AAUW – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Link to: DEI aggression_chart
Link to: AAUW_DEI_objectives
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by June Reinert, DEI Chair – October 2024
Wanted: AAUW members to Join our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. We are specifically looking for part-time members to join our team.
Contact June Reinert, 608-461-1109 or reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu
At the AAUW-La Crosse Branch, our commitment to diversity is unwavering. We are dedicated to attracting and retaining members who share our passion for celebrating diversity. Our members have a rich history of raising awareness through impactful initiatives, programs, and research. This legacy of impactful work is a testament to our shared values. It inspires us to continue promoting diversity, providing a secure and confident direction for our future. The DEI Committee in the La Crosse Branch has been making significant strides in diversity programming over the last three years. This commitment is not just a statement but a promise we uphold daily.
The AAUW Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) resources aim to identify best practices for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within AAUW. These resources present guidelines for how AAUW branches, national members, student members, and individual members can demonstrate an understanding of AAUW’s mission, values, goals, and strategic plan. They are meant to start the inclusion conversation. We encourage all members to seek ways to incorporate inclusive practices into their branches, other non-profit organizations, community organizations, and daily lives.
The La Crosse Branch has met several milestones in this journey. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee joins all AAUW branches nationwide to promote the inclusion of all its members and programs. Your active participation is crucial in this journey.
VISION
Our vision is absolute equality and equity for all. Our values are nonpartisan, fact-based, principled, inclusive, and intersectional.
MISSION
Our mission is to propel gender equity for women and girls through rigorous research, impactful education, and unwavering advocacy. We aim to increase the diversity of our members and build a more inclusive branch to work with the broader communi- ty of supportive agencies and non-profits in our local community.
The DEI Committee in the La Crosse Branch, comprising four dedicated members, has been pivotal in advancing diversity programming over the past three years. They have been actively involved in all aspects of the La Crosse Branch of the AAUW, using the National AAUW Diversity Toolkit to steer their work and formulating a comprehensive Diversity Plan from the outset. Their exhaustive journey and the progress they’ve made stand as a testament to their unwavering dedication. They initiated an environmental study of our branch committees and have since been actively discussing the need to develop ongoing programming using the tools the members have been exposed to in the last three years.
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by June Reinert, DEI Chair – September 2024
Wanted: AAUW members to Join our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Contact June Reinert, 608-461-1109 or reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu
The DEI Committee is excited to move into the new year. We have spent the last three years presenting programs that covered the basic language of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, publishing articles in the Current, and giving short presentations. The AAUW Diversity Toolkit is also available for further study, as are an abundance of activities and programs in our community.
I have decided to concentrate on the term Allyship, which is further explained in the Toolkit.
Allyship is the state or condition of being an ally, a supportive association with another person or group. The Anti-oppression Network defines allyship as “an active, consistent, and arduous practice of unlearning and re-evaluating, in which a person in a position of privilege and power seeks to operate in solidarity with a marginalized group.”
Allyship is not a passive role that can be claimed but an active commitment to speaking up and taking action. Consistent work may not always go perfectly, but being open to listening, learning, and doing better is an important part of allyship.
Listening is a vital skill for an ally, but examining our perspectives and prejudices is equally essential. Everyone has biases; learning about our own can help mitigate their harmful impacts and be a step towards unlearning actions that may harm others.
Speaking out about injustices and advocating for change when you recognize the unjust treatment of others, even if/when you may not fully understand the struggle, is also part of being an ally. Speaking up might look different depending on the situation, but ideally, it also includes amplifying the voices of others who are being oppressed. You are not an ally because you know best; you are an ally because you have privilege and you are using that privilege to amplify the messages of others who are marginalized.
From 2024 to 2025, we would like to broaden and expand our approach to developing our branch’s DEI plans. We plan to concentrate on working with other community non-profit groups that sponsor diversity programs. We would also like to assist them in some of their mission goals by providing resources that would be provided by our members, e.g., diapers and women’s sanitary products. Additionally, we would participate in the various diversity fests in town by setting up a table and being available to ask questions. Please consider joining us!
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by: June Reinert, DEI Chair – May 2024
Dealing With Difficult Conversations
Understanding Your Way of Dealing with Conflict
Conflict is normal and can be inherent in nearly every situation. When conflict arises, what matters is how we deal with it. It is important to ensure that the response is rational and balanced and deals with the conflict efficiently so we can restore our focus on the task at hand.
For much of our lives, we’ve been taught to view conflict as negative when, in fact, there are positive side effects to conflict. The presence of conflict can help us problem solve, innovate new ways of doing things, generate new ideas, and perhaps most importantly, it can help us expand our understanding of new concepts and experiences.
Now, just to be clear: We are not saying that conflict is good per se. Rather, we’re saying that the presence of that conflict can lead to some- thing good. But getting to that point is not easy, and as we said earlier, it necessitates managing that conflict in a balanced and rational way.
So how do you do that? Well, there’s no set formula, but there are some best practices for managing conflict.
