JWJI Colloquium to Feature Sociologist Adia Harvey Wingfield

Wingfield to discuss how workplace dynamics perpetuate racial inequality

Mar. 23, 2026 at 4:00pm

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Emory University's James Weldon Johnson Institute (JWJI) is hosting a colloquium featuring sociologist Adia Harvey Wingfield, who will present her research on how seemingly neutral workplace practices and cultures continue to hinder the advancement of Black employees.

Why it matters

Wingfield's work sheds light on the persistent racial disparities in hiring, pay, and promotion that exist in many industries, even as diversity and inclusion efforts have become more widespread. Her insights can help organizations identify and address the systemic barriers that prevent Black workers from reaching the highest levels.

The details

In her talk, titled "Gray Areas: How the Way We Work Maintains Racism", Wingfield will draw on narratives from seven Black workers in fields ranging from academia to medicine to entertainment. She will discuss how recruitment, promotion, workplace culture, and other fundamental aspects of employment often function in ways that perpetuate racial inequality, even when companies claim to support diversity.

  • The colloquium is scheduled for March 23, 2026 at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

The players

Adia Harvey Wingfield

A professor of sociology at Washington University in St. Louis who studies race, gender, and work.

James Weldon Johnson Institute

An interdisciplinary research center at Emory University that focuses on the history, culture, and politics of the African diaspora.

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What they’re saying

“Even when support for DEI was at its peak, Black workers were slower to be hired, earned less than their white colleagues, stalled out at midlevel positions, and rarely advanced to the top ranks of organizations. Why do these disparities persist?”

— Adia Harvey Wingfield

The takeaway

Wingfield's research underscores the need for organizations to critically examine their workplace practices and cultures to identify and dismantle the systemic barriers that prevent qualified Black employees from advancing. Her insights can help guide more meaningful and effective diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.