Fact Time Sound Effect)

According to ADA National Network reasonable accommodations is

any change to the application or hiring process,

to the job, to the way the job

is done or the work environment that allows

a person with a disability who is qualified

for the job to perform the essential functions

of that job and enjoy equal employment opportunities.

Some accommodations are, change the job task, provide reserve

parking, improve accessibility in a work area, change the

presentation of tests and training materials, provide or adjust

a product, equipment or software, allow a flexible work

schedule, provide an aid or a service to increase access,

reassign to a vacant position.

(Cartoon Stair Climbing Sound Effect)

So if jobs are required to provide reasonable

accommodations, why do we still have to advocate

for things like a table and an assistant?

It is not right and it is not fair.

And you know what makes me even more frustrated?

When you start a new job and have to

get acclimated to the new job and the new

job responsibilities while advocating for what you need.

While our colleagues don't have to

worry about that at all.

It is super frustrating to me and it needs to change.

I don't know how we can change it.

But I can tell you this employers it starts with you.

If you hired someone who was ably different sit down with

them before they start the job and ask them what are

they going to need to perform the job to the best

of their ability and you execute that plan.

The plan may include an accessible ramp so

that they can get to the work area.

The plan may include changing the work

space around so it accommodates them.

The plan may include assistive technology.

The plan may include an assistant, whatever

it is that, that person may need.

You execute the plan, you get things in place

before they start their job so that when they

walk in on the day of their first day

of employment they do not have to worry.

Do I have everything that I need to make sure that

I perform my job to the best of my ability?

That is something that we all worry

about and we all stress out about.

Am I going to have everything I need to

make sure that I am successful at this job.

And that is super frustrating to have to have that in

the back of your mind while you are getting adjusted to

a new job, maybe a new position, who knows?

And I know, at least for me, I would just like

for once to not have my disability thrown in my face

or have to be a factor in decisions I make.

It is exhausting and frustrating.

I just want to be normal.

And I know normal is a relative term, but

I just want to have normal job worries.

Is that too much to ask?

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So I usually end my episodes

with the quote of the episode.

But since it is the last day of

Black History Month, Happy Black History Month, everyone!

I decided to talk about a prominent person in

Black history, and that person is Paul Revere Williams.

According to npr.org and architectural digest.com,

Paul Revere Williams was born in

Southern California in 1894.

He was the first black architect to become a member

of the American Institute of Architects in 1923, and in

1957, he was inducted as the AIAs first Black fellow.

Although his commission's numbered in the thousands, Williams standouts

include homes for icons like Carrie Grant, Lucille Ball,

Tyrone Powers, and Frank Sinatra, along with everything from

an addition to the Beverly Hills Hotel to the

Los Angeles County courthouse and even the Beverly Hills

outposts of Saks Fifth Avenue.

He also designed notable structures

in France and Colombia.

He was a graduate of USC.

Williams was a prolific design mind who left

behind plans for an equally impressive number of

unrealized projects when he died in 1980.

And some of the things that we use in houses today,

such as a patio as an extension of a home, and

retractable screens, those were some of the designs that he put

into his homes that we still use today.

So I think that's amazing.

And he did all of this despite the fact that

he faced significant prejudices simply because he was Black.

So kudos to you, Paul Revere Williams, for persevering

through your challenges and leaving us with a legacy.

Thank you so much!

(Cheering Sound Effect)

So that is all I have for you today, folks.

Thank you so much for listening.

Thank you so much for sharing.

Thank you so much for subscribing.

Please continue to run our numbers up, and

if you have any questions for me, you

can reach me at queensonaroll. podcast@gmail.com.

Again, my email is queensonaroll. podcast@gmail.com.

And if you would like to donate

to Queens On A Roll, I have a patreon account.

There is four tiers up there for you to choose from.

I would greatly appreciate your support.

All right, guys, see you next week!

We are rolling out!

Bye!

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