Best Practices for Managing Conflict
· Attempt to pursue a common goal, rather than individual goals.
· Openly and honestly communicate with everyone.
· Foster a culture in which differences of opinion are encouraged, emphasizing the common goals among your members (or team, employees, and colleagues).
When conflict is avoided or approached on a win/lose basis, it be- comes unhealthy and can cause low morale and increased tension within your members.
In the 1970s, a model for understanding managing conflict was creat- ed and from it the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) was born. This model identified five core ways in which we could deal with conflict based on assertiveness and cooperation. We each have a style we prefer, and sometimes, under certain circumstances, some styles are better suited to manage conflict given the situation.
The five styles are:
1. Collaborating Style
2. Competing Style
3. Avoiding Style
4. Accommodating Style 5. Compromising Style
The more assertive and less cooperative you are, the more likely you are to exhibit traits of the competing style for managing conflict, and the more cooperative and less assertive you are, the more accommodating you are in your style of conflict management.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by June Reinert, DEI Chair – April 2024
Difficult Conversations
Try to think of the last time you had a conversa- tion that was not easy: How did you feel before you began talking? How did you feel once the conversation ended? Did you accomplish your goals? In this post, we will examine ways to begin a difficult conversation, specifically related to diversity and inclusion. We aim to provide tools to make these conversations meaningful and productive.
“How do we Get Started with Difficult Conversations”. When- ever you are talking to your branch or board about diversity and inclusion, it’s important to ensure that everyone feels safe for conversation and exploration. Because some activities explore potentially sensitive topics, it’s a good idea to establish some norms to provide ground rules for your conversation and to ensure that space feels safe for conversation and exploration.
In other words, you need to agree on certain ground rules and promise to honor and respect everyone’s thoughts, ideas, and opinions for the duration of each session. Examples of ground rules might include:
· Speak from the “I” perspective: Avoid speaking for others by using “we,” “us,” or “them.”
· Listen actively: Listen to understand, not to respond. Some- times we are tempted to begin formulating what we want to say in response, instead of giving 100 percent of our focus to the speaker. So, let’s make sure we are listening 100 percent.
· Step up, step back: If you usually speak up often or find yourself talking more than others, challenge yourself to lean into listening and opening space for others. If you don’t usually talk as much in groups and do a lot of your thinking and processing in your head, know that we would love to hear your contributions and challenge you to add your voice to the conversation.
· Respect silence: Don’t force yourself to fill silence. Silence can be an indication of thought and process.
· Share, even if you don’t have the right words: Suspend judgment and allow others to be unpolished in their speaking. If you are unsure of their meaning, ask for clarification.
· Uphold confidentiality: Treat the candor of others as a gift. Assume that personal identities, experiences, and shared per- spectives are confidential unless you are permitted to use them.
· Lean into discomfort: Learning happens on the edge of our comfort zones. Push yourself to be open to new ideas and experiences even if they initially seem uncomfortable to you.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by: June Reinert, DEI Chair – February 2024
Hello all, this has certainly been a down year in the fight for diversity, equity and inclusion between the University of Wisconsin and the DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programs throughout the state. It has been a year of increasing the discussion of diversity within our branch, by a series of programs and initiatives. It is important that you are aware of these discussions and participate and educate some of the nay sayers. GOP lawmakers approve UW pay raises, reassert intentions to eliminate DEI. Wisconsin Examiner https://wisconsinexaminer.com › 2023/12/20 › gop-lawmakers-approveDec 20, 2023 — … DEI initiatives throughout the state. The Joint Committee … Vos and Wisconsin Republicans have been targeting DEI efforts throughout the year. UW System’s DEI initiatives prompt budget cuts, GOP says. Wisconsin State Journal https://madison.com Jun 23, 2023 — Republicans approved a plan Thursday to cut the University of Wisconsin System’s budget by $32 million in an attempt to force the school officials to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion offices and programming. Wisconsin university system reaches deal with Republicans to scale back diversity positions. CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com › Dec 8, 2023 — Democrats have accused Republicans of holding employees hostage by blocking pay raises. This attack also follows book bans in many states. Florida leads the nation in banned books. Florida’s new black history curriculum ‘sanitized’, say critics BBC https://www.bbc.com › world-us-canada-66261072 Jul 20, 2023 — Florida has approved controversial new standards for teaching African American history at the state’s public schools. The updated guidelines include a requirement that students learn “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit”. Florida school district pulls over 1,600 books for review to possibly be banned — including dictionaries. NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com › news › us-news › florida Jan 11, 2024 — The books pulled from the Escambia County School District include five dictionaries, eight encyclopedias, “The Guinness Book of World Records” and Anne Frank’s diary, to ensure they comply with the state’s new sex education law that prohibits books describing sexual content. As we follow AAUW initiatives in developing more diversity initiatives in our in our branches through our programs to attract a more diverse group of members in AAUW, we must be vigilant in our community to become more educated, so that we can continue diversify our branches.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by: June Reinert, DEI Chair – November 2023
An Interview with Sister Theresa Keller FSPA
taken from the FSPA newsletter
As a member of the FSPA Encuentro@ theBorder Team, a collaboration of the congregation with organizations who are together answering the call to hold sacred the dignity of each person, regardless of origin, Sister Theresa recently sat down with the following questions about her ministry of immigration reform and offers reflection.
