Worcester Business Journal

28 2 021 Economic Forecast • Worcester Business Journal • www.wbjournal.com D I V E R S I T Y & I N C L U S I O N Ahiela Watson President of the Black Student Union Clark University, in Worcester Watson is anything but afraid to speak truth to power. Although she is careful to underscore it is not just herself working to affect change toward racial equity on Clark Uni- versity's campus, but rather the whole BSU and its allies, there's no denying she's at the helm as the organization's official leader and, sometimes, spokesperson. A psychology major, she's un- doubtedly an up-and-coming voice in the diversity, equi- ty & inclusion world and beyond, and one with a knack for institutional knowledge. She's leading an invigorated Gen Z organization, which is organized both on campus and online, and that's someone to look out for. Ross Bradshaw Founder New Dia, in Worcester Bradshaw leads a cannabis dispen- sary with plans to open in 2021, and which has been stuck in the state's licensing process for going on three years. He's the first to tell you being one of the first cannabis companies owned by a person of color slated to open in the state, more than two years aer the recre- ational market officially opened, is no positive distinc- tion, considering the industry was supposed to prioritize communities negatively impacted by the War on Drugs. Bradshaw has fought to maintain majority control of his business in the face of an economic ecosystem which routinely pushes people of color out of majority stake- holdership in exchange for funding, and when New Dia finally gets the greenlight, he plans for it to be devoted to bettering its community. Large, white cannabis compa- nies could learn a thing or two from Bradshaw. Neddy Latimer Executive director Spanish American Center, in Leominster Latimer heads an organization that specifically serves the estimated 15,000 Spanish-speaking residents in Leominster, accounting for nearly half the population, as well as anyone else who needs help, regardless of the language they speak. Latimer over- sees all of the center's programs, including domestic vio- lence advocacy, English classes, a food pantry, elder care, legal assistance, voter registration, children's program- ming and a comprehensive summer meals programs for students. Although well known in the North Central Massachusetts nonprofit world, Latimer shirks attention, preferring to focus on issues and – above all else – the people in her community. When it comes to addressing the needs of those the center serves, Latimer is very much on the ground, fighting battles on the frontline. People to meet in diversity & inclusion Diversity & inclusion needs follow-through Aer the events of 2020, businesses will be pressured to show results of their efforts BY MONICA BUSCH Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer W hen Minneapolis police killed George Floyd in May, his death lit a match. Protests erupted around the country, and calls to hold police accountable for how they interact with and harm people of color took center stage, seconded only by the coronavirus pandem- ic. Calls for change quickly mushroomed and bled into every sector, from entertainment to corporate leadership and everything in between. is push will continue into 2021. Businesses will have to implement those promises Half of the 30 largest companies in Central Massa- chusetts either have a diversity, equity and inclusion officer or are in the process of hiring one. ese positions received tremendous attention aer Floyd's killing, as many companies pledged to do better with regard to diversifying their workforce and paying active attention to combating institutional racism. Change, however, rarely comes easy, and these companies – whether they recently added a DEI officer position or not – are going to be tested this year, as their willingness to change their cultures and business practices are tested. It's one thing to say you want to diversify and play an active role in anti-rac- ism, it's an entirely different thing to accept those commitments oen requiring upending systems. Calls for accountability It is all but guaranteed the anniversary of Floyd's death will be marked with solemnity, reflection and with evaluation, particularly of how businesses and corporations have followed through with their anti-racism goals and statements. If your business promised to make changes in the wake of a renewed Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, expect they will be scrutinized come May 2021, if not sooner. In the internet age, everyone has proverbial receipts, and sweeping well-meaning statements under the rug will undoubtedly face scrutiny. is will serve as a checkpoint for the relative health and application of DEI efforts, in Massachusetts and beyond. Colleges will face increased pressure It's a tale as old as time, college students pressuring their administrations to move their cultural needle toward social progress, but as with just about every- thing else this year, student activism took a different tone. Students, many of whom got different versions of what they expected when they paid for school because of the coronavirus pandemic, pushed their teachers to implement syllabi more reflective of the diversity in their classrooms and communities, and asked school administrators to pay more meaningful attention to the needs of their students of color. In 2021, this pressure will continue. And in the age of social media, which functions like a magnifying glass, it's harder and harder for the powers that be to ignore those requests. Employees at UMass Memorial Health Care and UMass Medical School held a Black Lives Matter protest in June. W W PHOTO/GRANT WELKER

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