Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Resources

At the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, we have been on an intentional journey to assess how our organization can champion diversity, equity, and inclusion as values for the Anchorage business community and city at-large. On this page, we’ve curated resources that we have found helpful in this work for ourselves as individuals, for our organization, and for our membership.

We hope the following resources will offer inspiration and guidance about how to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion as fundamental values – and how to make sure these values are reflected in the operations and activities of your business.

5 DEI Steps You Can Start Today!

Positive. Meaningful. Growth

1. Have open and honest conversations with your staff and board.

Your employees may be struggling, and it may be uncomfortable to have a conversation with them about racism and equity. We will not become more comfortable having conversations about race if we aren’t willing to be uncomfortable in the process. If needed, consider bringing in external facilitators or consultants to support the conversation.

Talking about Race

Tools, guidance, frameworks, and resources by the National Museum of African American History & Culture.

So You Want to Talk About Race

A book positioned to bridge the gap between people of color and white Americans struggling with race complexities, by Ijeoma Oluo (2020).

Race Matters: How to Talk Effectively About Race

A framework built on stages, principles, and tasks for approaching discussions about race, by Social Work Career.

2. Share books, podcasts, articles, and other resources about racial equity with your team.

Offer to buy each staff member a book on a topic related to racial inequity. Hold periodic meetings for staff to discuss and exchange the books, ideas, and resources they have discovered and encourage self-education on DEI topics.

Project Implicit

Find out your implicit associations about about race, gender, sexual orientation, and other topics!

1619

An audio series by the New York Times on how slavery has transformed America, connecting past and present through the oldest form of storytelling.

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

By author Richard Rothstein, who argues that segregation in America is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels.

How To Be An Antiracist

The New York Times bestseller by Ibram X. Kendi on the concept of antiracism and the way it can reshape the conversation about racial justice in America.

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism

The New York Times bestselling book by Robin Diangelo on white expectations for racial comfort that at the same time lower the ability to tolerate racial stress.

Do the work: an anti-racist reading list

A reading list by Layla F Saad for The Guardian.

3. Provide specific training for your staff and board on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Training will not solve systemic racism, but it is a start to creating a culture that supports equity and inclusion. Topics might include implicit bias, microaggressions, lessons on historic policies that have contributed to current inequities, or other topics. Connect with the local NAACP, United Way, and other community partners for training recommendations specific to your community and to support their work in DEI.

Racial Equity Tools

Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. This site offers tools, research, tips, curricula and ideas for people who want to increase their own understanding and to help those working toward justice at every level -- in systems, organizations, communities and the culture at large.

Racial Equity Institute

Alliance of trainers, organizers, and institutional leaders devoted to the work of creating racially equitable organizations and systems.

6 Steps for Building an Inclusive Workplace

An SHRM article outlining how to build a culture where everyone feels valued and heard, by Kathy Gurchiek.

4. Be honest about your company's past.

5. Consider where your company should lead efforts and where you should support.

Businesses are natural conveners and leaders, but you don’t have to be at the center of every conversation. Identify community partners and others who are already embedded in this work, and ask them how the chamber can best support their efforts. It’s never too late to start conversations with organizations like the NAACP, Urban League, United Way, faith-based organizations, minority business owners, elected officials, and more.

TIP FROM THOMPSON & CO. PR

Want to diversify your feed?
Try following hashtags on Instagram to discover new brands, creators and influencers. Some of their favorites are #BlackLivesMatter and #FemaleEntrepreneur.

What is an Indigenous land acknowledgment and why should you be doing it? If you’re looking for answers to these questions, and tips for the right way to make a statement, check out this guide from the Native Governance Center.

How Employers can Support the LGBTQ+ Community

Give staff time and encourage staff to do anti-racism and anti-oppression workshops
Encourage and support staff to serve as board members on nonprofits and/or volunteer for causes that promote social justice and equity (ie, allowing them to do some volunteer work while "on the clock" as part of a commitment to the community)
Advertise with companies that support equality and justice
Offer comprehensive health insurance to all employees
Pay a fair wage to all employees

CHAMBER HIGHLIGHTS

The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce and our network of Chambers across the country recognize the importance of a diverse community, workforce, and workplace.

Anchorage Chamber presents... Diversity In Review 2020

Annual update on the diversity composition of the Anchorage Chamber's Board of Directors and membership.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Alaska Independent Workers Alliance

Alaska Independent Worker Alliance (AIWA) is Alaska's future-first worker community. 👩‍💻 We’re a group of indie workers, artists, and free thinkers dedicated to uplifting our peers through community connections, while progressing Alaska's public education of the gig economy through public events.

JOIN THE NETWORK

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Equality of Opportunity Initiative Closing America’s Opportunity Gaps

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Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
Chamber-led efforts to support diversity, equity, and inclusion both organizationally and community wide.

LEARN MORE

THE CASE FOR DEI

Businesses are increasingly playing a broader role in helping Americans navigate the dramatic shifts communities are experiencing across the country. Business leaders can see the opportunity change brings, and they increasingly recognize that there is a strong economic case for embracing our country’s growing diversity.

The dramatic and unpredictable technological, demographic and economic changes we have experienced in recent decades have become the new norm for the foreseeable future. The COVID-19 pandemic and increased focus on racial inequities have underscored the need for organizations to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Businesses and communities throughout America will continue to face uncertainty and change.

