Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: Power, Control, and Integration

In Episode 28, we are joined by two young architectural professionals who have been asked to participate in, as well as lead, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within their firms. Jayla Huseyn and Chris Roberson come from diverse backgrounds. Jayla is Middle Eastern and Chris is an African American who originally hailed from Chicago. They both received their Bachelors of Architecture at University of Houston and are currently employed at substantial architectural firms in Huston. As you will hear in the podcast, DEI can become a heavily charged initiative within companies, fraught with a lack of understanding about DEI, its purpose, and even a lack of real desired outcomes. DEI conversations can make us very uncomfortable and even threatened. But from a Dynamic Competence lens, there are ways that we can engage DEI that is more inclusive and allows us to address more deeply questions of equity and inclusion. In the podcast, we will explore the techniques and tools that Chris and Jayla are exploring and testing in real time as well as new ways framing the issue.