Diversity, inclusion and equity programs are not about hiring less-qualified people. They are about helping people who do hiring to see beyond their presumption that people who are not white and not male are inherently less qualified. They are about helping those of us who work with people of a variety of races, genders and backgrounds to focus on ability and commitment and not on factors that don’t affect performance. Our prejudices are often so ingrained that we aren’t even aware they are there, and we all need help getting beyond them.
We can do better than assume that the air traffic controller who was handling two assignments at the time of the crash in Washington, D.C., was inadequate. We don’t even know yet what role air traffic control played in the tragedy. Let’s not prejudge this incident or accept a rush to judgment on the part of our leaders.