What do you envision for the future of the immigration crisis in the U.S.?
I am a firm believer that what we do today will be lived out in the future of tomorrow. Doing the same thing repeatedly — trying to fit the jagged pieces of a broken immigration system together — just leaves us with a lot of disjointed fragments. My response to the immigration policy failure in the United States of America as is similar to the abolition movement. The practice of holding asylum seekers in detention while separating children from their parents needs to be struck down, and many other practices of human rights violations must stop. Joining with other justice groups, talking with legislators, petitioning, and acting on immigration and promoting immediate action will move to just immigration policy.
What is immigration? Who are migrants? Who are asylum seekers? Who are the refugees?
Before we start conversations about immigration reform with our neighbors or contact our legislators for action, we must begin with the correct context. Sister Theresa offers these definitions provided by NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice.
Immigration is the process of moving to a new country or region with the intention of staying and living there. People may choose to immigrate for a variety of reasons, such as employment opportunities, to escape violent conflict, environmental factors, educational purposes or to reunite with family.
Asylum is a form of protection that allows individuals to remain in the United States instead of being removed (deported) to a country where they fear persecution or harm. Under U.S. law, people who flee their countries because they fear persecution can apply for asylum and become asylum seekers.
Refugee status is a form of protection that may be granted to people who meet the definition of refugee and who are of special humanitarian concern to the United States. Refugees are generally people outside of their country who are unable or unwilling to return home because they fear serious harm.
If you are moved to action, check out: fspa.org/immigration
If you are moved to be involved in our branch DEI committee, contact June at 608-461-1109 or reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu
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Inclusion Infusion
by: June Reinert, DEI Chair – October 2023
The initial call for diversity training encompasses the entire AAUW membership. In a letter from the CEO of AAUW National in 2018, AAUW put forth a bold vision for our
future with a new strategic plan. The AAUW La Crosse Branch has been asked to develop a plan to diversify our membership. The DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) committee has been charged with the development of programs and membership to make our AAUW branch more inclusive. The Committee is eager to continue this work and needs your help.
Our committee has developed a questionnaire for you to complete. You will find it on pages 7 & 8 of this newsletter. This will help us plan programs to better suit you needs and plan programs in the future, utilizing some of your expertise. Please send the completed form to June Reinert, reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu or 2555 7th St. S. #129 La Crosse WI 54601. You may also bring the form to our AAUW meeting on October 14th. We will have paper copies of the questionnaire for you to fill out at our meeting aslo.
If you are interested in serving on the La Crosse Branch of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, please contact June Reinert: reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu.
I hope to hear from you.
AAUW – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by June Reinert, DEI Chair – August, 2023
The initial call for diversity training encompasses the entire AAUW membership: In a letter from the CEO of AAUW National in 2018, AAUW put forth a bold vision for our future with a new stra- tegic plan. The plan included action- able goals and tactics towards achieving equity, along with the values, mission, and vision for the organization. But words are only as good as the paper they are printed on if they are not embodied in all we do. Our values include being fiercely nonpartisan, always fact-based and with the utmost of integrity, and a commitment to inclusion and intersectionality.
One of our key goals within the plan: To embody the goals and spirit of inclusion, diversity, and intersectionality across all AAUW activities and participants. We need to not only value the importance of intersectionality, diversity, and equity, we must do the work. Systemic racism is firmly rooted in the U.S. and the injustices of today mirror our shameful history, from police brutality to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. AAUW must commit and continuously recommit to fighting for justice, long-term and lasting change, and we stand in solidarity against racism.
But, as AAUW is nearing 140 years old, we also acknowledge that as an organization we have a lot of our own work to do in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our commitment to diversity must be a commitment from all our 170,000 members and advocates around the nation who believe in our vision of equity for all. That means we must hold each other accountable; we must set bold goals and be transparent about where we are and where we are going, we must be lifelong learners in reading, listening, and understanding. I invite you to open your heart, your mind, your ears and your eyes and dive into this work with us.
In solidarity, Kim Churches, CEO AAUW
- In our La Crosse Branch, the DEI committee has been working diligently to expand our knowledge and implementation of diversity initiatives through presentations, written testimonials in our monthly newsletter, The Current and invited speakers to our monthly meetings. There is also an extensive array of materials on other parts of our website: www.aauwlacrosse.org
- We know that our members care about issues related to DEI, and live and work with people from diverse backgrounds. Obviously, our branch membership does not reflect the diversity within our region. We are fortunate to have three universities, two large hospital systems and many non-profit organizations within reach of our AAUW La Crosse Branch. We would like to seek out other partners in the community to work with this initiative. Therefore, to broaden our perspectives and be more inclusive, we want to tap into your expertise and participation to collaborate with our community partners.
