Kenji Yoshino

This talk is based on Kenji’s first book Covering as well as a collaboration he did with the consultancy Deloitte. It looks at the phenomenon of ‘covering’–the strategy through which individuals downplay a stigmatized identity to blend in at work. Kenji shows through both quantitative data and qualitative data that such covering occurs across all groups (with even 45 percent of straight white men reporting that they cover), and that it is harmful to both individuals and organizations. Kenji then explores solutions about how individuals can bring more of their authentic selves to the workplace.

One of the major obstacles to effective allyship is the fear of saying the wrong thing. Join Professor Kenji Yoshino, faculty director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law and co-author of the book, Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice, for guidance on how to overcome this obstacle. Professor Yoshino will share a tool known as the “empathy triangle,” which helps allies reflect on their role, support people affected by bias, and respond to those who engage in non-inclusive behavior. This conversation will offer a highly practical, shame-free, and nuanced approach to issues that we all increasingly confront in our day-to-day lives.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) has led to a raft of legal challenges to workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. But what happens when the irresistible force of the law meets the immovable object of diversity, which Justice Sotomayor described as a “fundamental American value” in her SFFA dissent? In this talk, Kenji Yoshino will explore the SFFA decision and its implications for the field of DEI. He will discuss the major federal laws that regulate workplace DEI, examine how to conduct DEI risk assessments, and offer practical guidance on how organizations can mitigate legal risk by shifting DEI programs to meet contemporary legal challenges.