We’re profiling DEI leaders to engage their insights into how the corporate and nonprofit sectors are transforming as they address some of society’s most pressing challenges. 

Fatimah Gilliam began her career as a corporate attorney on Wall Street, worked for Citigroup overseeing campus diversity recruiting for all its U.S. businesses, and oversaw corporate partnerships as the Head of Finance and Fundraising for North America for the Nobel Peace Prize-winning United Nations World Food Programme. Since founding The Azara Group, which provides diversity and inclusion, leadership development, negotiation, and strategy consulting services, she has advised Fortune 500 corporations, senior executives running billion-dollar businesses, and industry thought leaders. She is also the author of the forthcoming book Race Rules – What Your Black Friend Won’t Tell You, coming out in early 2024.

Could you tell me and you and your work in social impact and DEI?

I’m the Founder of The Azara Group, which provides diversity and inclusion, leadership development, negotiation, and strategy consulting services. I work with Fortune 500 companies, business leaders, private clients, and clients in sports. I help people and organizations get what they want – including helping them shape what that looks like as they gain strategic leverage to achieve their goals. I’m a trusted advisor in navigating playing organizational and relationship chess to gain influence. 

In terms of my diversity work specifically, I advise companies in strategically addressing diversity issues and developing sustainable solutions that create more inclusive environments. My approach is not to just mitigate risk and litigation exposure, but rather to promote more inclusive organizations, workplaces, and cultures that enable leaders and companies to thrive and better connect with employees, clients, customers, and vendors.

What inspired you to begin working in social impact?

I’ve always had a strong sense of duty to make society better. It’s why I went to Columbia Law School and earned my policy degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. My analytical lens often considers the big picture and how incremental changes within an organization can impact broader societal transformation. Ever since I was child, I’ve been pushing to make places better. I don’t believe in coasting. We can always strive to do more and be better. I advocate not for what is but for what could be.

Why does increasing the number of people working in social impact matter?

It’s important to expand how integrated social impact becomes into organizational and business practices. As the numbers increase, this helps make social impact and principles like diversity and inclusion a part of general business practices, organizational culture, and measuring success.

What is your favorite project that you have or are currently working on?

My favorite project links to my decision to become an author and write a book. Before the pandemic, I started writing a book on racism entitled Race Rules – What Your Black Friend Won’t Tell You. It’s scheduled to hit bookshelves in January 2024 before Black History Month, and is being published by Berrett-Koehler. Race Rules is an innovative, practical manual of the unwritten “rules” relating to race helping readers navigate in today’s racially-polarized world.

One of the main reasons why I wrote this book is because people need advice on what’s acceptable behavior, and insight into how their actions, behaviors, and perspectives are racially offensive. 

Could you tell us more about your book?

Race Rules – What Your Black Friend Won’t Tell You provides tips and tools on navigating cross-racial interactions in people’s personal and professional lives. It’s unlike other books on the market since it combines history and explanations with practical advice to help shift behaviors – going beyond the theoretical and superficial by focusing on what’s implementable.  It fills a market void and information vacuum with current racism books by offering guidance on what to do, responds to the types of questions I get from my clients, and addresses repetitive blunders and mistakes people make that expose people of color to continual racial toxicity and trauma. 

Race Rules seeks to expand people’s understanding of racism, while infusing humor and the unvarnished truth on a broad range of useful topics. Race Rules boldly says the quiet part out loud to help advice sink in and resonate.  It’s informed by my diversity consulting work, my lived experiences, my deep knowledge of American history and society, and the harmful and negative things people say to me when they don’t realize I’m Black. America is thirsty for solutions. Race Rules answers the public’s call for direction to be our best selves. 

You can get updates on the book on my website. 

What would you tell others interested in pursuing a career in CSR or social impact?

It requires patience and leveraging strategies to develop buy-in and expand your influence. When you’re advocating for concepts and initiatives that some see as “altruism” or pushing against the status quo even though CSR and social impact align with business goals and objectives, part of your task involves keen influencing acumen. I’m both a negotiations and diversity expert. I use both areas of my expertise to bring more people on board and to drive change.

How have you seen diversity and inclusion come into play in the world of social impact in the last few years?

In the wake of the tragic murder of George Floyd, we’ve seen an explosion with companies, organizations, and local governments prioritizing diversity work. They’ve created new diversity positions, bolstered affinity groups, donated money to causes, and kicked off initiatives for employees. Some already had formal diversity infrastructure and some started from scratch.

It’s interesting to watch since efforts follow two tracks – the organizations that are legitimately trying to drive change, and others that are engaged in performative lip service that seek the patina of change. My hope is more places will pursue fewer performative pathways – including having well-funded budgets for initiatives and consultants, hiring actual experts instead of tapping anyone Black or brown with a pulse, and having dedicated paid headcount instead of treating diversity as an extracurricular activity for busy staff with day jobs. 

Seeing more places engage in this work is a positive step, but the real measure is the impact on creating belonging, opportunities for advancement and skill development, access to contacts and business development, and equalizing compensation.

Discover the Next Era of Social Impact

If you're interested in an opportunity to to discuss your social impact initiatives, your story, and how your company is creating impact, email vanessa@paragonone.com

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