Any member that is interested in serving on the La Crosse Branch of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, please contact June Reinert: reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu.
I hope to hear from you.
Thanks, from your DEI Committee: June Reinert, Erica Koonmen, Diana Moran Thundercloud, Carlene Roberts
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Update on DEI objectives completed Feb 28th, 2023 by the DEI Committee.
Committee Members: June Reinert, Carlene Roberts, Erica Koonmen, and Diana Elina Moran Thundercloud. Click here.
To read a common list of microaggressions – click here
More on . . . Inclusive Spaces
by June Reinert, DEI Chair
From Current Newsletter, May 2023
What does belonging look and feel like in an organizational setting?
To feel you belong does not mean you fit in because you are just like everyone else. It means you fit in because your uniqueness is part of what makes your group, your team, your organization, more effective.
When people are allowed to feel like they belong in an organization, they will feel more confident in their abilities to represent themselves authentically. People who “belong” feel comfortable expressing their ideas, sharing experiences, and contributing to a group when they know their input is valued.
For someone seen as “different” than the rest of their team or organzation, the work of belonging can be onerous. This is especially true for people from groups that are marginalized based on race, gender, sexuality disabilities, and other identities.
We all need psychological safety: the ability to make a valuable contribution without fear of being ridiculed or rejected. We also need our colleagues to be more aware of the subtle, and often unintentional ways they create exclusion through their words and actions.
A sense of belonging can be jeopardized by acts of exclusion from co-workers/colleagues through micro-or macro-aggressions such as talking over or shutting colleagues down when they try to contribute and devaluing their contributions. This is often done unknowingly through unconscious bias.
We are all subject to unconscious biases, underlying attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs, and even fears about other people or groups that impact our behavior. Affinity bias is the unconscious tendency we each have that pulls us toward people who are like us. It’s easier to spend time with people who have similar interests, experiences, and backgrounds. As a result, our pro- fessional networks — the people we turn to for advice, professional development, and new opportunities — tend to be very homogeneous. It takes more effort to build relationships with people who are different from us. But that is the only way to build a culture of belonging and to create sustainable change.
In a culture where people feel psychologically safe, they feel like the belong, they will feel confident enough to put an idea on the table, and know that if it isn’t accepted, it was not because of anything innately to do with them. When people feel psychologically safe, they believe others will give them the benefit of the doubt, that they can ask questions and raise issues without fear. They can be vulnerable with others and be authentic. Belonging creates the trust that is needed for people to share their best thinking and put their craziest, and perhaps, least popular ideas on the table. In psychologically safe spaces, people learn and grow together, push back against the status quo and innovate.
Creating Inclusive Spaces
by June Reinert, DEI Chair
How do you create inclusive spaces? What does it mean to create
an inclusive space? Diversity is only the beginning. To create truly diverse spaces, those spaces also need to be inclusive, where all parties feel welcomed, appreciated, respected and heard — and have full access to all resources and can contribute to AAUW’s success.
We are all familiar with this quotation from Vernā Myers, a Harvard -trained attorney and currently, the VP, Inclusion Strategy at Netflix: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.”
The dialogue around diversity, equity, and inclusion, is broad and growing. Unfortunately those terms are frequently used interchangeably. Words often hold different meanings for different people, creating the need for a common vocabulary to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
Let’s start with Inclusion. What is it? What does it mean in the context of a conversation about Diversity. The conversation about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is now being expanded to include belonging as an extension of Inclusion. BELONGING. What is it? Why is it important for organizations to pay attention to it? For all the talk about Diversity and Inclusion, we often fail to recognize that just be- cause someone is included in organization or group, certainly does not mean they belong. Unless people in organizations or groups feel they belong, regardless of how diverse the organizations might be, the full potential of their talent will not be realized.
Psychologists rank our need as humans to belong on par with the need for love. In a recent Harvard Business Review article, the authors state the value of belonging at work: “Humans are so fundamentally social that we can even bond with strangers over the very experience of not having anyone with whom to bond.” It represents a connection with people or places. Feeling like you can be your unique and authentic self – and connected to those around you – fulfills a core need to form and maintain strong, stable interpersonal relationships with others.
Neuroscience researchers at Harvard, Purdue, Duke, and UCLA and other institutions have found that exclusion lights up the same regions of the brain as physical pain. When we feel like we belong we experience meaning, life satisfaction, physical health and psychological stability. When we feel excluded, physical pain and a wide range of psychological ailments result.
This is a revised version of Vernā Myers quotation that I shared with you earlier. It incorporates the idea of belonging.
“Being invited to the party or being asked to dance is a one-way power relationship. The person must be invited by someone else. The person must be asked to dance by someone else. The person might be included, but someone else has the decision rights on whether that will happen.”
