UPD Consulting

06/12/2024

DEI isn't scary. So why has the discussion around it become so fearful?

It's time to reclaim the narrative.

Read more from UPD's Jenni Greene on the hidden joy in DEI. https://www.updconsulting.com/the-hidden-joy-of-dei/

What do you think of when you hear “DEI training?” Memories of mandated, awkward exercises with your co-workers? Or perhaps fear (of saying the wrong thing, hurting others, or being hurt yourself). Sadly, you’re not...read more

03/25/2024

Adult education professionals face the challenge of teaching students with diverse backgrounds, including differences in English proficiency, immigration status, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability.

How can adult education teachers and leaders ensure their programs meet their students' needs and better position them for success?

UPD has collaborated with Massachusetts for three years to develop an ADEI learning series that addresses the unique challenges of the adult education field. Discover a new approach to training in our latest case study.

https://www.updconsulting.com/recent-work-2/embracing-action/

HomepageRecent WorkEmbracing Action: How Massachusetts Established ADEI Training for Adult Educators Embracing Action: How Massachusetts Established ADEI Training for Adult Educators PARTNER: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education SERVICE AREA: ADEI LOCATION: Massachusetts TI...

02/28/2024

At the end of Black History Month, a call to action for companies and organizations seeking real change.

Read more from UPD's David Hodnett.

https://www.updconsulting.com/black-history-month-a-call-for-real-change/

As another Black History Month draws to a close, it’s worth reflecting on the purpose of this annual celebration. Yes, the commemoration of Black pioneers like Frederick Douglass or Maya Angelou is important. But it’s...read more

01/30/2024

How can organizations improve performance?

Start by investing in ADEI.

Diverse and equitable organizations consistently outperform their less diverse peers.

Discover how your organization could benefit from ADEI in our latest blog:
https://www.updconsulting.com/rebranding-adei-for-the-culture-wars/

When I founded UPD in 2005, the mission was simple: help build better, higher performing, and more resilient organizations. From the beginning, Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) has been crucial in this mission, not...read more

01/22/2024

Time and time again, companies fail to grasp that commitment to DEI is not optional. Scholastic is just the latest to fall into the trap. Read about it in our latest blog post. https://www.updconsulting.com/scholastic-and-the-folly-of-appeasement/

Appeasement never works: it’s an old lesson from the history books, and it rings just as true in today’s culture wars. Look no further than last month, when Scholastic, the publishing and distribution company known...read more

01/18/2024

Diverse organizations are uniquely positioned to advance DEI issues in ways that move beyond diversity to true equity and inclusion.

UPD supported the Queens Public Library–a resource to one of the most diverse communities in the world–in their effort to increase equity for their Black employees and patrons. The opportunities resulting from this project are also improving how the library serves everyone in the community.

Read more about it here: https://www.updconsulting.com/recent-work-2/transforming-the-queens-library/

HomepageRecent WorkTransforming the Queens Public Library for Black Patrons & Employees Transforming the Queens Public Library for Black Patrons & Employees PARTNER: Queens Public Library SERVICE AREA: ADEI LOCATION: Queens, NYC TIMEFRAME: September 2022 – April 2023 Promoting Equity in the “Wor...

11/15/2023

HCC ESOL team members had a great time learning with Public Adult Education of MA and UPD Consulting today! We're feeling inspired, connected to each other, and excited about next steps in antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion work.

Pictured are teachers, advisors, and alumni from Springfield Adult Learning Center and Accelerated Career English.

06/19/2023

If folks are truly looking for ways to “make a statement” on Juneteenth, this article by the Baltimore Afro News highlights several interesting ways to buy Black. And re-read Douglass Austin's Juneteenth blog to see why he was featured in the article.

Buying Black for Juneteenth: five businesses to shop with today, Afro News: https://afro.com/buying-black-for-juneteenth-five-businesses-to-shop-with-today/

Juneteenth: Let’s Band(wagon) Together: https://www.updconsulting.com/juneteenth-lets-bandwagon-together/

Blog Juneteenth: Let’s Band(wagon) Together It’s nice to see mainstream white America coming to grips, however slowly, with the importance of acknowledging past wrongs and scraping away some of the historical whitewash used to alleviate (or maybe avoid) the white guilt associated with them. The ...

06/05/2023

As a Project Director at UPD, Gilary Massa will provide executive leadership and oversight to our clients and project teams. In addition she will lead UPD’s internal design team in the codification of UPD’s Organizational Equity Change Management practices, tools, processes, and resources. Gilary is a human rights and equity educator and a strategist with over a decade of successful experience supporting school boards, advocacy organizations, labor unions, government agencies, and private enterprises through organizational change work that centers on human rights, equity, and inclusion.

04/25/2023

As Director of Strategic Partnerships, David Hodnett will be leading UPD’s efforts to expand the reach of our unique change management approach to equity work, and to further establish our thought leadership in the DEI marketplace.

Prior to joining UPD he was a Partner and Director of DEI at Brown Advisory where he led the firm in deepening DEI values in all aspects of its work, and focused on achieving measurable, sustainable results that would support a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture.

01/06/2023

is about shared decision making power around how data are managed. Learn more about the power of data governance to promote more equitable decision making in our online course with UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy

HomepageAnalytics and Data Use Analytics and Data Use We believe in the power of data to improve the human experience, and there are some specific ways we help organizations better leverage their data to advance their work more equitably. First we believe a strong data governance practice is essenti...

01/03/2023

Addressing stakeholder resistance to a new initiative can be daunting and provoke feelings of anxiety in those trying to implement change. Read more from UPD's Chris Rogers on critical steps organizations can take to create buy-in, facilitate change, and complete their initiatives.

https://www.updconsulting.com/creating-buy-in-facilitating-change-management/

“Deep and sustainable change…requires changes in behavior among those who do not welcome the change.” – Douglas B. Reeves   Addressing stakeholder resistance to a new initiative can be daunting and provoke feelings of anxiety...read more