Rachel Robasciotti said when she talks about issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in 2022, she captures more ears than she did just a few years ago.
Robasciotti — founder of impact investment firm
But as fatal police encounters and protests pushed the nation to the brink in summer 2020, open conversations about barriers that have been in place for generations began to flow throughout the world of financial services.
“What happened when George Floyd was murdered —and I always want to say he did not get up that day thinking I'm going to be a martyr. He didn't want to be a martyr. But what has changed since then is the kinds of stories that I was telling about my experience as a queer, Black woman in one way or another have just gotten more and more amplified,” Robasciotti told Financial Planning while discussing the diverse group of speakers that will share the stage with her this fall at the
“I was telling the same stories, but the volume on the mic has just been turned up, and that feels really important to me. But I also hear from lots of other people from marginalized groups within financial services how important it is to hear our stories spoken,” she continued. “Simply because we're underrepresented doesn't mean that we aren't here, and people listening to what it is that we have to say has already started to make major movements in the investment industry.”
Following the death of Black Americans like Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020, the nation experienced a societal awakening and a fervent call of change. That heightened awareness ushered in a number of promises and pledges from industry leaders to make things better.
Scroll down to see how far some of those promises have gone, and efforts that the Financial Planning team continues to keep an eye on.
Justin L. Mack, Tobias Salinger, Lynnley Browning, Ryan W. Neal and Janice Kirkel contributed to this report
