When I reflect on my journey—growing up in the community centered neighborhood of Mattapan (Boston, MA), a proud graduate of West Roxbury High, navigating the banks of the Charles River to earn degrees from Bunker Hill Community College, UMass Boston, and Cambridge College—one thing is abundantly clear: success, especially for Black and Brown professionals, didn't begin with DEI. We were pushing boundaries, breaking molds, and building community long before organizations created policy language to validate our existence in the workplace.
The narrative that personal and professional success only flourished after the implementation of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) frameworks can feel disingenuous to those of us who have been doing the work—in education, labor, and leadership—without ever having been invited to the table with a formal acronym attached to our efforts.
And yet, I welcome DEI—not because I need it to succeed, but because our communities need the systems around us to be held accountable. But can yesterday's victories—the resilience, innovation, mentorship, and unapologetic excellence—still be replicated in today's hyper-scrutinized climate? Absolutely. But it requires intention, integrity, and, most of all, community.
Standing Tall Before the Acronym
I didn't wait for permission to lead. As a young admissions officer and later as an academic counselor, I understood early that my work was an extension of my neighborhood. Every first-gen student who walked through the door reminded me of a cousin, a friend, and a younger version of myself. And so, I counseled and coached with heart, humor, and hustle.
This ethic extended into my leadership roles in labor relations. When I became the first professional staff member elected union president at Middlesex Community College, it wasn't about titles—it was about voice. I was advocating for fairness, due process, and dignity in the workplace long before DEI became the banner under which these fights were grouped.
That success didn't come from policy; it came from purpose.
The DEI Paradox: Progress or Performance?
DEI today is both a compass and, at times, a marketing tool. I've watched well-meaning institutions implement DEI plans that lacked community input, cultural competence, or accountability metrics. On the other hand, I've also partnered with leaders who use DEI not just as a shield, but as a shovel—to dig up injustice, expose inequity, and plant seeds of change.
But here's the rub: DEI, in its current form, can't be the sole driver of success for Black and Brown professionals. Success cannot be solely institutional—it must also be interpersonal and internal.
That means creating spaces where mentorship is more than a checkbox, affinity isn't confused with assimilation, and leaders see people not as representation goals but as culture-bearers with history and hustle.
Building a Legacy Framework for Success
So, how do we replicate and expand on our past wins in today's DEI-focused environment?
1. Stay Rooted in Authenticity: We can't allow DEI culture to sanitize our identities. I bring my full self to my consulting practice at CEL HR Consulting, just as I did in higher ed. If we are not showing up whole, our communities can't either.
2. Mentorship Still Matters: My most profound professional moments didn't happen in the boardroom—they happened during hallway conversations, calls with mentees, and coffee chats that turned into transformational moments. DEI must resource mentorship, not just reward metrics.
3. Be Bold About Boundaries: DEI can't be another job for marginalized professionals to carry without compensation. Replicating past success must include radical clarity about what we will and won't accept—be it in compensation, culture, or compliance.
4. Leverage the Past to Inform the Future: Institutions need to lift up the voices and victories that preceded DEI policies. Our stories aren't dated—they are foundational. That's why I continue to mentor, write, and speak. Our wisdom is still relevant.
5. Keep the People at the Center: DEI must be more than data. If your policy isn't making someone's day-to-day better, it's performance. Whether it's the student trying to navigate their first semester or the employee navigating microaggressions at work—success must be measured by the lived experience, not the PR headline.
Final Thoughts
In a world of shifting acronyms and evolving priorities, I remain committed to a very human goal: belonging. I don't need DEI to succeed, but I do need it to protect those coming up behind me. The question isn't whether we can replicate success in today's climate—the question is whether we'll have the courage to do it with truth, tenacity, and our full selves intact.
Because the legacy we leave isn't in policies—it's in people.
The narrative that personal and professional success only flourished after the implementation of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) frameworks can feel disingenuous to those of us who have been doing the work—in education, labor, and leadership—without ever having been invited to the table with a formal acronym attached to our efforts.
And yet, I welcome DEI—not because I need it to succeed, but because our communities need the systems around us to be held accountable. But can yesterday's victories—the resilience, innovation, mentorship, and unapologetic excellence—still be replicated in today's hyper-scrutinized climate? Absolutely. But it requires intention, integrity, and, most of all, community.
Standing Tall Before the Acronym
I didn't wait for permission to lead. As a young admissions officer and later as an academic counselor, I understood early that my work was an extension of my neighborhood. Every first-gen student who walked through the door reminded me of a cousin, a friend, and a younger version of myself. And so, I counseled and coached with heart, humor, and hustle.
This ethic extended into my leadership roles in labor relations. When I became the first professional staff member elected union president at Middlesex Community College, it wasn't about titles—it was about voice. I was advocating for fairness, due process, and dignity in the workplace long before DEI became the banner under which these fights were grouped.
That success didn't come from policy; it came from purpose.
The DEI Paradox: Progress or Performance?
DEI today is both a compass and, at times, a marketing tool. I've watched well-meaning institutions implement DEI plans that lacked community input, cultural competence, or accountability metrics. On the other hand, I've also partnered with leaders who use DEI not just as a shield, but as a shovel—to dig up injustice, expose inequity, and plant seeds of change.
But here's the rub: DEI, in its current form, can't be the sole driver of success for Black and Brown professionals. Success cannot be solely institutional—it must also be interpersonal and internal.
That means creating spaces where mentorship is more than a checkbox, affinity isn't confused with assimilation, and leaders see people not as representation goals but as culture-bearers with history and hustle.
Building a Legacy Framework for Success
So, how do we replicate and expand on our past wins in today's DEI-focused environment?
1. Stay Rooted in Authenticity: We can't allow DEI culture to sanitize our identities. I bring my full self to my consulting practice at CEL HR Consulting, just as I did in higher ed. If we are not showing up whole, our communities can't either.
2. Mentorship Still Matters: My most profound professional moments didn't happen in the boardroom—they happened during hallway conversations, calls with mentees, and coffee chats that turned into transformational moments. DEI must resource mentorship, not just reward metrics.
3. Be Bold About Boundaries: DEI can't be another job for marginalized professionals to carry without compensation. Replicating past success must include radical clarity about what we will and won't accept—be it in compensation, culture, or compliance.
4. Leverage the Past to Inform the Future: Institutions need to lift up the voices and victories that preceded DEI policies. Our stories aren't dated—they are foundational. That's why I continue to mentor, write, and speak. Our wisdom is still relevant.
5. Keep the People at the Center: DEI must be more than data. If your policy isn't making someone's day-to-day better, it's performance. Whether it's the student trying to navigate their first semester or the employee navigating microaggressions at work—success must be measured by the lived experience, not the PR headline.
Final Thoughts
In a world of shifting acronyms and evolving priorities, I remain committed to a very human goal: belonging. I don't need DEI to succeed, but I do need it to protect those coming up behind me. The question isn't whether we can replicate success in today's climate—the question is whether we'll have the courage to do it with truth, tenacity, and our full selves intact.
Because the legacy we leave isn't in policies—it's in people.