In 2016 the University of Michigan embarked on a five year strategic plan to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) more comprehensively throughout the campus. Now in the fourth year of the initiative, Sonia Joshi, the first DEI program manager for the University of Michigan’s School for the Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), sits down with our hosts to discuss where we’ve come from and where we’re going now. 

What is DEI to you?

“Working to ensure
that people who have
been underrepresented
due to injustice and
prejudices have
access to the same
opportunities and
resources and are
valued.”

– Sonia Joshi in the University of Michigan’s DEI Strategic Plan Report

Sonia Joshi joined the University’s DEI team 3 years ago and has been embedded within the SEAS program ever since. As the first ever DEI program manger of SEAS, she’s been pivotal in the creation and implementation of DEI programming and training within the school. In this week’s show, Joshi begins by breaking down the differences between diversity, equity, and inclusion, explains how she picks her battles so to say, and addressing the “moment” DEI is having right now, specifically in academia.  

Joshi also walks us through a bit of the history of DEI and why it is so crucial by reflecting on the history of the United States and the legacies of traditional research. As she notes, all science has bias since all scientists have bias, and traditional structures have prioritized some forms of knowledge and research over others. Now, DEI practitioners, advocates, allies, scholars, etc. ought to be moving away from tokenism and performative or surface-level DEI incorporation. Instead, we should work on ensuring systematic change and solutions by leveraging our partnerships and privilege in substantive ways. It’s ultimately the goal of DEI initiatives to ensure that people aren’t just at the metaphorical table but are also having their input and their voices heard, understood, and given weight. 

Looking forward, Joshi explains her optimism regarding the DEI field and its endless intersections with other disciplines, specifically the environmental field. As she puts it, the coming years of DEI will continue to ground DEI in reality, support frontline communities, center and empower historically-marginalized voices, and work on changing culture in meaningful ways. 

For information or support, contact the SEAS DEI office here:

SEAS Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Dana Building
Second Floor, Office 2575, 440 Church St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340

Phone: 734-936-0900

Email:  seas-dei-office@umich.edu

Or connect with the University’s campus-wide DEI office:

Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Fleming Administration Building
Third Floor, Office 3084, 503 Thompson Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1340

Phone: (734) 764-3982

Email: diversitymatters@umich.edu