Giselle Mota

Uncommon Voices 2021

Q: Why is now the time, and what do we “double-down” on to leverage this moment to take strides for long-lasting change?

There has been an awakening of the global consciousness to the awareness of economic and socioeconomic disparities that have existed for quite some time. The pandemic surfaced and aggravated these disparities where we have seen impacts on underserved and target demographics across the globe. This prompted a response toward accountability and action across private and public sectors, spurred both by governing and leading voices (i.e., The World Economic Forum, Security Exchange Commission, among others) as well as the personal commitments of change agents within organizations.

This marks a chance for financial, operational, and people changes that can address various systemic issues at the root of the exasperated disparities we are all seeing. The socioeconomic, healthcare, educational, and job sector-related issues are the areas in which we can “double-down” on by applying a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion, even if that means doing so for the first time ever. 

Q: For real systems change to happen, how must perspectives, and how we approach the economy and education, shift to meet the needs of an inclusive, equitable economy?

Real systems change requires an understanding of the systems themselves. The systemic issues that relate to socioeconomic and related disparities are often intricate and complex, demanding an approach of perspective that is as unbiased as possible. Thus, I would recommend approaching the sensitivity and complexity of these issues with open-mindedness at a more intrinsic level and systems thinking as an almost scientific method approach.

Invite the voices of cognitive diversity to merge perspectives beyond the typical voices of representation, government, academia, and corporations. Approaching these systems from a people-centric view as well as being educated on people and systems from the likes of anthropologists and sociologists, for example, is also key to shifting into more inclusion and equity. Simply put, economies, education, and other systems will not change unless we understand and thus respond to the systems and people who represent those systems.

Q: Where do you find hope in the work, conversations, and shifts you see happening, and how does that shape your thinking?

The best source of hope I see is in the inclusive conversations being had, sometimes uncomfortable and new conversations at that. It’s been inspiring to see people of all types and backgrounds, those typically represented and not, giving each other grace and space to have the types of conversations that consider each other and lead to real change.

I see signs of hope when those conversations lead to reimagining systemic issues. Examples include underrepresented demographics taking on leadership roles and experiencing long-overdue equity and inclusion; newly formed partnerships between private and public sectors that put the well-being of people above self-serving financial interests because now they understand that putting people first will lead to revenue and growth; organizations taking inclusive actions, even if they are unorthodox, such as creating inclusive language and revisiting processes and technology that create inclusive products and services. 

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