Equitas Health adding diversity chief
Community groups call for change in leadership
Equitas Health released a statement on its website and Facebook page Thursday in response to accusations of racial discrimination from current and former employees published in a Columbus
Dispatch article Oct. 5.
The Columbus-based health provider for the LGBTQ community said it appreciated its employees for coming forward and pledged to “become a more anti-racist organization.”
“Equitas Health acknowledges the impact white supremacy culture and structural racism has on the BIPOC community, members of historically minoritized communities in America and in the workplace,” the nonprofit said in the statement, which was attributed to
CEO Bill Hardy. “Equitas Health acknowledges the exclusion of BIPOC people from the greater LGBTQ+ community … (and) apologizes for any role we had in perpetuating such.”
Amid demands from current and former employees for a chief diversity officer, the organization announced that it will post a position for a chief people and culture officer. The role will manage culture and human resources, along with diversity, equity and inclusion.
Equitas also shared a list of DEI initiatives, including board diversification, an equity compensation audit and resource allocation for human resources and diversity and inclusion departments.
Former Equitas graphic designer Lisa Mclymont said the statement “danced around” what needed to be said, and she called for a change in senior leadership.
“Until (Bill Hardy and Senior Director of Marketing Carol Zimmer Clark) step
down and the current staff do a proper search for replacements who lead in being anti-racist, no true change will happen,” said Mclymont, 52, of the South Side, who is Black.
In a previous interview with the Dispatch, Mclymont said she experienced and witnessed discrimination within the organization and was denied a promotion by Clark.
Other community organizations in Columbus made demands of Equitas and expressed solidarity with current and former employees of color.
Both the Queer Partnership for Black Liberation and the Black Queer & Intersectional Collective called on the organization to change its culture, with the latter demanding the removal of Hardy as CEO, the removal of Carol Zimmer Clark from the organization and the resignation of board members who “fostered this culture of harm.”
“We will not be uplifting, collaborating or engaging with Equitas Health until they repair the harm they’ve inflicted, acknowledge said harm publicly, apologize publicly and start taking the steps necessary for actual change, BQIC said in a statement.
TEDX King-lincoln Bronzeville, a local division of the popular Tedx speaking event series, said it is rescinding its partnership with Equitas Health.
The Ohio chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, as well as LGBTQ organizations Kaleidoscope Youth Center and Stonewall Columbus, also released statements in support of the Equitas workers who spoke out about racial discrimination.
Former employee Liz Rose-cohen, 47, of Berwick, said the new chief people and culture officer role is “an important step” that Equitas workers requested.
“(But) the fact that it took a public shaming to bring about a change that we consistently advocated for through the appropriate channels is proof that this one change is not nearly enough,” added Rose-cohen, who said she left her position as content manager due to the workplace environment.
“Bill Hardy, as the leader of this white paternalistic culture, must step down if there is going to be even the possibility of a true cultural transformation,” Rosecohen said. “And the board of trustees must hold accountable all of those in the C-suite and at the director level who have been willing to walk in step with his leadership.”
Mclymont expressed some reservations about the new C-suite position.
“I don’t know how they expect this one person to change all that needs to be changed if the top leaders aren’t admitting to and facing their own racism,” she said. “The top people make a ton more money than they need. They should invest in truly enriching the talent they have, so they can continue to attract more.”
Equitas had revenue of $56 million and Hardy’s salary was $461,877 for the year ended June 30, 2020, according to its tax return, which is publicly available. Salaries for four other non-clinical executives ranged from $149,000 to $268,000.
Equitas employees of color said they experienced microaggressions, harassment, discriminatory disciplinary actions and an inability to advance within the organization. They requested an audit of the conditions for employees of color and termination policies for marginalized staff. They also asked for an apology to the staff and community that acknowledges harm done. ethompson@dispatch.com @miss_ethompson