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From Current Newsletter, May 2023
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Excellent Resources on Diversity
by June Reinert, DEI Chair
From The Current – March 2023
The DEI committee will be finishing our presentations on Diversity in April. Here are a series of videos developed by the national AAUW. These are excellent resources to implement what we have covered.
DEI Toolkit: Understanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
AAUW’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plug and Play Program- ming is a way to help branches create programming and events. Join national Inclusion & Equity Committee members to discuss Understanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, to learn about key terms and concepts to help you create branch programming to achieve your equity and inclusion goals. https://youtu.be/2FPD673Ippo
The Microintervention Anti-Bias Workshop
Presented by AAUW alumna Sarah Alsaidi, The Microintervention Workshop aims to increase awareness and self-reflection skills, and explain the difference between microaggressions and macroaggres- sions. Learn response strategies that can be used to defend against daily experiences of microaggressions. Read original article HERE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJPqxaUx464&list=PLTL0yfGgwGXMyK_ sroxeiKh4StRXtW3aN&index=43
Intersectionality Identified
Join the Inclusion & Equity Committee for a discussion of intersectionality. By understanding the dimensions of diversity and how they intersect, we can begin to understand the complex and cumulative impact of discrimination and oppression. In this webinar, participants will learn about intersectionality as well as how to create branch or state programming for members on this concept. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntrXgrE_8ds
Creating Allyship
What is allyship? How can one truly be an ally? What is the connection between allyship and privilege? Please join us for a discussion of allyship and how to hold branch programming on this topic. With a diverse set of allies within their membership, states and branches can better build inclusive spaces and attract new audiences, including potential new members. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYwOgVuc7J4&list=PLTL0yfGgwGXMyK_ sroxeiKh4StRXtW3aN&index=12
Unconscious Bias: Recognizing Your Biases & How to Interrupt Them
Join members of AAUW’s National Inclusion and Equity Commit- tee for a conversation about this topic. Where do unconscious bi- ases come from? How do you know you have them? Learn how to confront your biases and what you can do to interrupt them. Only when we confront our biases are we able to truly recognize the value of diversity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MylqzmemmT8&t=70s
Inclusive Spaces
How do you create inclusive spaces? Diversity is only the begin- ning, and it isn’t enough. To create truly diverse spaces, those spaces also need to be inclusive, where all parties feel welcomed, appreciated, respected and heard — and have full access to all re- sources and can contribute to AAUW’s success. Join the national AAUW Inclusion and Equity Committee in this conversation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zFKQ33aWq4&t=308s
Microagression –
by June Reinert, DEI Chair
From The Current – February 2023
Definition of microaggression.
1: a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority).
Source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Microaggressions aren’t the same as a regular insult. While microaggressions are surely insulting, they specifically have to do with a person’s membership in a marginalized group. Microaggressions are based on stereotypes and tied to implicit bias. They are not the same as overt racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, etc… and so happen often without an intent to harm.
However, we know that intent is not the same as impact and microaggressions can have serious negative impacts on those who experience them.
So, how do we avoid perpetrating microaggressions?
Read a common list of microaggressions so that you under- stand how they may appear in everyday language. Examine your own language and biases. And if someone accuses you of perpetrating a microaggression, listen, don’t get defensive, apologize, and continue to learn and examine your biases so that you don’t make the same mistake.
- “Where are you from?” “Where were you born?” “You speak good English.”
- You are a credit to your race.” “You are so articulate.” Asking an Asian person to help with a Math or Science problem.
- When I look at you, I don’t see color.” “America is a melting pot.” “There is only one race, the human race.” “All lives matter”
- A White man or woman clutching their purse or checking their wallet as a Black or Latinx person approaches or passes.
- A store owner following a customer of color around the store.
- Crossing the street when a person of color approaches.
The impact of these statements might be:
- You are not American. You are a foreigner.
- Denying a person of color’s racial / ethnic experiences.
- You must assimilate / acculturate to the dominant culture.Denying the individual as a racial / cultural being.
- You are a criminal. You are going to steal. You are poor.You do not belong. You are dangerous.
DEI Objectives for La Crosse Branch _- December 2022
by June Reinert, DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator
From The Current – December, 2022
Dimensions of Diversity
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The past few issues of the newsletter have given definitions of various terms used in DEI language: inclusion, equity, equality, etc… If you were to ask 20 people “What is diversity?” it is likely that you will get 20 different answers. AAUW is defining it this way: Diversity means variety and is all about what makes us unique.
What are some of the dimensions of diversity? They can be anything that has been historically used to differentiate groups. Some of these dimensions are more visible than others.
Dimensions of diversity can be broken down into two categories – primary dimensions or inner sphere, which can’t be changed, are usually the most visible and secondary dimensions or outer sphere, are defined by way of experience, which we have some control over. (See Chart at bottom of this page.)
