How to avoid tokenism

Every once in a while I get an invitation to speak at an event. I look over the names and see a dozen people who look so similar that the conference brochure might as well be served in an egg carton. I call the organizer and ask if I could provide them with some options so that there’s a bit of diversity on the docket. I always keep a list handy.

He answers, “Well, we always ask the best people to speak at our conference. And if the best people just happen to be white men, then so be it. We don’t want to ask women and minorities to come just to come. We don’t want to be involved in tokenism!”