BEDI

Embracing Change: Reflecting on the 2024 Belonging, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (BEDI) Summit

Exploring paths to lasting transformation through belonging, equity, diversity and inclusion

The fourth annual BEDI Summit took place on February 24, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. MT, and it was truly a transformative day of learning! Collegians, alumnae, International Headquarters staff, volunteers and family and friends of Gamma Phi Beta all gathered online to engage with two talented keynote speakers, learn about BEDI updates within the Sorority, gain access to exclusive resources and more. By coming together and actively participating in BEDI programming, we collectively strive toward creating a more just, equitable and inclusive community within Gamma Phi Beta for both current and future members.

The first-ever BEDI Summit took place in 2021, and since then, the event’s programming has been reinvented annually to provide learning, stories and resources that best align with members’ feedback and requests. For several years, Gamma Phi Betas have been speaking up in our educational feedback forms, expressing, “I’ve learned a lot at the BEDI Summit, but I’m not sure how to take what I’ve learned and use it to make change.”

The 2024 BEDI Summit addressed this by focusing the event’s programming on BEDI action.

During this year’s summit, attendees learned from keynote speakers Eboné Bell and Chevara Orrin and panelists about how to make BEDI actionable in their lives and leadership. Attendees were also given a BEDI Summit Companion Guide to further their learnings during the day, take notes or jot down questions.

If you were unable to attend the 2024 BEDI Summit, fear not! You can still engage with everything, from our keynote speakers’ words of wisdom to BEDI action resources, by reading on.

From The Keynotes

Eboné Bell and and Chevara Orrin imparted many insightful words to attendees of the 2024 BEDI Summit, delving into their lived experiences, family lineages and legacies they aspire to leave behind. They explained how these aspects shape their work as leaders in the realm of belonging, equity, diversity and inclusion. In alignment with the summit's theme of BEDI action, both Eboné and Chevara provided numerous practical strategies for attendees to enact BEDI change in their daily lives. In case you missed it, here are a couple ways, according to our esteemed keynotes, that you can employ to effect BEDI change in your life, starting here and now.

Elevating Allyship

By Eboné Bell

In a world where hashtags trend and social media posts proclaim solidarity, it's easy to believe that simply expressing support for marginalized communities is enough. Yet, true allyship demands more than just words. It requires deliberate action, empathy and a willingness to challenge oneself. The importance of allyship cannot be overstated, especially in the face of ongoing social justice movements.

Understanding the essence of genuine allyship means being willing to embark on a journey of self-reflection and growth. The first step is understanding why allyship matters. It's not about token gestures or performative activism but about actively dismantling systems of oppression. Through discussions and practice, people committed to this work can grasp the significance of their role in fostering inclusivity and equity.

There are various forms of ally activism, but one must be an intentional ally first. We all have “good intentions,” but intentionality is deliberate and done on purpose. From amplifying marginalized voices to advocating for policy change, intentional allies will start to see there are numerous avenues through which they can make a difference.

When you continue to foster a supportive environment and provide strategies for navigating challenging conversations, you gain the confidence to stand firm in your convictions.

Ultimately, the goal is empowerment — empowerment to use one's voice effectively, empowerment to effect meaningful change and empowerment to be a catalyst for progress. In a time where societal divisions loom large, the need for allies has never been more pressing. So, let's move beyond passive support and commit to being active agents of change. After all, allyship is not a label but a lifelong journey of solidarity and advocacy.

Eboné Bell is a business owner, speaker and trailblazer who shines brightly in the world of entrepreneurship, LGBTQIA+ issues, media and activism. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Tagg Magazine and Tagg Communication LLC. After seeing a lack of LGBTQIA+ women represented in local publications, she decided to start a magazine and website to tell stories, provide resources and create events centered on LGBTQIA+ stories. In 2018, Eboné founded the Tagg Scholarship Fund — a scholarship created specifically for young, queer women of color who can’t afford to attend school. She was recently featured in Forbes Magazine as an “Inspiring Black Entrepreneur Changing Our World.”

In addition to running a successful business, Eboné shares her knowledge and passion at conferences, festivals, schools and similar events across the country. As a keynote speaker, Eboné is well known for her warm energy and transparency. She is not afraid to have tough conversations. She encourages students to discover how they show up in the world. Her humor makes her approachable to students on and off-stage. Her commitment to connection is what makes her a dynamic and unforgettable speaker.

Learn more at EboneBell.com

Creating Change-Making Legacies

By Chevara Orrin

There is immense strength and purpose in the bonds of sisterhood that unite us. Our commitment to fostering a more equitable world that centers belonging, equity, diversity and inclusion is not just a mantra but a deeply rooted value that defines who we are. In a world where divisions often overshadow unity, Gamma Phi Beta is a beacon of hope, demonstrating that solidarity knows no bounds.

