DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
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SUMMIT
business executives, nonprofit leaders, community stakeholders and elected officials participated in the Kansas Diversity Equity and Inclusion Summit, hosted via Zoom by the Greater Topeka Partnership. The event was made possible by presenting sponsor, Prairie Band, LLC. The event shined a light on the importance of inclusive company cultures and gave attendees insight on how to pursue DEI-related policies in their own organizations. “What you’re really seeing is a shift in requests for people to be recognized,” said Lonnie Walker, Jr., of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas “If you want to continue to stay in business it’s going to
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behoove you to grab ahold of diversity, equity and inclusion in an authentic and genuine way and move it forward.” Speakers included Kuma Roberts, of Arrowhead Consulting; Jarik Conrad, vice president of human insights and human capital management for UKG; and Eugene Kelly, VP of Global Diversity and Inclusion for Colgate-Palmolive. “We all have a part to play in this work,” Roberts said, “so let’s be sure we embrace that as we move forward and know that we’re all in this together.” Roberts also pointed out that diversity is about more than race. When championing diversity, it is important to consider such factors as ability, age, immigration status and LGBTQ affiliation.
