I love the Quaker proverb “You lift me and I’ll lift thee and we’ll ascend together.” One of the reasons I chose to work at Broadmead was because of the Quaker values that the organization was founded upon. I loved the idea that Quakers believe that, “there is the light of God in everyone.” It connects so well with diversity work in the sense that when differences create division, we can take a step back and recognize the connection of the light within all of us.
This year, Broadmead was one of the recipients for the Chesapeake Human Resources Award (CHRA) James W. Rouse Excellence in Diversity Award. I was proud to accept the award on behalf of Broadmead, acknowledging that diversity is a community effort – that it’s not about the diversity officer, but about the people in the community who contribute to moving the organization’s diversity journey forward. While I was accepting the award, I was asked what it was about the diversity programs at Broadmead that made me want to go to work every day. I explained that it was not necessarily about the programs, it was about the people. I get to work with colleagues who know the value of all that we do. And they do not just know this in their minds, but they feel it in their hearts.