Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices—or workplace policies aimed at creating a supportive work environment for people of all backgrounds—were embraced in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement. Are DEI initiatives still being adopted three years later, and are they being implemented in all workplaces? Is DEI an American issue? How does DEI impact initiatives in France for a more equitable future? This discussion takes a look at the past, present, and future of an equitable future in the arts. Binkady-Emmanuel Hié, a writer, consultant, and activist who has worked as a fundraiser for the Paris Opera, will share his thoughts on diversity and equity at the opera and in the arts.
A graduate of La Sorbonne, Hié worked for several years as a fundraiser at the Paris Opera before launching NORME, an agency that provides consulting services on DEI and management services.
In 2020, following the BLM movement and during the global pandemic, Hié, along with five dancers co-wrote a manifesto titled “De la question raciale à l’Opéra de Paris,” which called for effective anti-discrimination policies at the Opera. The company responded with a 66-page report on diversity at the Paris Opera. Hié discusses what changes were made after the report, and delves into the history of Black figures in the arts from France.
Hié is the author of the book, VISIBLE! Figures noires de l’Histoire de France, which highlights Black figures in French History. The book will be published in October 2023. In a conversation with Apres Josephine’s Lyneka Little, Hié shares his thoughts on race, diversity, and equity at a time when diversity & inclusion initiatives are under fire.
This event is in partnership with Après Josephine.
About the speakers:
After graduating from La Sorbonne, Binkady-Emmanuel Hié left his law career to work as a fundraiser at the Paris Opera. Following the BLM movement, he co-wrote a manifesto that tackled the racial issues inside this institution and echoed worldwide. In 2021, he founded NORME, an agency that provides consulting services on diversity & inclusion, management services for artists such as ballet dancer Guillaume Diop, and develops creative projects. His first book, VISIBLE !, that highlights Black figures in French History, will be published in October 2023.
Lyneka Little is the founder of Après Josephine. She is also the Audience Engagement Editor for the Prison Journalism Project, an award-winning nonprofit organization that trains incarcerated writers. Previously, she worked at the Wall Street Journal, ImpactAlpha and ABC News. She has bylines in YoungEntrepreneur.com, Jet Magazine, People Magazine and various other publications. She holds a journalism degree from Howard University.
