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The upcoming new year offers a chance to reflect on all that has transpired over the last 12 months. So, let’s reflect.
January saw the start of what was widely heralded as a new decade. But it soon became evident that this would be a year like few before it. Covid-19 led to the shuttering of businesses, disproportionately affecting women and people of color; incessant job loss, disproportionately affecting women and people of color; and extreme illness and, in some cases, death—also disproportionately affecting marginalized groups.
Fast-forward to summer 2020 and in quick succession, Americans were inundated with the recorded killings of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd; a viral video of Amy Cooper, a New York City woman who was captured on video calling the police on a Black birdwatcher; and news of Breonna Taylor’s untimely death.
Protesters quickly took to the streets...and the workplace...and the boardroom...and social media. And corporate America took notice. Corporations of all sizes boldly declared that Black Lives Matter, black squares became ubiquitous, companies instated diversity goals—sometimes tying them to executive pay—transferred money into Black-owned and Black-serving banks and announced multicomma financial pledges at breakneck speed.
This reckoning also saw the fall of corporate leaders (Crossfit’s CEO, a Refinery29 cofounder, and Bon Appétit’s editor-in-chief, to name a few) while others were criticized for the juxtaposition behind their messaging and internal behavior (Google and Adidas) and for sticking their foot in their mouths, multiple times (*ahem* Charles Scharf).
But 2020 wasn’t just about racial issues. It was also a watershed moment for women who left the workforce at alarming rates and shed light on the pandemic’s outsize impact on women, who bear the brunt of caregiving responsibilities.
Now you may be wondering, what does all of this mean for 2021? Or, in journalism speak, what’s the takeaway here? Easy: Diversity and inclusion, which many feared would be pushed to the wayside at the start of the pandemic, is here to stay. Plus, companies at long last realize that D&I is not just a subcategory of HR. In fact, it spans every facet of an organization from marketing, to product creation to financial operations.
As 2020 draws to a close, one other thing is nearing an end: my tenure at Forbes. I’ve enjoyed a remarkable two years growing the diversity and inclusion division at such a renowned business media outlet and I’m ecstatic to see where it goes from here.
Thank you all for every click, share, and email you’ve sent me during my time at Forbes and I wish you all a healthy and prosperous new year.
Tweet me at @ruthumohnews
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