YGLN member Mareena Robinson Snowden wrote a very important Bulletin article concerning diversity and inclusion efforts in the nuclear community: why they fail and what can be done about it. She argues that they have failed for ‘communities of color, particularly Black folks, in part because the organizing principle is wrong.’
‘The truth is, the necessary diagnostic work has not been done to actually understand the needs of mid-level and senior professionals of color in the nuclear field, and if they are indeed disparate and undefined. In the absence of this analysis, we are missing a potential opportunity to address the unique needs of professionals of color seeking to advance and make an impact at the highest levels in their careers.’
In conclusion, ‘without a radical shift in frame to better target interventions to improve outcomes for communities of color, I fear progress in the nuclear field over the next 30 years will be as painfully modest as the last.’
Read full text here.