The theme for the 2020/2021 Forum year is “Workplace Revolution.” That idea did not come out of thin air, but rather specifically because of the death of George Floyd and the ensuing unrest his death caused.
For its entire 32 year existence, The Forum and its staff members have called Minneapolis home. This is our city, and the ethic behind our organization comes from the belief systems that exist in this metropolitan region. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are physically beautiful places with strong family connections, high educational outcomes, and great work and career opportunities at some of the world’s most recognized companies.
The Twin Cities are also the location of the nation’s worst outcomes on multiple fronts for communities of color, including a method of policing that specifically targets Black and Brown people. This policing methodology led to the murder of George Floyd. It sparked the unrest that followed–not just here, but around the country and around the world. The revolution began here. And so, as the nation’s largest diversity, equity, and inclusion learning platform, The Forum intends to own that revolution, call it out, and be a catalyst for turning talk into action.
Not only are we owning the revolution through our annual theme, we are also re-working our mission, vision, values, and strategic plan to align ourselves as tightly as we can to this revolution. We hope you will stand by us–at The Forum and in the Twin Cities–as we work through the process of remaking our work and our region. The ultimate outcome is a truly equitable society, one in which all of us can feel safe, truly free, fully participate, and prosper.
Sincerely,
Steve Humerickhouse
Executive Director
The Forum on Workplace Inclusion®
University of St. Thomas