Companies and the communities they serve will benefit by recognizing, understanding and adopting strategies that further equitable and inclusive economic growth with a focus on addressing racial inequities. Getting there will require business leaders to become civic leaders, often by forming new partnerships and acting as allies.

There is a rising imperative to advance equity and inclusion for marginalized communities, and it has become a central concern for economists seeking to promote prosperity. Below are resources on the business and economic case for the advancement of DEI.

U.S. Department of Labor

Building an inclusive workforce.

OPM's Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Provides Federal agencies concrete strategies and best practices.

Independent Workers: Alaska’s Emerging Workforce

2016 impact of the existing freelancer and creative class community in Alaska.

Racial Equity Resource Center

The Anchorage Public Library’s strategic plan focuses on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Center for Economic Development

Women and entrepreneurship in Alaska.READ MORE

Business Case for Racial Equity

A report by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Altarum that projects a tremendous boost to the country's workforce and consumer spending when organizations take the necessary steps to advance racial equity. By Ani Turner.

Diversity wins: How inclusion matters

The third report in a McKinsey & Company series investigating the business case for diversity.

TAKE INTERNAL ACTION

All work on diversity, equity, and inclusion must start internally. For businesses to be seen as credible in this space, they need to look internally at their own staff and board. Companies can take a variety of actions to focus on internal DEI, from providing training to evaluating policies and procedures. Business leaders should consider the best path forward for both staff and the board and how DEI can be integrated into all aspects of the organization. Businesses should also consider the role their organizational culture plays in attracting and retaining more diverse staff members and creating an inclusive workplace.

As the decision-making body at the highest level of organizational leadership, boards play a critical role in creating an company that prioritizes, supports, and invests in diversity, inclusion, and equity. Board of directors are instrumental in the creation and implementation of the company's mission and initiatives and can be intentionally designed to empower and entrust a diverse representation of the leaders with its most important decisions.

Meaningful Metrics for Diversity and Inclusion

A clear outline that organizations can implement with eight steps to set meaningful diversity and inclusion metrics, by Felicity Menzies
READ MORE

INTERiSE

Insights from 1,274 established small businesses across place, race, and ethnicity.
READ MORE

Seattle Human Service Coalition

Tools to identify and eliminate institutional racism in an organization.

DiversityInc

Offers insights, best practices and case studies on diversity and inclusion management.

Public Relations Society of America

Diversity and inclusion tool kit.

How to Design for Real Inclusion

Article by Valerie Purdie Greenaway and Martin N. Davidson from the SHRM HR People + Strategy Blog.

Implementing the Rooney Rule and Mansfield Rule 2.0

Consider a diverse slate of candidates for the following roles, committees, and leadership activities.

Beyond Political Correctness: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Board

Three strategies to assist boards in embracing and integrating diversity and an inclusive environment.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Nonprofit Bylaws

A blog post by NEO Law Group that considers where and how DEI principles might be incorporated into board bylaws.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity

Highlighted research, articles, and resources curated by BoardSource that reflect some of the best thinking and practical advice to boards on diversity, inclusion, and equity – and the relationship between the three – across the social sector (and beyond).

PROGRAMMATIC ENGAGEMENT

Businesses can choose from a wide array of options to support diversity, equity and inclusion in their company and community. Some organizations choose to focus on ways to support historically disenfranchised employees through employee resource groups or DEI training programs. Others plan programming that gives their employees and the broader community a chance to have conversations or learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion topics. It may also be helpful to consider how working with other business and community partners might enhance an organization's programmatic work on DEI. Even small steps can be valuable in the long run.

Women-Owned Businesses

SBA helps women entrepreneurs launch new businesses and compete in the marketplace. Connect with the training and funding opportunities specifically for women.

People of Asian and Pacific Island heritage have long enriched the U.S.’s culture, yet there is a long, deep throughline of trauma enacted on AAPI people, and a resurgence of explicitly racist behaviors in the past year. We encourage you to continue dialogues about these issues and celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at work in order to build psychological safety and boost employee engagement. Here is a guide with top tips to celebrate in the workplace and beyond from The Diversity Movement.

Visit sba.gov/business-guide/grow-your-business/women-owned-businesses.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at Work

AAPI Heritage Month Guide

Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month

Since 2007, April 2nd has been traditionally recognized as World or International Autism Awareness Day and the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education has used the Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month as an opportunity to share information relating to Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Here are some ways that you can participate in National Autism Awareness Month: DOWNLOAD PDF

Celebrate Diversity Guide

The Diversity Movement recently shared this resource to Celebrate Diversity Month. It is a free downloadable resource, and their communications are phenomenal.

TDM-Celebrate-Diversity-Guide

Meeting in a Box

The diversity-management training and educational tool that focus on the most critical diversity management issues you can use to train managers on the best ways to implement diversity programs.

Minority Business Development Agency

Promotes the growth of minority-owned businesses.

Best Practices

Greater Cleveland Partnership's Equity & Inclusion Best Practice Library.

Racial Equity Legislation Tracker

A resource by LexisNexis and State Net featuring an interactive map that lists federal, state, and local legislative and regulatory information and provides a full text report for each measure.

MEI 2019: See Your City’s Score

HRC's Municipal Equality Index (MEI) demonstrates the ways that many cities can—and do—support the LGBTQ people who live and work there, even where states and the federal government have failed to do so.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DEI PROGRAM