DEI Under Fire: Why the Old Playbook No Longer Works, with Lily Zheng

DEI efforts are at a crossroads, and Lily Zheng is here to explain what’s broken—and more importantly, what it will take to create real, measurable change in workplaces.

Lily is an unapologetically bold DEI strategist, consultant, and best-selling author whose work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR. Their groundbreaking books—DEI Deconstructed, Reconstructing DEI, and Fixing Fairness—lay out practical, evidence-based strategies for building truly inclusive and effective organizations.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why traditional DEI efforts often fall short and how to fix them.
• The four pillars of Lily’s FAIR Framework: Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation.
• How measuring impact can improve DEI efforts and keep practitioners motivated.
• Strategies for navigating today’s societal and political DEI challenges.
• Why DEI work benefits everyone—and how to communicate that win-win effectively.

Through their sharp insights and candid reflections, Lily inspires us to hold the DEI industry to a higher standard while emphasizing the importance of hope, community, and systemic change.

Links:

• Learn more about Lily Zheng: https://www.lilyzheng.co/
• Follow Lily on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilyzheng308/
• Buy Lily’s books: DEI Deconstructed | Fixing Fairness (coming soon!)

Become a part of our community:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diversity_beyondthecheckbox/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/diversity-beyond-the-checkbox-podcast/
• Website: https://beyondthecheckbox.com/

Hosted by Jackie Ferguson, award-winning business leader, best-selling author, and co-founder of The Diversity Movement.

Production by Earfluence – https://www.earfluence.com