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2-2 Activity: Topic Introduction

Jacob Wright

Southern New Hampshire University

IDS-400: Diversity

Professor Boyd

21 January 2024

Workplace Diversity and Its Impact on African Americans

The issue of workplace diversity is, without doubt, multifaceted and for this reason, it demands assessment via different lenses. In this perspective, my focus would be on the effect of workplace diversity on African Americans, which represents a population, looking from history, that has faced significant systemic challenges, Also, this choice this stems from the historical lens, and this provides for a robust analysis of legal milestones for example, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and also their role in determining workplace dynamics for African Americans.

African Americans constitute a huge population that have been directly affected by workplace diversity. From a historical point of view, African Americans have experienced discrimination and this is based on race. This then necessitates the need for legal achievements important aimed at doing away with this type of barriers. On the other hand, there still exist challenges to date. It therefore shows the importance of having a look into the narratives and stories that show the manner in which workplace diversity, or the lack thereof, has shaped the lives and experiences of American Americans.

For example, by analyzing the historical experiences, one notes their struggle for equal opportunities, fair treatment, and advancement within organizations. These experiences recorded in history have today brought about a bitter-sweet feeling. On the one hand, there has been triumphs as laws have been made to guarantee that there is workplace diversity. However, there exist challenges. All these show the nuanced impact of diversity initiatives on African American career paths and overall experiences in the workplace.

The choice of the social lens is important since it provides an overview of the societal structural and interpersonal dynamics impacting African Americans in the workplace. Moreover, African Americans continue to face systemic barriers, power dynamics and biases and these aspects continue to shape the experiences of this population. In order to enhance inclusive environments, there is need for understanding of the manner in which workplace diversity impacts interpersonal relationships.

Furthermore, the thesis statement for this analysis is: “Examining workplace diversity through the historical and social lenses. Through this, the paper aims to deeply analyze the impact of diversity initiatives on African Americans. Specifically, this would focus on legal milestones, individual narratives, and societal structures. Through examining these three important structures, I aim to establish the complex relationship between workplace diversity and the experiences of African Americans (Roberson, 2019). Eventually, all these would contribute to the current conversation on inclusive work environments.

References

Roberson, Q. M. (2019). Diversity in the workplace: A review, synthesis, and future research agenda. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 6, 69-88.