Day 3: Equity Is Intentional

Welcome to Equity Challenge 2025!

 

Day 3: Equity Is Intentional

 

Reading Time: 15 Minutes

Equity Requires Intention — Not Only Good Intentions

Over the last two days, we have explored how equity is both a universal value and a neighborly responsibility. Today, we go deeper into a core truth of equity work: Equity Is Intentional.

You have likely heard the phrase, “Good intentions are not enough.” That is especially true when it comes to equity. Many inequities are created not by bad people doing bad things — but by systems operating without equity as a guiding value. That’s why being “nice,” “fair,” or “well-meaning” is not the same as being equitable. To build inclusive, just environments, we need deliberate, consistent, and courageous action.

Equity does not happen by accident. It happens on purpose.

Unintentional Systems Produce Predictable Inequities

Think about the systems you are part of — your neighborhood, workplace, school. How were these systems built? Who were they designed for? Who is included  and who’s left out?

Most systems with which we interact today were not built with all people in mind. In fact, many were built with explicit or implicit biases that created barriers for people of color, people with disabilities, women, immigrants, LGBTQ+ folks, and low-income communities.

These inequities are not random. They are the result of decisions — sometimes unconscious, often unexamined, sometimes intentional. And if we do not challenge them, we risk reproducing harm, even if we mean well.

That’s why equity requires awareness and intention at every step.

Intention Is a Practice, Not a Statement

Equity work is full of good statements — DEI commitments, mission language, strategic plans. But intention isn’t about what is written on the wall. It is about what shows up in our habits, systems, and culture.

Ask yourself:

• Who do we design for first?
• Whose feedback shapes our decisions?
• How do we define leadership, success, or professionalism?
• What gets rewarded? What gets overlooked?

Intentional equity work is about slowing down to examine these defaults, choosing to include what has been excluded, and making fairness the design principle, not the afterthought.

Intentionality Looks Like…

Being intentional with equity means moving from reaction, to reflection, to redesign. It looks like:

• Anticipating barriers before they happen (for example, providing childcare, transportation, or free parking for community meetings)
• Creating processes that check default thinking
• Measuring outcomes and being willing to course-correct when we become aware of having created disparities
• Centering the most harmed voices in decisions that affect them — not only as consultants, but as leaders

It also means practicing intentionality in small, daily choices:

• Who do you follow on social media? Whose work do you cite?
• Who gets invited to meetings? Who gets formal or informal feedback?
• What norms do you uphold around time, urgency, tone, or conflict?

Intentional ≠ Perfect

Being intentional in equity work doesn’t mean you will get it right every time. You'll make mistakes. You might overlook something. The point is not perfection — It’s commitment. It's being willing to learn, repair, and try again with more clarity and care.

It’s saying:

• “We may not have built this system, but we’re responsible for how it operates today.”
• “We may not have the perfect answer, but we refuse to keep going on autopilot.”
• “We will choose equity — on purpose.”

From Performative to Transformative

There is a difference between performative equity (checking the box, avoiding backlash, signaling progress) and transformative equity (redistributing power, shifting culture, changing outcomes).

Transformative equity work asks:

• Who benefits if nothing changes?
• What’s at stake if we keep doing things the way we always have?
• How will we be accountable for the outcomes of our choices?

Being intentional means aligning our values with our practices — not only in moments of crisis or public pressure, but in everyday decision-making.

A Final Word for Today

Equity doesn’t live in slogans. It lives in structure. It shows up in calendars, budgets, policies, agendas, and relationships. When we choose equity intentionally, we stop being passive participants in unjust systems. We become active builders of inclusive ones.

So today, let’s recommit — not only to wanting equity, but to designing for it. From the get-go. With care. Together.