On July 23, 2020, in partnership with Talent Rewire, UNITE LA, and REDF, we hosted Manuel Pastor and Amelia Ransom for a discussion on how employers can use local history and context to create more equitable and sustainable workplaces.

One reflection from Amelia Ransom remained with me:

“You have to look at the opportunity gap, not just the pay gap within your company.”

The conversation reinforced an important point: equity requires organizations to examine the systems shaping access to opportunity, not only outcomes.

The discussion later informed a Forbes Grads of Life article, Business Has a Role in Dismantling Racism: 3 Takeaways From Our Conversation With Dr. Manuel Pastor and Amelia Ransom, which I co-authored with Heddy Nam to extend these reflections on workforce equity, opportunity, and the role employers can play in advancing change.

As organizations continue to navigate workforce challenges, questions about equity, inclusion, and economic mobility remain relevant.