Episode 63. In today's interview, "Critical Race Theory & Black Accountants with Anton Lewis."
Anton Lewis is a tenured Associate Professor of Accounting at Valparaiso University, Indiana, where he primarily teaches undergraduate financial accountancy and managerial accountancy, as well as undergraduate Audit and Accounting Information Systems classes. He also hosts the ‘Counting Black and White Beans Podcast' and makes monthly guest appearances on the NPR Radio Show Regionally Speaking (links below).
Key takeaways from this episode include:
★ why we have so few black accountants in practice and in partner roles - statistics and trends
★ what makes the US more woke and open when it comes to revealing data on minorities in accounting, unlike the UK
★ the problems with 'diversity' as a concept in the accounting arena so it means different things to different people
★ explaining the 'stale, male and pale' description of the white, ageing working population of CPAs and accountants
★ why it's hard not to escape the charge that racism is prevalent in the accounting profession
★ the hypocrisy of the tech industry that claims to be meritocratic but shows clear signs of bias and racism
★ explaining 'Critical Race Theory' or CRT and how it applies to the accounting profession perspective
★ asking if CRT is dangerous or helpful in challenging the racist status quo in the accounting profession
★ why things should stay as they are in accounting when it comes to the under-representation of women, LGBTQ, class, generations and other minorities
★ what stops the privileged people at the top of the tree in accounting from stepping aside or calling for change
★ how race is inextricably linked with gender, class, LGBTQ and other battlegrounds in the accounting world
★ applauding the organizations and movements that are pushing an inclusive, diverse equality in accountancy
★ what questions accounting professionals should be asking to determine whether there is a diversity, equity and inclusion problem in their firm
★ why a lack of black representation in accounting leadership harms the succession and inclusion of more black accountants
★ the pain and downsides that potentially occur when accounting leaders challenge the status quo of minority under representation
★ what accountants need to be doing to 'stay on the right side of history' with the white privilege argument in accounting
★ a call to arms of the accounting profession to right some wrongs and do the right thing with black representation and equity for other minorities
In his spare time, Anton like to cook. As a qualified pastry chef who has cooked in France and in restaurants and hotels in England, he loves making all kinds of tarts and cakes. His other culinary passion is Indian/Pakistani Balti cuisine - he has been known to cook the odd Indian Feast. He is married to wife Kathy and has 3 young children. You can connect to him here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anton-lewis-216ab170
https://twitter.com/Antonlws
https://www.instagram.com/alewis_justice
Podcast: https://blackandwhitebeans.libsyn.com/?_ga=2.234123294.1238878791.1645043266-302157601.1625785609
NPR Radio Show Regionally Speaking: https://www.lakeshorepublicradio.org/show/regionally-speaking/2022-02-08/regionally-speaking-february-8-2022
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