Primary dimensions include gender, ethnicity, ability, age, race and sexual orientation. The visibility of primary characteristics lend themselves to the assumptions made by the majority society about the presumed worth of minority group members. The values and judgements assigned to these attributes by the majority group may determine whether minority group members are accepted as full participants.
Secondary dimensions are such things as legal status, education, job level, personal appearance, religious beliefs, military experience, and values for a few. You can see more on the chart. Secondary characteristics account for the ability to shape your life and choice, so the influence of secondary characteristics is more variable. In structurally inequitable societies where access to opportunities is not equal across populations, personal choice in secondary characteristics is not always fully realized.
Many of these dimensions of diversity give meaning to our identity: For example, “I am a parent, ethnically I am a Heinz 57, I am from Wisconsin.” All of these are elements of an individual’s identity.
The beauty of diversity — and the thing that makes it so powerful — is learning to appreciate it and creating an environment where it can grow and thrive. Diversity can be a great source of strength. Our aim is to create an environment where we can explore our differences in a safe and respectful way that helps each person understand their value and celebrates what diversity brings to AAUW.
The national AAUW website has extensive information about DEI terms and concepts as well as toolkits for learning more.
https://www.aauw.org/resources/member/governance-tools/dei-toolkit/
City of La Crosse Equity & Diversity Survey
La Crosse’s Racial Equity Team has launched a survey to better learn about how people use city services. It also asks if people think the city is being inclusive, and how comfortable people feel using city services like police and fire, libraries, and voting facilities. The Racial Equity Team will use the findings to create an equity action plan.
“Our goal is to learn how we can assist anyone in our city who feels they have been discriminated against for any reason and to build better relationships throughout our community.”
Residents of La Crosse can take the survey online – click here.
Survey closes February 1, 2023.
If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to receive a paper copy or a translated version of this survey, please contact Communications Coordinator Kristen Lueth at 608-789-8696 or luethk@cityoflacrosse.org
Beginning Difficult Conversations
By June Reinert, DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator
November, 2022
One of the most important steps to an effective conversation about diversity and inclusion is to set ground rules for the participants. Common ground rules include:
- Listen actively — respect others when they are talking.
- Speak from your own experience instead of generalizing (“I” instead of “they,” “we,” and “you”).
- Do not be afraid to respectfully challenge one another by asking questions, but refrain from personal attacks — focus on ideas.
- Participate to the fullest of your ability — community growth depends on the inclusion of every individual voice.
- Instead of invalidating somebody else’s story with your own spin on her or his experience, share your own story and experience.
- The goal is not to agree — it is to gain a deeper understanding.
- Be conscious of body language and nonverbal responses: They can be as disrespectful as words.Ground rules may also include participation-management techniques. Do group members want to be called on or would they like to speak freely? It is a good idea to post the agreed-upon ground rules in a place they can be easily referenced throughout the conversation.Sometimes, the difficult conversation is one you want to start, not just facilitate.Ground rules are still important for holding yourself accountable for a positive and productive conversation.Regardless of the forum, conversations about diversity and inclusion can be difficult. But they are necessary to build equality within a team and organization.Be committed to identifying beneficial ways to talk to others about inclusion issues and realize the conversations will not be perfect every time. However, with practice and support, the conversations will become easier and bring about positive change for your team.Any member that is interested in serving on the La Crosse Branch of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, please contact June Reinert: reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu or 608-881-0456.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by June Reinert, DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator
Summer 2022
Here are some ways that you can continue to educate yourself about DE&I over the summer:
● Step out of your comfort zone and attend a Juneteenth Celebration, Gay Pride event or Native American Pow Wow.
● Go to a Farmers Market and purchase from
vendors who don’t look like you. Find a market near you at https://www.wifarmersmarkets.org/find-a-farmers-market.aspx
● Attend the “Ain’t I A Woman” art show with original pieces by 23 Black female Wisconsin artists at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Several of the pieces have videos of the artist’s explanations of their works.
https://www.mmoca.org/art/aint-i-a-woman
● Eat at an ethnic restaurant that you have never been to and taste a different culture.
● Google some sites that can broaden your
knowledge about some of today’s most profound and challenging issues like https://www.facinghistory.org/
Look up the Facing History and Ourselves homepage on Facebook. Encourage your friends to do the same and take time to discuss what you have learned.
Hope you have an enjoyable and interesting summer! The DEI Committee
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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
by June Reinert, DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator
May 2022
Intersectionality and Unconscious Bias
When discussing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, it is important to understand the nuances of the language we use.
Intersectionality
1: the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups
Legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality in her work Mapping the Margins. She noted that scholars often look at outcomes for women or for African Americans, but never look at what happens to African American women whose lives are impacted by the ways these multiple sources of oppression interact. Understanding intersectionality gives us a way of understanding the cumulative effect of discrimination and oppression on people. That’s not that one person’s oppression is greater than another’s; it’s a way of recognizing that our experiences may not be the same because inequality is a complex phenomenon.
