The Inclusion Audit: Diagnosing Structural Inequity at Harlow & Associates

Harlow & Associates is a 280-person architecture firm with a strong regional reputation. Three years ago, in response to industry-wide criticism of racial homogeneity, the founding partners committed to aggressive diversity hiring. They succeeded: the firm went from 12% to 31% employees of color in three years. They also published a values statement, created an inclusion committee, and hosted two annual DEI workshops. But a recent anonymous survey commissioned by the inclusion committee - which the founding partners didn't expect to be this candid - showed: 68% of employees of color feel unable to challenge senior partners' design decisions; 54% feel their work is less likely to be presented to clients; and 41% have witnessed or experienced racialized comments framed as 'creative banter.' Turnover for employees of color is 2.8x higher than for white employees. The founding partners are now confused, hurt, and defensive.

Key Stakeholders

Thomas Harlow

Founding Partner

Jade Okonkwo

Senior Associate (co-chair, Inclusion Committee)

Carol Vance

COO

Ben Farris

Senior Partner

Learning Objectives

• Distinguish between diversity (representation) and inclusion (belonging and equity of experience)
• Apply structural analysis to identify the organizational patterns producing differential inclusion experiences
• Navigate founding partner defensiveness while maintaining diagnostic integrity
• Design an intersectional intervention strategy that addresses culture, process, and power
• Develop measurement frameworks that track inclusion outcomes, not just representation numbers