Belonging isn't merely about being present; it's about feeling seen, heard and valued for who we are. It is a clarion call to action. Disruption and re-imagining. It is critical that we actively cultivate spaces where every sister's voice is not only welcomed but celebrated, even when we may be unfamiliar with practices, culture, language and rituals. Through intentional acts of radical empathy, we bridge the gaps of difference and weave a tapestry of strength that thrives on our unique intersecting identities. The tension may be palpable and ever-evolving, reflecting the broader socio-political climate of our times. Our worlds may sometimes collide and yet, with unyielding commitment to challenge our own assumptions and even unwitting complicity, we make way for a more just world.

In these challenging times, the intergenerational aspect of our connection becomes even more vital. We must embrace the wisdom of those who have journeyed this path before us, learning from their experiences and honoring their resilience. We also offer our own ideological perspectives to expand historical boundaries and effect meaningful change. Silence in the face of issues that impact our lives and regressive institutional and governmental polices that stifle our advancement as women will not bind us. Each one of us has a unique path to forge. My activism may not be your activism, and that's

Chevara

Chevara Orrin believes in connecting passion with purpose to discover personal potential. She is a diversity and inclusion strategist, social entrepreneur, published author, social justice activist, independent filmmaker and public speaker. Her work lives at the intersection of gender parity, racial equity, LGBTQIA+ equality and arts activism.

Chevara is a survivor of childhood poverty, incest, teenage pregnancy and domestic violence. Her personal journey of tragedy and triumph inspired Chevara to use her experiences and voice as a catalyst to ignite social transformation. Chevara is deeply inspired by the legacy of her parents who were both prominent figures in critical civil rights movements in the 1960s.

Chevara has more than 20 years of experience, from senior management in the arts and higher education sectors to consulting with Fortune 500 clients. As chief creative catalyst for Collective Concepts, she conceived and co-created We Are Allies, a national advocacy campaign to support equality and inclusive policies to protect the LGBTQIA+ community. She created #WhiteAndWoke, an initiative to raise awareness about racial inequality and promote equity through intentional action.

Learn more LinkedIn.com/In/ChevaraOrrin.

Continued Learning

For those who attended the BEDI Summit, you can continue to explore your companion guide for ongoing learning and resources to engage in BEDI action. If you want to engage beyond the companion guide or were unable to attend the BEDI Summit and are interested in action resources, check out the BEDI Action Resources page of GammaPhiBeta.org. Here is a taste of what that page has to offer.

Educational Resources and Organizations Furthering BEDI Action and Change

“Courageous Discomfort” is a book by Shanterra McBride and Rosalind Wiseman that aims to empower readers to have important and productive conversations about race and racism.

The Inclusion Project aims to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in Canadian society by actively engaging partners and decision-makers, through research, knowledge development and community.

26 Mini-Films for exploring Race, Bias and Identity is a collection of videos curated by The New York Times that tackle issues of race, bias and identity in less than seven minutes.

BEDI Learning and Action by Social Identity

Ability: Our Fight for Disability Rights – And Why Were Not Done Yet is a Ted Talk by Judith Heumann who was a prominent American disability rights activist.

Age: National Center to Reframe Aging is the central hub for the movement to reframe aging. The Reframing Aging movement is a long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society.

Race and Ethnicity: “The Good Ancestor Podcast” hosted by Layla F. Saad is an interview series with BIPOC changemakers and culture-shapers exploring what it means to be a good ancestor to dismantle oppression and change the future.

Religion: Stand Up To Religious Discrimination, Even If It's Not Your Religion is a video where Eboo Patel is open and vulnerable about a time that he did not speak up against religious discrimination and explains why it's crucial to be positive and proactive about engaging religious identity towards interfaith cooperation.

Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity: Qualities of an Ally is a resource from the University of North Carolina LGBT Center to list qualities that allies of the LGBTQIA+ community embody.

Socioeconomic Status: To End Hunger, We Must End Stigma is an article by Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), and organization that improves the nutrition, health and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. The article addresses the stigmas that individuals with low-income face in seeking access to food.

Women: "Alright, Now What?" is a podcast produced by the Canadian Women’s Foundation that explores stories from an intersectional feminist lens.

For the complete list of resources, visit GammaPhiBeta.org/Belonging-and-Inclusion/ BEDIAction

2024 BEDI Stats

1,486 attendees participated in the live virtual event.

Attendees joined from the United States, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom and Mexico.

172 days, 10 hours, 37 minutes of total live viewing hours.