Chapter1
It Starts With Each ofUs

The most important first step in supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion for all is deciding to act. Committing to making progress is a precondition for success, and for systemic problems, we cannot sit around and wait for someone else to solve them. It starts with us, and we each have a role to play. The decision to take action is often the hardest step, but it’s the most critical because without a commitment to improvement, the system will not get better.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” A famous quip in retort is that “the moral arc doesn’t bend all by itself.” In other words, we have to take action to move toward our goals. As with everything else in life that is important, waiting for someone else to solve our problems or waiting for the moral arc to bend on its own does not get us where we want to be. We have to bend it, but we do not need to bend it by ourselves, as that task is too great. In fact, we will need all of us working together to bend the universe’s arc toward justice, which is why we discuss teams and collaboration later in this book. Standing aside while others do the heavy lifting or, worse, actively working against them, is not what the world is calling for. Each of us has a responsibility to decide how, when, and whether to engage. We encourage you to take that step, strengthen the team, and move us toward the destination together.

Think about what is within each of our individual spheres of influence and what we can achieve. The first step is recognizing that we each have to take action because society cannot improve itself on its own. This is where we take a page from athletics. The most productive sports teams are built with a culture of “We,” “Us,” and “Team,” not “They,” “Me,” or “I”—with a notable exception: accepting responsibility for an individual’s part in achieving the team success. This approach often leads to enhanced trust and a stronger bond among teammates with consistent team success.

Getting Started

For this or any other long-term process, the most difficult task for most people is simply getting started. And maybe for this topic it is even harder than normal because some people are not sure the desired outcome (a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace or community) is a priority. Humans have a lot of inertia, so going from inaction to action can require significant effort. For many, the enormous size of the challenge is intimidating and gives a sense of impossibility. This feeling is one Johnnie typically saw at the start of the NFL season with his teammates’ goal of winning a division championship or Super Bowl. Michael has seen this with his students starting a multiyear dissertation project for their Ph.D. Perhaps you have bee