• An Everyone a Changemaker World through Diversity, Equity...

  • Ashoka’s DEI Strategic Plan

  • Ashoka Fellows Council for Equity

  • Decolonizing Changemaking: Becoming Accomplices in...

  • DEI is a Practice

  • DEI Strategic Partners and Allies

  • The DEI Team

An Everyone a Changemaker World through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

 

Valuing diversity and creating the space where all are seen, respected, and included is central to our core work of building an Everyone a Changemaker world. In fact, the ‘everyone’ in Everyone a Changemaker is not achievable without a deliberate commitment to inclusion, and that begins with Ashoka itself as we aspire to be the welcoming home of changemakers. 

An Everyone a Changemaker world is by definition, one where everyone has the capacity and opportunity to contribute and to create positive change. In this world, everyone is powerful, everyone has a voice, everyone has access to needed resources, and everyone can thrive. When everyone is a changemaker, there is no place for systems of oppression and hierarchy because no groups dominate or exploit others. In fact, when everyone is powerful the systems that perpetuate inequity get dismantled and rebuilt to enable equal access to opportunities and embrace the incredible range of perspectives, narratives, and lived human experiences. 

A commitment to DEI and to Everyone a Changemaker is mutually reinforcing: without a robust emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, changemaking risks becoming a skillset and mindset reserved for the privileged few — contributing to a new inequality (much like the digital divide) between those who have time and space and support to be changemakers and those who do not. Meanwhile, the closer we get to an Everyone a Changemaker world, the more that a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive society is possible in the first place. 

 

In order to achieve this vision, Ashoka has launched a holistic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative led by a dedicated team and informed by a global Taskforce that reflects the diverse cultures, countries, perspectives, and identities of our Ashoka community. 

Ashoka’s DEI Strategic Plan

As a result of this initiative we will see equity being improved in procedures and processes that enable a fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people while striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of underrepresented groups. 

In this work we see the opportunity to strengthen and enhance our networks, create meaningful synergies, and build bridges throughout the social entrepreneurship sphere, and maximize the impact of all of Ashoka’s programming. 

 

3 Areas of Focus

Empathy

Individual & Institutional Awareness/Learning Journey

Building a truly diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization requires all (primarily but not exclusively- those who hold most of the power) to actively engage in the never-ending journey of eliminating our own discriminatory biases (conscious and unconscious) and of becoming aware of our power and privilege so that we can learn how to truly see, trust and welcome all of those who are different from us. This awareness & learning journey is an empathy-in-action effort that will make us better at seeing and engaging “everyone” in our Everyone a Changemaker" vision and mission.

Creative Problem Solving

DEI informed actions


As a changemaking organization we understand that seeing things differently will bring about change to our processes and structures. It is a natural phenomenon and progression that we will enable and pursue through our DEI framework. We embark on this effort acknowledging that change is difficult, it requires time and patience, and it will need us to always be conscious of the different perspectives inside the Ashoka family. All DEI informed actions should take this understanding into account.

Collective Teamwork

Assessment and Accountability


Assessing and measuring the impact of our DEI work is a crucial pillar of the DEI strategy. This will be our method of accountability (internally and externally) that will also inform, and course correct our strategy and actions. The DEI Team will build a data and assessment instrument that allows the organization to monitor its DEI metrics, both quantitatively and qualitatively, with the goals of leveraging these insights to move our work forward. 

These are collective efforts and go far beyond the work of the DEI team

The contribution of each and every one of us is essential to translate our vision into reality. In this journey towards a fully diverse, inclusive, and equitable world, we acknowledge that change starts with us, we recognize that we are all learners and that we have the responsibility to ensure that we embody our own values.

Ashoka Fellows Council for Equity

We launched a global Council of Ashoka Fellows to support DEI efforts as we strive to make Ashoka a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. We are honored and excited to work with this phenomenal group of leading changemakers.

EACH-DEI in Ashokan's words

An Everyone a Changemaker Perspective on the Practice of Care - Men's Crucial Role

Could you help us understand the consequences of a patriarchal and sexist society? What are the negative consequences for men? Although patriarchy has historically granted a mindset and positions of power and privilege to men, this sociocultural framework has also generated negative consequences for...
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Care-Centered Communities for Women Changemakers and Beyond

Women social entrepreneurs (WSEs) are spread thin across the multiple roles they juggle—they must simultaneously be mother, spouse, daughter, community leader, and employer. These various roles come with the weighty responsibility to care for others, thus WSEs are depleted by the pressure and...
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Decolonizing Changemaking: Becoming Accomplices in Indigenous Wisdom and Liberation

In February, our DEI team sat with Nick Tilsen, the CEO of NDN collective and an Ashoka Fellow since 2014. We asked him to share some thoughts on the sector of philanthropy, the value of decolonization and indigenization in this sector and connected to major issues like climate change, and where he...
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DEI is a Practice

In the corporate landscape of the West, DEI is often framed as an OKR, a target. It's more than that – it's a practice! DEI is not about metrics or sentences you write on a mission statement; it’s how ALL team members behave when no-one’s looking. DEI is not an external concept that we seek, use, or...
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Migration as a key ingredient for more diverse, equitable and inclusive societies

Migration has existed since the world began. Currently, it is estimated that there are more than 280 million international migrants, which is equivalent to around 3.5% of the world's population. People have left their countries of origin and moved in search of better opportunities, security, freedom...
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Learn more about migration in the Philippine context from the DEI Global team's interview with Ashoka Fellow Tina Liamzon

There are around 2 million Filipinos who have left their homes to be migrant workers in pursuit of higher incomes for their families. However, the majority are unable to save or invest and become stuck in often lonely and demeaning jobs. Ashoka Fellow Tina Liamzon believes that equipping migrant...

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Meet the DEI Team

Our team is one of our smartest investments, and we are practicing our values by making sure our team of teams is diverse & inclusive, with representation from different parts of the world and with inclusive team practices.

For more information about Ashoka's DEI efforts, please contact us at [email protected]