Jennifer Tardy Consulting ("Team JTC")

Too often, inclusion gets spotlighted during specific months or campaigns, but it must be ongoing.  Every meeting, every decision, every opportunity is a chance to live inclusion as a daily practice.  Let’s remember: it’s not a box to tick; it’s a culture to build.

This weekend, take a moment to amplify a voice different from your own. Find an article, podcast, or post created by someone from another culture, background, or lived experience. Share it with your network, and highlight one insight that challenged or inspired you. Small steps like these move us beyond performative diversity, they open doors to understanding, empathy, and true inclusion.

At TeamJTC, we believe that diversity only creates impact when inclusion is present.  It’s not enough to have different perspectives in the room, it’s about ensuring each voice is valued, heard, and acted upon.  This month, let’s commit to moving beyond performative diversity and focus on creating real spaces of belonging.

Hispanic & Latinx/Latine professionals now make up nearly one in five workers in the U.S. and yet the numbers tell a story of stalled progress." Representation gaps persist across senior leadership, tech, media, and STEM: Hispanic voices remain underrepresented, even in industries where they power communities. These stats highlight our responsibility: we must move beyond equality in numbers to equity in influence. Which of these disparities feels most urgent to you, and how can organizations, from leadership to hiring, act more intentionally to shift the narrative?

Dolores Huerta’s words remind us that change doesn’t wait, it’s built by the actions we take right now. From boardrooms to classrooms, construction sites to creative studios, Hispanic and Latinx/Latine innovators continue to shape industries and inspire progress. This Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s honor their contributions by committing to action that opens doors, breaks barriers, and creates opportunities for all.

This reminder from a legendary leader is an urge to embrace cultural pride without fostering division. True inclusion in the workplace means creating space for every culture to be seen, heard, and valued, rather than elevating one at the expense of others. For hiring leaders, this means actively dismantling cultural biases and fostering environments where diverse cultural expressions can thrive side by side. Let’s ask ourselves: “how am I creating that space today?”

This quote captures a crucial distinction that every hiring leader should understand.  Diversity is about representation, the numbers, and the presence. Inclusion goes deeper; it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels fully valued and empowered to contribute.  It challenges us to move beyond tokenism and foster genuine belonging.  How are you making sure your teams are not just diverse, but truly inclusive?  Let’s reflect on the spaces we create and ask: Who’s still on the sidelines?

I had the privilege of joining Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn’s Editor and host of the Get Hired podcast, for an episode that dives deep into the current state of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. As organizations across industries rethink, scale back, or even eliminate their DEI initiatives, it’s more important than ever to clarify what DEI truly means—and why I believe we need to add a ‘B’ for “Belonging” to the acronym. In our conversation, I shared insights from my book, The Equity Edge, and made the case that DEI isn’t just about doing the right thing. It’s a powerful business strategy that gives companies a competitive edge by unlocking access to top talent that bias too often obscures. We also discussed the “two-skill tax” job seekers face today: not only do you have to show up as your best self, but you also have to navigate interviewer bias. I offered practical strategies for both job seekers searching for inclusive workplaces and employers looking to expand and diversify their networks. If you’re interested in how DEI can drive measurable business results and help organizations access untapped talent, I invite you to give this episode a listen here: https://lnkd.in/gwzBWifm Thanks again to Andrew and LinkedIn News!

Every job deserves respect. Every worker deserves dignity.” And yet, too often, dignity is tied to status. People who work with their hands are overlooked. Essential workers are celebrated one moment, forgotten the next. And bias still shapes how we assign “value” to labor. This Labor Day, let’s push back on that. Let’s name the truth: Respect isn’t a bonus. It’s a basic right. And dignity shouldn’t be reserved for those with titles or degrees; it belongs to everyone who shows up, contributes, and keeps our systems moving. This isn’t just about celebration. It’s about accountability. Equity means recognizing the whole workforce, not just the most visible parts.

From the archives: Here’s a quick overview of alternative terms you can use instead of “minority” or “diverse.” Are there other words or phrases you use to champion inclusive language? Share your insights in the comments below! 👇