Dr Zuleyka Zevallos

Most historical & current equity & diversity programs aim to "fix" individuals. They are fatally flawed because they don't address systems.

If the issue was simply building up "confidence" in minorities & White women, inequity would be overcome by now. But the issues persist.

Endless research shows that minorities & White women can be as "confident" as possible but the structural barriers stop them progressing.

Longitudinal research shows individual-level programs (mentoring, bias training) benefit only tiny subgroup of White, middle class women

Why? Because current approaches still put the onus on individual WW & URM with no power to fit themselves into a system made for White men.

E.g. "Bargaining for promotions" training for women teach women to be more masculine (use "I" language rather than "we"!). That's status quo

Treating minorities as White women as the problem is a big part of inequality. And most policies and programs get this wrong.