Power Players in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn represents the 42nd assembly district in Brooklyn and is chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, the New York State assembly majority whip and chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of MWBEs–where she’s been instrumental in the passage of her sponsored laws helping MWBEs thrive and succeed. Elected in 2015 as the first Haitian-American legislator from NYC, she has introduced over 200 pieces of legislation, 34 that became law, and co-sponsored over 250 others.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
DEI means empowering everyone by leveling the playing field. To truly achieve DEI, organizations and legislators can’t use a blanket approach–we must be cognizant of the unique barriers that various communities are facing and address them specifically. You can’t just “check the boxes” on diversity requirements. DEI means that individuals are free from bias and afforded the same opportunities for advancement, especially when it’s a reflection of the community and clients we serve.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
As a daughter of Haitian immigrants, born and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn, and having spent most of my life in this community that I now represent, I’ve seen firsthand how diverse communities and people have traditionally not been included and treated equitably. The diverse mosaic of Brooklyn has motivated me to ensure there’s equality and inclusion for everyone and I’m proud to keep leading the charge with my trailblazing colleagues.

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
Many communities face unfair barriers blocking them from opportunities. By advancing DEI, we’re eliminating vast disparities–including economic, education, and employment gaps–by leveling the playing field for the disenfranchised. Let’s not forget that DEI benefits everyone. Studies prove that DEI initiatives boost business’ bottom lines and foster innovation. A rising tide lifts all boats. It’s a welcome trend that businesses are embracing DEI, but there’s still much work to be done.

Larry Scott Blackmon is the CEO of the Blackmon Organization, a government relations consulting firm. Larry has over 20 years of public service experience and is a former deputy commissioner of several NYC agencies. Larry earned a B.A. from SUNY New Paltz, a master’s from Metropolitan College of New York and is a graduate of the JFK School’s leadership program at Harvard University. Additionally, he holds a certificate in DEI from Northwestern University.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
I would define diversity as being invited to a dance. Equity as having an equal number of people at the dance and inclusion as being asked to dance to a song. Too often, individuals of diverse backgrounds are not invited to the dance. When they are, they are not involved in decision making.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
There should always be a desire for continued learning. Thanks to my work, I was introduced to many tools that can be used to measure the success of DEI programming. Those introductions piqued my interest and I studied how to implement an effective DEI program.

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
DEI positively impacts the culture of companies. I believe that the net result of improving a company’s culture is a more pleasant and productive workforce. Additionally, it has been proven that a company’s bottom line grows when customers identify a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Simply put, DEI, and the promotion of it at the workplace, is the right thing to do.

Erika Irish Brown is the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer and head of global talent at Citi. In this role, Erika spearheads the development of global diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy and oversees talent planning, succession planning, and leadership development at Citigroup. Erika previously served as the chief diversity officer at Goldman Sachs and as the global head of diversity and inclusion at Bloomberg.

Dr. Butts, EVP and CDIO, Mount Sinai Health System is a visionary leader responsible for oversight and integration of all aspects of diversity and equity for the largest health care system in NYC. Under his tenure, the medical school and system have been recognized regularly by Higher Education Excellence in Diversity, the Human Rights Campaign for LGBTQ inclusion and quality care, DiversityInc Top Hospitals and Health Systems and as a Forbes Top 20 employer for diversity.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
Operationalizing DEI embraces workforce values and principles to advance diversity at all levels across our system, and ensures workforce equity and inclusion to assist in optimizing access, care and outcomes for our patients and communities. Our work at MSHS is anchored by our Roadmap for Action which includes 11 strategies and 55 tactics to address racism, a critical underpinning to intentionally address for effectiveness in the DEI space.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
I remain motivated by the absolute privilege to be a leader in managing and implementing impactful solutions to advance DEI for a large urban academic health care system. We are poised to demonstrate measurable and enduring impact on long standing deeply embedded health care inequities.

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
From the perch of an academic health care system, promoting and advancing effective DEI policies, programs and practices supports closing gaps in health care access and care delivery and impacts health outcomes for marginalized people and communities. This also helps create a strong and vibrant health care community, leveraging the diversity of ideas and talents.

Timothy Clune, Esq. is the executive director of Disability Rights New York. He has been fighting for equal and equitable rights for the disability community for over 30 years. Tim has successfully litigated novel and notable cases in the New York federal district courts and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. These cases have established and expanded the rights of individuals with disabilities throughout New York State and the nation.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
Diversity, equity and inclusion is how we examine our practices, as an organization and as part of a larger community, to ensure that any factor of identity is never a barrier to how an opportunity is granted. We continuously educate, advocate, and litigate for access to daily necessities. We must demand and cultivate a culture of inherent equity in all that we do. At DRNY, we do our best to lead by example.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
As a young kid growing up in the boroughs, I watched Geraldo Rivera expose the horrific abuse and neglect at the Willowbrook State School on Staten Island. I was similarly affected to the core by the display of inhumanity during John Lewis’ march to Selma. I recognized then the inherent privilege and systemic inequality that existed in my little world. These were the defining moments that pushed me to become a catalyst for change.

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
Diversity, equity and inclusion motivates and challenges me to continually question the status quo. As a result, we increase our capacity to learn, grow and lead as responsible members of a global society. Every interaction and experience provides an opportunity to do better in the future. DEI informs the daily decisions and actions we take, because we recognize that they will have long lasting impacts to hopefully make our world a better place.

Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung were appointed CACF’s co-executive directors in 2017. Anita has devoted her career to preventing and addressing violence against women and children through advocating for strong policies that support healthy families. Vanessa has dedicated her career to education equity, especially on behalf of AAPI students and English Language Learners. They first met while working at CACF in the early 2000s and developed their unique leadership model while working for the organization.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
CACF is unique because we actively work to create a pan-Asian coalition that crosses racial, ethnic, and religious lines. Working to create a diverse AAPI coalition has taught us the importance of solidarity in all forms. We also pride ourselves in being part of a long tradition of AAPI advocates who stand in solidarity with other communities of color. We are strongest when we work together in order to transform our communities for the better.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
Too often, the term ‘Asian American’ excludes South Asians, Indo-Caribbeans. I was struck by the fact that CACF was pushing back against those narratives and actively working to be a pan-Asian coalition. -Anita Gundanna

My drive to dispel the model minority myth has shaped my career. I come to this work with the belief that when we’ve identified shared struggles and center marginalized communities in decision making, we are better positioned to lift all boats. -Vanessa Leung

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
To truly create impactful change, we need to center the needs of the most marginalized New Yorkers. Having everyone’s voice at the table ensures that we approach the needs of the city and state in creative and inclusive ways. Bringing diverse community members, organizations, and leaders together as a united coalition is the best way to ensure that all New Yorkers get the health care, education, and social service support they need to thrive.

Zee Cohen-Sanchez is the founder and executive director of Sole Strategies—a groundbreaking, women and minority-owned Democratic political company. Motivated by the belief that better policies had the potential to create a better America and support marginalized communities, Zee embarked on a mission to empower forward-thinking candidates. Spearheading over 400 impactful campaigns since the fall of 2020, Zee, along with her business partner Amani Wells-Onyioha, continues to be a leader in DEI, political organizing and entrepreneurialism.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
It’s an organizational framework to make certain that people of color, women, and other marginalized groups are not just included but uplifted in the workplace. Men, especially white men, in this space have been uplifted since the beginning of time. At Sole, we built our workplace and our practices with a focus on equity. This means we’ve created a space that gives those marginalized people a real chance to be seen, heard, and successful.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
As a woman working in political spaces for over a decade, I have been faced with a lot of situations that made me want to quit. Instead of quitting, I decided to start a political organization that was women led and operated. Since we started we have partnered with other women-led organizations and firms to prove that not only can women do this work, but we can do it extremely well and at top levels.

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
We need the next generation of politicos to grow up understanding that there is space for them in the political field. If we don’t make a serious effort to create a more inclusive space by incorporating policies that open ourselves to them, then they will gravitate towards jobs that do. I think it’s our responsibility to not just promote DEI but to live and breathe it. This is how we work at Sole.

Dr. Kwame Cooper is a member of the Fire Department of New York and serves as a deputy commissioner for diversity and inclusion. He reports directly to the Fire Commissioner of the FDNY and is responsible for developing and implementing strategies that foster an inclusive workplace culture, designing diversity and inclusion best practices agency-wide, with particular focus on the 17,000-member uniform and civilian workforce.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
Diversity – The individual differences we identify with, as they relate to our social and professional identity. Equity – Equitable workplaces make intentional adjustments to ensure that all employees have fair and equal access to opportunity within the organizational systems. Inclusion – Inclusion is observable in the work environment when different perspectives are encouraged, valued, and actions are taken to intentionally attract, hire, grow and retain a diverse workforce.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
The motivation for my advocacy for DEI began as a young Black man being raised in Harlem and the South Bronx of New York City. It began with support and advocacy of Title VII and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This is where my parents and siblings taught me the value of respect and social justice for ourselves and members of the community.

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
The benefits begin with a team of individuals that come from different backgrounds and have developed practices that value our differences. Additionally, promoting DEI causes the leadership of an organization to self-examine their written and unwritten policies and practices to ensure that the intended design does not perpetuate bad outcomes. Finally, a diverse workforce of employees enhances service delivery to citizens. Here, at the FDNY, our diverse teams contribute towards our operational innovation and effectiveness.

Maria J. D’Agostino is a professor of public administration in the Department of Public Management at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY and founding co-director of the Initiative for Gender Equity in the Public Sector. Her expertise in gender in leadership positions, inclusive and organizational workplace practices, and gender-equitable pedagogy, is applied in practice through various public sector partnerships including the New York City Gender Equity Commission.

How do you define diversity, equity and inclusion?
In terms of the public sector DEI refers to organizations that are reflective of society, fair, and make all feel welcome. This is crucial to providing accessible services to all groups. Just as important these organizations identify inequities, and their cause and take steps to rectify them in order to promote fairness for all.

What motivated you to become a DEI advocate?
Multiple factors motivated me to become a DEI advocate including my personal experiences as a first-generation child of immigrants, first-generation college student, and as a woman in academia. My perception of the unjust treatment of individuals in academia, including students, and in the public sector workplace, has been just as influential.

What do you think are some of the benefits of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
Given the direction of current legislation on gender, and race, increasing awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion is essential for an equitable and just society. This is especially important for educators (in academia) as we prepare future public servants and engage with practitioners on all levels of government.

Bruce E. Darling is president and CEO of the Center for Disability Rights, Inc., a Rochester-based disability rights organization and Independent Living Center. Throughout his career, Bruce has been an advocate for an variety of disability issues including; fighting for access to public transportation, promoting accessible housing, opposing physician-assisted suicide, and creating community-based alternatives to institutionalization. Bruce also works as a community organizer with American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT).