The Importance of Allyship

By Jim Fitzpatrick, President & CEO of Nicsa:

Amid the social unrest that has gripped the world in recent months, many industry executives have come forward to declare their growing awareness of the need for change. Others have committed to measurable action. While it is sometimes difficult to be hopeful in the midst of turmoil, I strongly believe that there is positive momentum building for diversity and inclusion in the global asset management industry, and I am proud to be working with industry leaders on the Diversity Project North America.

One thing’s clear: we have far to go.

It is Pride Month. It is Juneteenth. It is a poignant time to reflect on the power of allyship. If you’ve been struggling with the “what can I do to make a difference” question, consider this: allies can actively advance the culture of inclusion through intentional, conscious efforts that benefit people as a whole.

While allyship cannot be self-defined, to me it is about listening and learning from different perspectives in the room and taking active steps toward ensuring that those perspectives are embraced.

I am continuously learning what it means to be a thoughtful and effective ally. The importance of allyship in the workplace lies in the acceptance that imbalances do exist, and using whatever voice or platform that I’ve been afforded to work toward changing that.

So, what can you do right now to make a difference? Take an hour today to:

• Educate yourself on the importance of allyship;
• Learn more about how to align with the LGBT+ community at LGBT Great; and/or
• Listen to #TalkAboutBlack’s panel discussion and call to action, and participate in their #IAM campaign.

The Diversity Project is a supporter of, and partner to, LGBT+ Great, an organization that supports and promotes LGBT+ equality. LGBT+ Great kicked off their Project 1000 campaign, a five-year drive to spotlight 1000 LGBT+ role models and supportive allies working in, or with, the industry. I am honored to be a part of this campaign.

The Diversity Project North America is a proud supporter of Diversity Project UK’s #TalkAboutBlack team, which strives to develop a pipeline of black leaders in the asset management industry. Learn more.

We hope to see you at future Diversity Project North America programs as we work toward a more inclusive global asset management industry.

#DiversityProject
#DiversityandInclusion 

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