Selected Works
Below are summaries and links to my writings on equity and inclusion, including:
You can also visit the Resources page for research-based and practice-oriented briefs on advancing equity and inclusion, and my Media page to explore conversations and discussions about my work.
Practitioner-focused Articles & Reports
Brown, Ahmmad, and Pamela Coukos
Organizational Justice: A Path Forward for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work
Stanford Social Innovation Review (2025)
This piece offers a grounded framework for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations amid rising political and institutional backlash. Drawing on the concept of organizational justice, we argue that fairness in structures, processes, and treatment should anchor sustainable equity and inclusion efforts. We show how context-specific strategies, transparency, and institutional legitimacy can help leaders and practitioners maintain impact, even in challenging environments.
Also listen to Ahmmad and Pam Coukos, CEO and Co-founder of Working IDEAL, discuss the article and how the organizational justice framework provides grounded and forward-looking framework for building more resilient and just workplaces
Brown, Ahmmad. Andrea Polanco, Allison Troy, Andie Thompkins
From Performative to Transformative: Navigating Equity & Inclusion Across a Diverse Animal Advocacy Movement
Faunalytics (2025)
This report offers a practical guide for farmed animal advocacy organizations and leaders, with broader relevance for social sector organizations seeking to align diversity, equity, and inclusion with core mission and long-term impact. Based on interviews with advocates and prospective advocates of color, as well as leaders across racial identity groups, the report outlines two key approaches: organizational justice and social justice. Organizational justice represents the essential baseline for any organization committed to this work, while social justice approaches can be layered on strategically and with honest self-assessment about how they connect to the organization’s mission and identity. The report provides tailored recommendations by advocacy type and mission focus, and invites organizations to move beyond symbolic gestures and take meaningful steps toward deeper inclusion, shared power, and lasting change.
Also see Ahmmad and Andrea Polanco, the report's second author, discuss the paper and recommendations for animal advocacy and social sector organizations generally.
Scholarly Publications & Teaching Materials
Cechony, Anna, and Ahmmad Brown
Addressing Structural, Social, and Symbolic Exclusion of Disabled People
Journal of Applied Social Science (2025)
This piece examines how senior leaders at U.S. colleges and universities perceive the experiences of disabled students on their campuses. Through in-depth interviews, we found that most leaders focused on physical or structural access, such as ramps or accommodations, while paying much less attention to the social and cultural barriers that shape students' everyday experiences. We offer a practical framework for recognizing different types of exclusion and share concrete ways leaders can foster real inclusion. This includes not only improving access but also shifting campus culture and decision-making practices, especially in a time when diversity and inclusion efforts face growing public scrutiny. Full text available upon request.
Also see Ahmmad and Anna Cechony's resource document (PDF) for applying key insights from this paper in organizations.
Brown, Ahmmad, and Ty-Juana L. Flores
Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice (2025): 62(2), 173-185.
Studies show that students at mostly White colleges often stick to their own racial groups, with Black students in particular having fewer interactions across racial lines. To help improve this, we analyzed the Black Scholars Initiative (BSI) at the Berklee College of Music, a program designed to foster positive cross-racial interactions and a sense of belonging. The study found that programs like BSI can help Black students feel connected to their peers and the whole campus, which helps them grow and succeed. Full text available upon request.
Ninh, Amie, and Ahmmad Brown
A Leader's Choice: DEI Paradigms and the Consequences of Misalignment.
Organization Development Review 56.4 (2024): 61-70
The field of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) operates under different ways of thinking, or paradigms. This paper identifies four DEI paradigms in research and, through interviews with 16 tech industry DEI leaders, examines how they apply these in practice. While DEI leaders can integrate multiple approaches, their organizations often lack the same flexibility and understanding. This misalignment creates challenges in setting expectations and executing DEI efforts. The paper also discusses what this means for DEI leaders and organizations moving forward, highlighting the impact of these gaps on DEI work.
Brown, Ahmmad and Ritu Tripathi
Global Firm and Local Labor: Delivering Paid Parental Leave*
William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (2024)
A teaching case on the challenge of implementing an equitable parental leave policy in a global industrial firm. It follows TriBrown—operating in 70+ countries with growing international revenues—as it seeks to align its diversity, equity, and inclusion goals with its people strategy. Centered on Maya Marshall, VP of DEI, the case highlights data analysis, stakeholder negotiations, and cross‐country differences in law and culture. This case focuses on the ability to diagnose, design, and implement policies that must balance global scale, local variation, and equity in practice.
*First Place Winner; 2024 William Davidson Institute DEI Global Case Writing Competition
Opinion Articles in Forbes
Allyship Is A Starting Place, Not An End Goal
A profile of two leaders who have embraced allyship in their organizations, with encouraging results.
Dialogue — Not Debate — Can Help DEI Efforts During Times Of Crisis
A look into how DEI practitioners are responding to the violence in the Middle East.
Blaming The DEI Industry For Failures Misses The Point
An analysis of how common criticisms of DEI often over-generalize DEI work and minimize leader accountability.
Why Communicating Organizational Identity Is The First Step To Get Belonging Right In The Workplace
An explanation of why truly understanding “belonging” is essential to DEI work.