BIJC Has an I.D.E.A for Diversity Training in 2022

Starting in January, the Black in Jewelry Coalition will host webinars on addressing racial injustice and encountering racism in retail.

Michelle Graff michelle.graff@nationaljeweler.com

Risha Grant, left, and Reggie Johnson will host Jewelry Industry I.D.E.A. education webinars in early 2022. Grant’s will focus on confronting and moving beyond bias, while Johnson will lead a panel discussion on encountering racism in retail, both as an employee and as a customer.

New York—Early next year, the Black in Jewelry Coalition will host a pair of webinars designed to help members of the jewelry industry recognize and confront ingrained cultural biases that create problems in the workplace and the community at large.

BIJC’s Jewelry Industry I.D.E.A. education program will launch in January and is designed to promote inclusivity, diversity, and equity for all. It is being presented in partnership with more than a half-dozen major industry organizations.

“The jewelry industry’s leading organizations have joined forces with one common goal—to provide a complimentary inclusivity and diversity educational program designed to be accessible for everyone that works in the jewelry, gem and watch industry,” said BIJC President Annie Doresca.

The program currently consists of two webinars that will be available to watch live or on-demand. All attendees who complete both sessions will receive a certificate.

They are free of charge and available for replay through July.

The sessions are as follows.

“Get Rid of the BS”

Jan. 19, 2022, 2 p.m. EST

Two days after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Risha Grant, a renowned expert on diversity and inclusion, will host a webinar titled “Get Rid of the BS.”

Known for her no-holds-barred style, Grant will tackle hard but necessary questions about how to address social unrest and racial injustice. She’ll also offer practical advice on how to confront biases to create more respectful, diverse, and inclusive communities. Register now for “Get Rid of the BS.”

“Encounters With Bias and Racism: A Panel Discussion”

Feb. 16, 2022, 2 p.m. EST

Reggie Johnson, chief diversity officer and senior vice president at Signet Jewelers and a BIJC director, will lead a panel discussion on bias and racism in a retail setting. Panelists will share first-person accounts of encountering racism both as a consumer and an employee, with the goal of showcasing how each encounter could have been avoided.

Those who register will receive an email confirmation containing information on how to join the webinar.