State DEI Summit

7 out of 10 Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless; even scarier, this affects underrepresented minority communities at a much higher rate. This is important not only to the work we do but how we do it. Psychological safety is the workforce's #1 most desired trait and an indicator of a high-performing team. Our DEI Summit will educate attendees on applications for equity in their work and how to implement a safe and productive workplace culture in our organizations. This will ultimately lead to more inclusive work environments that foster change and create higher-performing teams. A positive outlook in the workplace leads to a 31% increase in performance.

In our summit agenda, you will see conversations and presentations on various important and relevant topics to DEI implementation and overall workplace culture. This includes hearing from Hattie McCarter on Racial Battle Fatigue, highlighting the impact of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic on the mortality rate increases among Brown and Black women. She will speak to the lack of access to adequate healthcare and housing; the uncovering of the true narrative of American History turned into the 1980s Critical Race Theory framework; the injustices of Black and Brown individuals who continued to lose their life to an oath upheld to protect and serve, and how the wave of performative allyship began to swarm the corporate and government ladder. One must ask- “How are they still standing?” but the real question is, “Am I?”

By examining the social determinants of health, it is clear the neighborhoods people live in significantly impact their health and well-being. This includes the energy services in a communities-built environment. Attendees will hear from a panel of experts about energy equity to grow awareness of how communities have been historically marginalized and overburdened by pollution, underinvestment in clean energy infrastructure, and lack of access to energy-efficient housing and transportation.