This is a summary of a book titled Inclusion On Purpose written by Ruchika Tulshyan and published by MIT in 2022. She had earlier published the viral article “Stop telling women they have imposter syndrome.” Racism and prejudice against women of color persist worldwide, affecting the US economy and global economy. Racism is present daily and can be attributed to cultural white supremacy, which associates wealth and achievement with whiteness. Women of color face additional barriers due to gender- and race-based biases combined. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts often ignore intersectionality, with women of color outnumbering women of all other racial identities in the workforce.

Racism costs everyone, including about $1 trillion in lost GDP each year in the US. Women of color still fill lower-paying jobs out of proportion to their population numbers. Stereotyping, bias, and discrimination hold them back, and inclusion in STEM professions remains stagnate due to biases against women of color in math and computing.

To make work safe for women of color, leaders and influencers must admit their racism and support them. They should embrace willful inclusion, encourage candid conversations about race, remove fear of reprisal, and provide direct feedback about job performance.

White people must acknowledge their privilege and develop purposeful inclusion skills by taking others' perspectives and developing empathy. Acknowledge that two people in the same workplace experience it differently, and show compassion to build trust and recruit and retain people of all backgrounds. Admit your racism and support it by challenging every instance of racism you encounter and questioning your own advancement over that of marginalized peers. Overcome complacency and build empathy by seeking different ideas and perspectives, advocating for unbiased hiring systems, and including representatives of every group in workforce decisions.

Managers and leaders must embrace willful inclusion and speak up when they witness acts of bias, racism, discrimination, or exclusion. Recognize that women of color have likely dealt with hostility and discrimination for years or decades, and actively listen to them. Adopt an inclusion mindset and stay open and curious about conversations about race, religion, nationality, and other factors. Gather anonymous workforce data to gather information on experiences, promotion rates, engagement, and performance of women, women of color, and other minority groups.

Workplaces that expect women of color to hide parts of themselves are not the problem. Establish a specific code of conduct concerning Diversity and Inclusion (DEI) and communicate consequences for breaches. Remove fear of reprisal and ensure psychological safety for women of color. Provide anonymous means for reporting bias and take action when you see bias.

Create conditions that allow people of color to bring their whole selves to work. Encourage marginalized employees to have a voice through well-funded and respected employee resource groups. Consider how your privilege and influence can help someone with a weaker voice.

Managers should recognize and give credit to women of color for their contributions and ideas. In meetings, ensure no one dominates or interrupts and everyone gets an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas. When hiring, avoid cultural fit and seek cultural addition. Take responsibility as a leader or hiring manager and don't make HR solely responsible for diversity.

Hiring for cultural fit is a prevalent and exclusionary hiring practice. It is crucial to examine sourcing channels, including qualifications in job ads, and design structured interviews led by diverse interviewers. Women should demand fair wages and pay them fairly, as they earn less on average than men. Leaders should lead pay conversations without negotiations, and share compensation openly and ask others about it. Coach women to ask for fair wages, but don't force them. Provide direct, specific feedback about job performance, starting with positive examples. Focus on objective goals in annual performance reviews and offer supportive guidance if defensiveness is encountered.

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