Twentieth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

“Heart work” is labor that is both social and biological. This refers to both the emotional expectations of certain bodies at work and the biological impacts these expectations can have on the (cardiovascular) health of the individual laborer. This is most acutely obvious in job-roles that require deep emotional labor, such as diversity and inclusion work. Diversity workers are those individuals who are explicitly tasked with doing both the public and private labor of fostering greater inclusion within their community. This includes a multitude of activities: events, policy and committee work, grant writing, and holding space for those in need. Based on research at a four year public institution in the United States this study highlights the pitfalls and potential of diversity work in the post-secondary context. Exploring the responses of the participants in this study includes findings from critical qualitative analysis as well as narrative “interludes.” These interludes were created to help anonymize and universalize some of experiences of diversity workers in this context. These stories showcase the ways in which diversity workers navigate exclusive standards of higher education, and provide recommendations to better support these workers and their health.