Here at HR Daily Advisor, we’re celebrating Black History Month. Although we prioritize these inspiring voices year-round, it’s a great time to shine a light on the achievements and contributions of black HR professionals who are making significant contributions to the industry. The guest of this edition’s Faces of HR profile is an exceptional example of just that.
Meet Amira Barger, MBA, CVA, CFRE, an accomplished strategic communications counselor specializing in the intersection of health equity; employee engagement; and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Currently, she serves as the executive vice president at global communications firm Edelman, where she excels in providing senior-level guidance on DEI and communications, earning multiple awards for her contributions.
As a recognized scholar-practitioner and thought leader, Amira employs her extensive strategic communications background to engage stakeholders, mobilize communities, and drive action. This expertise extends to her role as a professor in marketing, communications, and change management at California State University East Bay.
Additionally, Amira is a data-informed organizational architect, using design thinking to advance DEI and tackle complex challenges. She also contributes impactful writings on topics such as black women in the workplace, black motherhood, and practical steps for individuals and institutions to promote black liberation.
“I know many DEI champions who have since moved to cast a dark cloud over the work; a lot of DEI Doomism,” Barger recently shared with HR Daily Advisor. “As a profession, DEI continues to grow and evolve. In fact, that’s the nature of the work, it’s a lifetime commitment to being a happy loser. What I mean by that is viewing rejection or a ‘NO’ as the next opportunity to craft a solution. I think often of Mariam Kaba who espouses that hope is a discipline – and she has been noted to say that is it less about how one feels but more about practicing decision making daily and that amidst the struggle we still move to action. That frame of mind is vital, because the challenges we face are real and no small feat. And part of the work is recognizing exactly that.”
In our latest Faces, meet Amira Barger.
How did you get your start in the field?
I’ve been working in marketing and communications for a long time, and as organizations started to awaken to the need for DEI, especially after the murder of George Floyd, I found myself strategically placed to be able to become a thought leader in the field and a partner to HR and DEI executives. I was already heading up internal groups for black advancement within the agency I was working at, so transitioning into a DEI role and partnership with HR leads was an organic transition.
Who is/was your biggest influence in the industry?
A lot of inspiration for my counsel in DEI/HR comes from writers like James Baldwin and bell hooks. While these aren’t contemporaries in the field of DEI as we know it today, unfortunately, a lot of what they wrote still rings true as it regards to the plight of black people in America and, by extension, other marginalized or underrepresented people groups. Nearly every word of what MLK said could be applied in a modern context, and we’re nearly 60 years removed from his assassination. But as far as people who are actively doing work in the field, I would say that Michelle Mijung Kim’s work has had a profound influence on me. Additionally, Dr. Shirley Davis has really been a mentor on how to maneuver as a professional in the field.
What’s your best mistake, and what did you learn from it?
I would say the mistake that I continue to make and must constantly learn and adjust for is people’s appetite for actual change. At some point, I was naïve enough to assume that when presented with historical context, impacts on real people, or the facts of a situation, reasonable people would be willing to see and make adjustments for the errors of their ways and those of the systems they perpetuate. What I learned very quickly is that many people are not, in fact, reasonable or readily open to change.
What’s your favorite part about working in the industry? What’s your least favorite part, and how would you change it?
The best part of working in DEI is finding those “Aha!” moments with people and those rare instances when you know you’ve made a material difference that will last or be shared to others. My least favorite thing I encounter is performative justice. So many companies are happy to release statements and put pictures of smiling black and marginalized people on the home page of their website, but when it comes down to actually addressing inequity, the pushback seems to grow, and the investment seems to shrink. As far as what I would change: an increased focus on efforts that come directly from those impacted, legislation that memorializes the inalienable rights we are owed and the accountability to be paid by those who deny those rights, prioritization of direct action where possible, and simply continuing in the work. As I’ve said, these issues aren’t a recent revelation. And there are forces that are actively at work against change.
It sounds like, through your experience, you really care about people, and you want to help them feel safe and comfortable, which is important in the industry. Please elaborate here.
In doing this work, there is the tension of seeking safety and equity for some while actually having to actively make other people uncomfortable. And it’s not simply a matter of my empathy for the plight of others; it’s my lived experience, too, so it is a matter that I am very passionate about. As thick as my skin has to be while working in this field, I suppose knowing that it doesn’t have to be this way is the thing that keeps me going. Change is possible. Justice is achievable. That is the hope that I both hold to and practice daily.
How can HR most effectively demonstrate its value to the leadership team?
HR teams serve as crucial partners to DEI practitioners, acting as gatekeepers to the employee experience. With access to key decision-makers throughout an organization, they play a pivotal role in shaping policies that either foster or impede inclusivity in the workforce and workplace. Depending on organizational structures and budget constraints, HR teams often function as de facto DEI teams.
Demonstrating value to both leadership teams and DEI counterparts, HR teams can act as facilitators by aligning DEI initiatives with overarching business strategies. They achieve this by fostering transparent communication and emphasizing measurable outcomes in DEI efforts.
Unfortunately, the prevailing metric for assessing the value of DEI work often revolves around its financial impact—how it contributes to revenue growth and employee retention. Overcoming this challenge involves transcending the narrow focus on business cases and bottom lines.
Advocates for DEI, such as myself, contend that its significance extends beyond financial gains or benevolent gestures. Rather, DEI is fundamentally about achieving a balance of justice in the workplace. It’s a pursuit that goes beyond profitability, emphasizing the ethical imperative of creating a fair and equitable work environment for all.
Where do you see the industry heading in 5 years? Or, are you seeing any current trends?
There is no linear answer here. While 2020 marked a substantial surge in the visibility of DEI efforts for some, it’s essential to acknowledge that many dedicated professionals have been quietly championing this cause for decades, often without due recognition. Sustaining the momentum ignited in 2020 poses a considerable challenge.
The changes espoused within DEI are frequently rooted in policy and practice adjustments, whether at the institutional, industry, or legislative levels. Historically, these changes have been gradual, spanning many years. The reality of a protracted timeline frustrates many leaders who are eager to witness rapid progress, especially when measures are myopically focused on immediate bottom-line impact—i.e., profit.
The catalyst for widespread concern about inequity and injustice in 2020 was a distressing video capturing a black man being lynched. One visceral event stirred collective outrage, prompting many to confront the stark realities of inequity, racism, and their role in perpetuating those things. I have a lingering concern about what additional catalysts might be necessary for companies to sustain their long-term commitment to DEI and for champions to sustain their will to demand equity and justice.
Amid the genuine efforts of companies striving to do the work, a disconcerting trend continues to emerge: Numerous DEI professionals are resigning, citing a lack of investment or influence to instigate meaningful change. This trend resembles a pendulum, swinging between progress and stagnation. My hope is that, over time, the pendulum settles into a position that leans decisively toward sustained progress.
What are you most proud of?
My daughter. Perhaps it’s the next generation that will be the ones to finally get things done, and she will reap the benefits of the labor many DEI practitioners like me are putting in today. Perhaps it’s my job to sow the seeds for that. And in her I see the change I know is possible.
Do you have any advice for people entering the profession?
Find your happy place, a community, and a self-care practice. Change is slow, and it’s easy to get discouraged. As I mentioned, many people in DEI roles don’t last more than 18 months in the position. So, make sure that you have an outlet and take care of yourself. Create community in the place you call home, your workplace, and among DEI industry peers.