Executive Letter: Creating Equity and Inclusion Through Leadership
By Rose Oswald Poels
For over a year, WBA has been executing a Board-developed plan focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, accomplishing many of our objectives. With direction from our banker-led DEI Advisory Group, WBA prepared a template policy for members, offered DEI topics and speakers at many education programs, created a DEI Connect peer group, and began a Diverse Voices in Banking video series, among other initiatives. These member-facing resources along with other DEI information can now be found in a central place on our new website.
Last December, WBA hosted an all-member webinar on anti-racism that was thought-provoking and well-received. This year, I would like to invite you to join me in another one-hour webinar with TJF Career Modeling CEO Tara Jaye Frank on Driving Workplace Equity and Inclusion, held on December 7 and sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago. Ms. Frank will address the topics of equity and inclusion and share perspectives from her newest book that comes out on December 10 — The Waymakers: Clearing the Path to Workplace Equity with Competence and Confidence. Each registered attendee will also receive a hard copy of the book upon its launch.
Frank will lead us through facilitating “waymaking,” a way to embrace diversity and in turn, create an environment where people and the company are able to thrive. “Waymaking” is more than approaching inclusiveness from a gendered or racial perspective; it is seeing and having the ability to emphasize the potential in every person.
The registration fee of $29/connection includes one connection to the live program, access to the online recording for 30 days following the live program, and a copy of Tara Jaye Frank’s book, The Waymakers, mailed to you. We do have a team discount in place as well, so for every five attendees you register, you get one attendee free. Last year, many member banks offered our program to all or nearly all of their staff. If your bank would like to coordinate a larger group of attendees (more than 18), we will certainly work with you on further discounting.
Bankers are leaders in their communities, serving the needs of all persons in their communities, and I’m always proud to highlight so many diverse bankers working in this industry. This webinar is intended to help you and your team continue to grow in your DEI journey both as an employer and as a community servant. I hope you will join me on December 7!
