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    External Diversity Resources

    Diversity, equity, and inclusion-related resources assembled by members of the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources' (SEER) Special Committee for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging.

    Non-ABA resources are listed as a service to members. Listing is not an endorsement by the American Bar Association. The opinions expressed in the resources listed on this page are those of the authors and they do not purport to reflect the opinions or policies of the American Bar Association or the Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources.

    SCOTUS Affirmative Action Decision-Related Resources

    Articles

    Can Reparations Bring Black Residents Back to San Francisco?
    This article addresses reparation efforts in San Francisco, California, and the U.S. as a whole.

    Why Some Companies Are Saying ‘Diversity and Belonging’ Instead of ‘Diversity and Inclusion’
    The changing terminology reflects new thinking among some consultants, who say traditional D.E.I. strategies haven’t worked out as planned.

    15 Ways to Improve Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace 
    SocialChorus is a workforce communications platform. This blog post includes a video and text with 15 ways to improve DEI in the workplace. Suggestions include having a diverse executive team and making workspaces inclusive with gender-friendly bathrooms and nursing rooms.

    Achieving Workplace Inclusion: Three Steps Toward A Sustainable Organization
    An article by Deborah Goldstein

    Diversity Lab Announces Law Firms Meeting the Mansfield Rule for Diversity
    The Mansfield Rule "has become the standard by which law firms track and measure that they have affirmatively considered at least thirty percent women, lawyers from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, lawyers with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ lawyers for top leadership roles, senior-level lateral hiring, promotions into the equity partnership, and participation in client pitch meetings."

    On Being A Black American Biglaw Associate
    An article by Lauren Skerrett

    Racial microaggressions take a major toll on Black Americans
    An article by Michelle Singletary

    The Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership
    An article by Juliet Bourke

    Working While Black: Stories from black corporate America
    An article by Karen Yuan

    5 Strategies for Creating an Inclusive Workplace
    This article addresses the major obstacles to being heard, valued, and respected that women of color often face in their jobs.

    15 Tips for Building a More Inclusive Workplace
    This article explains what an inclusive environment at work looks like.

    Books

    Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
    Isabel Wilkerson (2020)
    In this book, the author discerns and examines how an unspoken caste system shaped America and left a hierarchy of human divisions.

    Environmental Sustainability and Racism, An essay that explains how care of the environment, climate change, and anti-racism are linked and benefit from being taken on together
    Russ Vernon Jones (2014)
    The essay is a product of Coming Together: Understanding Racism, Building Fairness and Connection, a local project seeking deeper understanding of how race affects our nation.

    It's the Manager: Moving From Boss to Coach
    Jim Clifton (2019)

    Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
    Carol Dweck (2007)

    Positive Professionals: Creating High-Performing Profitable Firms Through the Science of Engagement
    Anne Brafford (2017)

    Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination
    Mary Kite and Bernard Whitley
    This book provides provides a comprehensive and compelling overview of what psychological theory and research have to say about the nature, causes, and reduction of prejudice and discrimination.

    Radical Candor
    Kim Scott (2019)

    SAGE Handbook of Prejudice, Stereotyping and Discrimination
    John Dovidio et al
    This book provides comprehensive coverage on the state of research, critical analysis and promising avenues for further study on prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. 

    That's What She Said: What Men and Women Need To Know About Working Together
    Joanne Lipman (2019)

    The Color of Law, a Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
    Richard Rothstein (2017)
    This book shows how local, state, and federal government laws and policies promoted segregation and discriminatory patterns that continue to this day.

    The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth
    Amy Edmondson 

    The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization
    Peter Senge (2006)

    The Tyranny of the Meritocracy:  Democratizing Higher Education in America
    Lani Guinier (2015)
    This book criticizes the admission practices of higher education institutions for focusing on elite individuals instead of ability to collaborate in learning communities geared to advance democratic societies.  She has published many books addressing race, including The Miner’s Canary (2003) and Tyranny of he Majority (1995).

    White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
    Robin DiAngelo (2018)

    Cases

    • The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that a Florida law, the “Individual Freedom Act,” which prohibited employers in the state from offering programs that endorse certain statutorily prescribed ideas related to race, ethnicity, sex or national origin, is unconstitutional. The Court of Appeals held that this statute effectively regulated speech, and directly expressed a state-based preference for a certain type of speech.  That meant that the State was thereby regulating free speech, a violation of the First Amendment. (Honeycomb.com, Inc. v. State of Florida, No. 22-13135, March 4, 2024). 

    Movies

    Western Oregon University’s Student Affairs Committee on Inclusion Movie List  
    WOU provides a list of movies that cover themes covering race, racism, mental illness, and sexual orientation. It should be noted Just Mercy, a 2019 film based on the bestselling book by Bryan Stevenson, is another film to consider. Just Mercy details the true story of young lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, the founder of the Equal Justice initiative, representing an African American man wrongly convicted of murder.

    Podcasts

    Walking Through the World Non-Binary
    This talk led by Jesse Lueck was given at a TEDx event in 2018.

    7 Podcasts to Add to Your Playlist That Talk Diversity
    Our lives are busy now, and sometimes podcasts are a quick and easy way to learn. These 7 podcasts are geared towards helping people understand what diversity is, and why is important in life. Among the listed podcasts is The Diversity Gap, a podcast hosted by racial justice educator, Bethaney Wilkinson. 

    Other Resources

    Greater Good Magazine
    This publication provides “science-based insights for a meaningful life.” Greater Good magazine is published by the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. 

    California Interim Report on African American Reparations
    On June 1, 2022, the California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans issued its interim report to the California Legislature. The interim report reviews harms experienced by African Americans and recommends remedies. The Task Force plans to issue a final report  by July 1, 2023.

    DRIVEN Professionals Blog
    DRIVEN Professionals provides support and tools to enable motivated professionals to live more productive, engaged and energized lives.

    The Law Firm Sustainability Network (LFSN)
    LFSN is a nonprofit organization of law firms and legal departments committed to promoting the benefits of environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility within their firms and throughout the legal industry.

    The Mansfield Rule
    The Mansfield Rule, inspired by a winning idea at the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon, measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions.