--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think that the trickle-down…" description: "\"I don't think that the trickle-down theory of diversity ever really works.\" — Kimberly Bryant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/kimberly-bryant-11279_diversity_i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theo_1780883.jpg" --- # I don't think that the trickle-down theory of diversity… ![“I don't think that the trickle-down theory of diversity ever really works.” quote by Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/kimberly-bryant-11279_diversity_i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theo_1780883.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/kimberly-bryant-11279_diversity_i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theo_1780883.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/kimberly-bryant-11279_diversity_i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theo_1780883.jpg) > “I don't think that the trickle-down theory of diversity ever really works.” [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trickle‑down diversity assumptions fail because systemic barriers aren’t addressed, so true inclusion requires structural change. **In simple terms:** Diversity policies need deeper systemic reform. Key Takeaway Address root causes, not just surface representation. Themes diversity equity systemic inclusion Mood critical hopeful Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - HR policy - tech hiring - education programs Key Concepts social justice organizational change Questions to Reflect On - What systemic changes can improve diversity? - How can organizations move beyond tokenism? A Different Perspective May underestimate individual agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) ## Related quotes > [People get tired of talking about American exceptionalism, but I think this is an extraordinary thing about the United States, that we are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-l-eck/people-get-tired-of-talking-about-american-exceptionalism-but-i-think/) [Diana L. Eck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-l-eck/) > [Diversity is really a richness for mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabiola-gianotti/diversity-is-really-a-richness-for-mankind/) [Fabiola Gianotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabiola-gianotti/) > [Faith is a very powerful force in the history of humanity. So I greatly respect different kinds of faith. Just as I think diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-church/faith-is-a-very-powerful-force-in-the-history-of-humanity-so-i/) [George M. Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-church/) > [My world view has always been that there's just an enormous amount of cultural and religious diversity out there, all of which is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-gates/my-world-view-has-always-been-that-there-s-just-an-enormous-amount-of/) [Josh Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-gates/) > [“Usually when people talk about the trickle-down theory, it has to do with economics. The richer people at the top of a society become,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/usually-when-people-talk-about-the-trickle-down-theory-it-has-to-do/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The Republican Party is doubling down on this trickle-down theory that says, 'Thou shalt concentrate wealth at the very top of our society. Thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/the-republican-party-is-doubling-down-on-this-trickle-down-theory/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [It's kind of hard to sell 'trickle down,' so the supply-side formula was the only way to get a tax policy that was really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stockman/it-s-kind-of-hard-to-sell-trickle-down-so-the-supply-side-formula-was/) [David Stockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stockman/) > [The trickle-down theory of economics has it that it's good for rich people to get even richer because some of their wealth will trickle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-trickle-down-theory-of-economics-has-it-that-it-s-good-for-rich/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [If there was ever any truth to the trickle-down theory, the only evidence of it I've ever seen was in that period of 1960…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-van-ronk/if-there-was-ever-any-truth-to-the-trickle-down-theory-the-only/) [Dave Van Ronk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-van-ronk/) > [“Trickle-down theory - the less than elegant metaphor that if one feeds the horse enough oats, some will pass through to the road for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/trickle-down-theory-the-less-than-elegant-metaphor-that-if-one-feeds/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [The "trickle-down" theory: the principle that the poor, who must subsist on table scraps dropped by the rich, can best be served by giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blum/the-trickle-down-theory-the-principle-that-the-poor-who-must-subsist/) [William Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blum/) > [“That scientifically savvy philosopher Daniel Dennett pointed out that evolution counters one of the oldest ideas we have: 'the idea that it takes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/that-scientifically-savvy-philosopher-daniel-dennett-pointed-out-that/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [On tight money: It reflects a reversion to the old idea that the tree can be fertilized at the top instead of at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/on-tight-money-it-reflects-a-reversion-to-the-old-idea-that-the-tree/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Having an economy that works for the 99% is achievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/having-an-economy-that-works-for-the-99-is-achievable/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) ## More by Kimberly Bryant > [You can absolutely be what you can't see! That's what innovators and disruptors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/you-can-absolutely-be-what-you-can-t-see-that-s-what-innovators-and/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [Our goal is to really have young women of color embrace the tech marketplace and the tech innovation space as both leaders and creators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/our-goal-is-to-really-have-young-women-of-color-embrace-the-tech/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [My first introduction to computers and computer programming came during my freshman year of college. I majored in electrical engineering with a minor in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/my-first-introduction-to-computers-and-computer-programming-came/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [Jobs in technology have the rapidest rate of growth. The need for computer science is so incredibly large, and it's important that girls of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/jobs-in-technology-have-the-rapidest-rate-of-growth-the-need-for/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [When I started Black Girls Code in 2011, there weren't any programs that had a foundation in communities of color to teach our kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/when-i-started-black-girls-code-in-2011-there-weren-t-any-programs/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [I had been tracked from grades 1 through 12 in an accelerated program in the public school system in Memphis and had done well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/i-had-been-tracked-from-grades-1-through-12-in-an-accelerated-program/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [It's critical for girls to see role models like myself that are in technical fields. Looking for ways to come in as speakers or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/it-s-critical-for-girls-to-see-role-models-like-myself-that-are-in/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [I do believe that most startups who develop applications and digital products design 'towards the middle.' By this, I mean they design their products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/i-do-believe-that-most-startups-who-develop-applications-and-digital/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [Women and girls are naturally agents of change. If we teach one girl to code, she will go on to teach more - we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/women-and-girls-are-naturally-agents-of-change-if-we-teach-one-girl/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [For me, if a company is really committed to diversity, that means everything. That means gender diversity, that means sexual orientation for me, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/for-me-if-a-company-is-really-committed-to-diversity-that-means/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [Few of my classmates looked like me. While we shared similar aspirations and many good times, there's much to be said for making any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/few-of-my-classmates-looked-like-me-while-we-shared-similar/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [Although we use a lot of technology and consume a lot of technology as people of color, we're usually not the ones at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/although-we-use-a-lot-of-technology-and-consume-a-lot-of-technology/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [The images you see in media are vital to impacting not just what the world sees in terms of who can be a computer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/the-images-you-see-in-media-are-vital-to-impacting-not-just-what-the/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [We want to see companies making a good faith effort and putting some tangible initiatives behind their pledge for diversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/we-want-to-see-companies-making-a-good-faith-effort-and-putting-some/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [If technology is designed mostly by white males, who make up roughly half our population, we're missing out on the innovation, solutions, and creativity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/if-technology-is-designed-mostly-by-white-males-who-make-up-roughly/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) [Explore all 60 Kimberly Bryant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) ## More Diversity quotes > [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [I think the issues around diversity of all kinds are really a huge problem in the startup world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/i-think-the-issues-around-diversity-of-all-kinds-are-really-a-huge/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [I hope that we always have diversity, that we have equality and representation every step of the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/i-hope-that-we-always-have-diversity-that-we-have-equality-and/) [Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/) > [Being an inclusive place means being inclusive for all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/being-an-inclusive-place-means-being-inclusive-for-all-people/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [In such a diversity it was impossible I should be disposed to melancholy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-boone/in-such-a-diversity-it-was-impossible-i-should-be-disposed-to/) [Daniel Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-boone/) > [If you chose a particular religion, you were siding with the government religion of whatever region you were in. That's never been true in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/if-you-chose-a-particular-religion-you-were-siding-with-the/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The growth of race relations management, diversity training and 'promoting good relations' has come at a cost. We are more sensitized to racism, yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/the-growth-of-race-relations-management-diversity-training-and/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [Have therefore zeal to better thyself and then mayst thou have zeal to thy neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/have-therefore-zeal-to-better-thyself-and-then-mayst-thou-have-zeal/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Pilgrim of the heart, oneness in our vein - love is the revolution, Human is the name.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/pilgrim-of-the-heart-oneness-in-our-vein-love-is-the-revolution-human/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [While our bipartisan establishment worships diversity, Trump saw Middle America recoiling from the demographic change brought about by Third World invasions. And he promised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/while-our-bipartisan-establishment-worships-diversity-trump-saw/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [“Why I am Passionate and Dedicated 1000% to producing and bringing my books Loving Summer, Bitter Frost, and other book series to the Screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-gow/why-i-am-passionate-and-dedicated-1000-to-producing-and-bringing-my/) [Kailin Gow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-gow/) > [There's this idea that inclusivity and seeking diversity is this agenda. And the truth is, it is. It's an agenda, but it's about addition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ackie/there-s-this-idea-that-inclusivity-and-seeking-diversity-is-this/) [Naomi Ackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ackie/) > [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. It's one of the presumable principles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/we-re-never-all-going-to-agree-with-each-other-we-have-to-learn-to/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [Australia has embraced migrants from all different races, making us one of the most multiracial nations on earth. Most have assimilated and are proud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-hanson/australia-has-embraced-migrants-from-all-different-races-making-us/) [Pauline Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-hanson/) [Browse all 2,733 Diversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think that the trickle-down theory of diversity ever really works.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kimberly Bryant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theory-of-diversity-ever-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Diversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theory-of-diversity-ever-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/kimberly-bryant-11279_diversity_i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theo_1780883.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/kimberly-bryant-11279_diversity_i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theo_1780883.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/kimberly-bryant-11279_diversity_i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theo_1780883.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think that the trickle-down theory of diversity ever really works.” — Kimberly Bryant", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kimberly Bryant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think that the trickle-down...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theory-of-diversity-ever-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/i-don-t-think-that-the-trickle-down-theory-of-diversity-ever-really/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```