Verna Myers

Vernā Myers in 2023

Verna Myers is an American diversity consultant, Harvard-trained Lawyer, Activist, Author, Cultural Innovator, Founder and President of The Verna Myers Company and corporate executive in her role as the Vice President of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix. Myers gave a TED talk in 2014 called "How to Overcome Our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them."

Quotes

• We can’t have a conversation about that in 2021 without talking about what happened in 2020, and the tragedy of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and whole bunch of people before and after them. What I think we have – and let’s hope we can hold on to it– is the understanding that this stuff is systemic. That it is built in, that there was a social hierarchy established a long time ago that hopefully most of us don’t believe in but is nonetheless alive and well and on automatic every day selecting the same people, positioning the same folks and disadvantaging the same folks over and over again. So the awareness around systems I think has been powerful.
  • Diversity in the Workplace: Building Inclusive Company Culture with Vernā Myers the Washington post (July 20, 2021)

• I will be returning to my consulting company working across global organizations and industries, while continuing to advise Netflix.
  • Netflix’s Verna Myers to Exit, Wade Davis Promoted to Lead Inclusion Strategy The Hollywood Reporter (June 28, 2023)

• It’s hard to step away from the company and this role because of how much I love Netflix and the people here. I’m so excited for the talented Wade Davis who will be taking the lead of the I&D work along with our incredible Inclusion Strategy team and I can’t wait to see the continued progress we all will make together.
  • Netflix’s Verna Myers to Exit, Wade Davis Promoted to Lead Inclusion Strategy The Hollywood Reporter (June 28, 2023)

"Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance," Verna Myers tells Cleveland Bar (2016)

"Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance," Verna Myers tells Cleveland Bar, Cleveland.com (May 26, 2016)

• Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.

• Embracing inclusion requires "the institution's ability to fully integrate its understanding of and appreciation for the diverse cultures and backgrounds of its employees.

• I think you've already said the wrong thing by not saying anything.

• We were all the same, and then you had the nerve to be different.

• I have always been drawn to the idea of unconscious biases and blind spots and what happens in our unconscious mind. "Our brains are highly habitual. Our brains start reaching conclusions without immediately telling us that it's doing so," she said. "It's looking for things that go together; 'what have I been habituated to understand goes together?' We're backing up and moving toward people in social situations all the time.

• Biases are the stories we make up about people before we learn who they are. They are especially apparent when things are high-risk, or you have to make quick decisions.

• What we learned after Michael Brown was shot is that police officers are deeply ingrained with erroneous ideas about who's dangerous. Looking at pictures of black kids, they're adding four years to their age, and are told that 'black people are crazy strong and have crazy [levels of] pain tolerance.

• This is quite frankly about people being in denial. The biggest barrier is that we're in denial about our unconscious bias,"This investment in our self-image as good people is preventing us from moving forward. We don't need any more good people; we need real, authentic people.

• After musicians started auditioning for orchestras from behind curtains, "the number of women in top U.S. orchestras increased five-fold.

• We have so many ways to favor those in the "in group" while excluding those who aren't, including keeping them in their place with subtle but often intentional "micro inequities." Regardless of the intention, the pain and the impact is the same.

• We want the straightest gay people, and the whitest black people. We want that first-generation immigrant to act like they've been chilling in this place forever.

• When you look at another person [of the same race or ethnic group], you see your future success in them, but you don't see the same possibilities in those who are different.

• To move ahead, you have to go looking for your biases and stay on top of them.

• Look at your Facebook feed, look at your Twitter feeds, and consider how diverse they are. Build relationships across differences. Get closer. Get uncomfortable.

• Go somewhere where you're the minority. Go to the 'black gay women with disabilities film festival, because this is where you can confront your biases.

• It would be nice to be [treated by the majority group like] an individual, and not the spokesperson or cultural resource for your people.

• Don't allow colleagues to say offensive things without interrupting them. Intervene and be an ally. Don't laugh at offensive jokes. Be responsible for the success of at least one or maybe two people.

• Privilege: Once you see it, you can use it to help other people. Interrupt bias on behalf of someone else.