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a tremendous number of members wanting disabilities and other barriers to employment
education and resources such as facilitators to each year. Their mission is to provide a
come into their workspace to help align their wide range of opportunities to maximize
DEI structure.” Ashlee Willis has played a key human potential for persons striving for
role in helping to incorporate the foundation independence and self-sufficiency. In 2022,
for diversity, equity, equity and inclusion at the LRCC and LEAP named Peckham the first
Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce. recipient of the annual Diversity Star Award.
The LRCC DEI commitment gained The individuals Peckham serves (team
momentum as organizations already deeply Daman members) are a diverse group from many
engaged in the DEI journey immediately partnering agencies and the greater
stepped forward and embraced the program. community. They offer more than 30
MSU Federal Credit Union and AT&T Michigan different rehabilitation and human services
signed on as major co-sponsors of the effort. programs from art creation, career planning,
Several other organizations joined as partners. pre-employment screening, facility-based
training, youth programs, and organizational
The LRCC soon made the commitment to employment to residential services. Minorities
go through the DEI development process represent 48% of their workforce, with
themselves as a team. At the same time they 52% of their team members being women,
launched their internal DEI development, and some lines of business having a 60%
several external programs were launches Bailey female population. Nearly 55% of their
including Executive Roundtables, a number team members are non-English speakers
of different programs and professional in their Manufacturing division. More than
development opportunities, delivered half of Peckham’s C-Suite is comprised of
numerous communications through Focus individuals with disabilities. Webb Sharpe
magazine and the LRCC social media platforms, says persons with disabilities bring richness
refocused efforts around ATHENA Lansing and to an organization in many ways, especially
the professional growth and development of in encouraging more creative approaches
women leaders, launched a DEI committee and to problem solving. Many times, changes
recently celebrated its fourth year in partnering made to accommodate team members with
with the MLK Commission of Mid-Michigan Willis disabilities end up benefitting the entire
and the Lansing Economic Club during Black workforce, something the COVID pandemic
History Month in February. served to illustrate.
“We had to do multiple things at the same “Practices such as providing mental health
time. First, putting our staff through extensive support and benefits, or sharing and
DEI training and then a DEI Roundtable and promoting mental wellness activities can
DEI Education series for our members,” said serve employers and employees well,” said
Steve Japinga, LRCC senior vice president, Webb Sharpe. “Throughout the pandemic,
public affairs. “We made sure that not only employers also learned about the mental
were we educated internally but also were Japinga health challenges that so many of their
able to provide education and training for employees were experiencing. Often times,
both business owners and their employees.” having a quiet room or more reflective
space where people can collect, or re-center
Profiles in DEI Leadership themselves can allow people who may suffer
with anxiety or those who have autism and
Organizations of all shapes and sizes are experiencing sensory overload to take a
throughout the region and from a diverse brief break, and then come back and be much
number of industry sectors are shining more productive.”
examples of what a whole-hearted
commitment to DEI should look like. The Webb Sharpe says that organizations seeking
success stories are numerous, all coming with Webb Sharpe to build a more inclusive culture first need to
different challenges and serving as models for understand who they employ and what type
other embarking on the DEI journey. of people they want to attract to the organization.
Peckham is a large nonprofit vocational rehabilitation “Listen to employees as they describe what they believe
organization that provides jobs and training fosters a positive work environment, one where they
opportunities to more than 5,000 individuals with feel they belong and can bring their authentic selves to
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