Here’s an example familiar to AAUW members: Pay equity. We know that men and women are paid unequally for equal work: on average, women make 82¢ for every
dollar that a white man makes. But did you know that moms make 70¢ on that same dollar? Or that Latinas make just 55¢? These are just a few examples of intersectionality and how parental status, or ethnicity intersect with gender to impact pay equity.
Unconscious Bias
Definition of unconscious
1 : not marked by conscious thought, sensation, or feeling
2 : not knowing or perceiving : not aware
3 : not consciously held or deliberately planned or carried out
Definition of bias
1 : an inclination of temperament or outlook especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment : prejudice
We all know what overt biases are, but we all have unconscious biases, too. These are biases that might be inconsistent with our values, that we would never knowingly act on and that we weren’t even aware we had. And having them doesn’t make us racist or sexist or homophobic,etc… At any given, moment we are bombarded with lots of information, but our brains can only process a fraction of it at once. To help us try and make sense of the world around us, our brain uses short cuts. Those short cuts are shaped and informed by our experiences. But, because sometimes the things we need to make sense of are unfamiliar, bias can enter the picture.
For example, here is an image, what do you see? Triangles, circles? This is the Kanizsa Triangle. Most people see a solid white triangle pointing upwards, an inverted triangle pointing downwards, and a set of black discs. But the fact is, none of these shapes are present in the figure; this image is of “pac-men” and V’s, not triangles and circles. This is an example of our unconscious mind using familiar information to try and make sense of what it sees, because in the absence of complete information, our mind needed to rely on something to help us figure it out. So, what can you do?
1. Self-awareness is the first step
2. Create safe spaces to have open discussions about the biases you have 3. Increase your contact with people who are dissimilar
4. Set realistic expectations
We’re not going to be able to change our unconscious mind over night, but we will be able to make progress. Only when we confront our biases are we able to truly recognize the value diversity brings to an organization like AAUW. It’s important for our continued growth and sustainability as an organization to make a concerted effort to be inclusive and create spaces where everyone feels welcome.
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“Dealing with Diversity can be Daunting”
by June Reinert, DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator
April Newsletter
Key Terms & Concepts
When discussing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion, it is important to understand the nuances of the language we use.
Definition of diversity
1: the condition of having or being composed of differing elements : variety especially : the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization programs intended to promote diversity in schools.
2: an instance of being composed of differing elements or qualities : an instance of being diverse a diversity of opinion.
Variety.
That’s what diversity means in essence. But it also means that recognizing what makes us different and unique is important and, without taking diversity into consideration, we run the risk of excluding some individual.
Definition of Inclusion
1 : the act of including : the state of being included.
2 : the act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded (as because of their race, gender, sexuality or ability).
Diversity vs. Inclusion
Diversity refers to characteristics, the dimensions that make each of us unique. Inclusion entails behaviors and actions that make us feel welcomed or not. An environment that creates a sense of belonging, where everyone feels welcomed and included, is essential for the success of diversity efforts.
To be truly inclusive, we often must change the culture that in environments where people feel supported, welcomed, respected, and valued are actually more productive; everyone feels a greater connection to the organization’s mission.
As diversity advocate Verna Myers once said, “Diversity is being invited to the party, and inclusion is being asked to dance.” If you don’t have both, neither works.
Inclusion vs. Belonging
So, if diversity means the characteristics that make us unique, and inclusion refers to behaviors and actions, then what is belonging? Belonging is feeling like you are a part of something, that you actually you matter. AAUW needs all of these things together — diversity, inclusion, and belonging — for our branches to continue to grow and thrive.
Definition of Equity
1a : justice according to natural law or right specifically : freedom from bias or favoritism.
1b : something that is equitable.
Every AAUW member should understand what we mean by equity. After all, we are the nation’s premier organization fighting for gender equity.
Equity vs. Equality
Although these two words have the same root, they don’t mean the same thing. They are often used interchangeably, even though they differ in meaning. Equality means everyone gets the same access to — or amount of — something. Equity, by contrast, is about everyone having equal access to what they need to be successful. And those needs can be quite different.
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“Dealing with Diversity can be Daunting”
by June Reinert, DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator – March Newsletter
Seven underlying principles of diversity:
1. It will help to keep in mind the Diversity is an inside job, meaning that diversity is not about “them.” Rather, it is about each person coming to terms with his or her attitudes, beliefs and experiences about others and gaining comfort with difference.
2. Diversity goes beyond race and gender. The diversity tent is big enough to include everyone — young and old, homeless and affluent, immigrant and native, white and black, rural and urban, gang member and corporate professional
3. No one is the target of blame for current or past inequities. All human beings have been socialized to behave in certain ways, and all of us are at times both perpetrators and victims of discrimination and stereotypes. The idea is to move forward in creating more opportunities
4. Human beings are ethnocentric, seeing the world through their own narrow view and judging the world by their familiar yardstick. This is not bad in itself, but it can be a source of conflict if we do not accommodate and value other ways of being.
5. The human species resists change. This makes the constant adaptation required by diversity difficult for people already overwhelmed by staggering transitions in today’s communities and organizations.
6. Human beings find comfort in likeness. We have a tendency to seek the company of those most similar to us in a variety of ways… age, gender and ethnicity being just several of many.
7. It is difficult for people to share power. History shows that we rarely do it voluntarily. Understanding this past can help clarify why there is sometimes a backlash associated with diversity efforts from people who believe they will lose in this experience.
All these truisms about the human species do not make people mean-spirited or cruel. It just makes us human. Nevertheless, these realities make dealing with diversity a challenge.
Diversity means variety and is all about what makes us unique.
What are some of the dimensions of diversity? They can be anything that has been historically used to differentiate groups, such as ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs or socio-economic status. Some of these dimensions are more visible than others, and some are more salient in the United States than in other parts of the world, given our history of discrimination and exclusion.
Dimensions of diversity can be broken down into two categories: primary dimensions, which can’t be changed, and secondary dimensions, which we have some control over.
SPECIFIC DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY:
· Age
· Ethnicity & National Origin
– Gender & Gender Identity
· Occupation
· Race
· Physical & Mental Ability
· Color
· Marital Status
· Immigration Status
· Parental Status
· Religious Beliefs
· Income & Socioeconomic Status
· Education
· Political Beliefs
· Veteran Status
· Sexual Orientation
Resource for for Diversity- “Finding Myself in the Story of Race | Debby Irving“ – a 101 for white people about what white privilege and institutional racism are and how they manifest. https://youtu.be/oD5Ox5XNEpg
Any member that is interested in serving on the La Crosse Branch of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, please contact June Reinert: reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu
or 608-881-0456. I hope to hear from you and am looking forward to working with you on this important adventure.
“The Initial Call for diversity training for the entire AAUW membership”
by June Reinert, DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator – February Newsletter.
In a letter from the CEO of AAUW in 2018, AAUW put forth a bold vi- sion for our future with a new strategic plan. The plan included action- able goals and tactics towards achieving equity, along with the values, mission and vision for the organization. We updated the plan in 2020 with a 2.0 version. But words are only as good as the paper they are printed on if they are not embodied in all we do. Our values include being fiercely nonpartisan, always fact-based and with the utmost of integrity, and a commitment to inclusion and intersectionality.
As the Inclusion & Equity Committee — made up of member leaders dedicated to our mission, vision and values — launches this updated set of resources on diversity, equity and inclusion in Fall 2020, I’m reminded of one of our key goals within the plan: Embody the goals and spirit of inclusion, diversity and intersectionality across all AAUW activities and participants.
We need to not only value the importance of intersectionality, diversity and equity, we must do the work — and it is lifelong work, core to our mission and vision. Systemic racism is firmly rooted in the U.S. and the injustices of today mirror our shameful history, from police brutality to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color.
AAUW must commit and continuously recommit to fighting for justice, long-term and lasting change, and we stand in solidarity against racism. But, as AAUW is nearing 140 years old, we also acknowledge that as
an organization we have a lot of our own work to do in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Our commitment to diversity must be a commitment from all of our 170,000 members and advocates around the nation who believe in our vision of equity for all. That means we must hold each other accountable, we must set bold goals and be transparent about where we are and where we are going, we must be lifelong learners in reading, listening and understanding. This is work we must all embrace, and I’m grateful to the Inclusion & Equity Committee for putting forth a roadmap to help guide your individual and group work ahead.
You’ll continue to hear more from me, the staff and the Board about additional efforts in embracing diversity and inclusion in all that we do at AAUW, but for now, I invite you to open your heart, your mind, your ears and your eyes and dive into this work with us.
Finally, I want to extend my personal appreciation to past and present members of the Inclusion & Equity Committee and to express my deep gratitude for all their thoughtful work that went into creating this toolkit.
In solidarity,
Kim Churches, CEO AAUW
Note: Any member that is interested in serving on the La Crosse Branch of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, please contact June Reinert: reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu or608-881-0456. I hope to hear from you and am looking forward to working with you on this important adventure.
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For the past four years, social justice, equity, and transportation advocacy groups have been celebrating Transit Equity Day (TED) on Feb. 4, Rosa Parks’ birthday. Started by the Labor Network for Sustainability, TED is a chance to bring to the fore the important role public transportation plays in ensuring everyone, no matter age, income, ability, or color, has access to jobs, education, services, necessities, entertainment, health care, and more. “Public Transit provides basic mobility for many in our communities. It is also essential urban infrastructure–just like roads, bridges, tunnels and utilities–that is crucial to the economic, social and environmental well-being of all our regions.” https://www.labor4sustainability.org/transit-equity-2022/
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January Newsletter:
AAUW – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan
By June Reinert, AAUW-WI DE&I La Crosse Branch Coordinator, announcing a new committee of the La Crosse Branch of AAUW!
I have volunteered to be a Branch Coordinator for a new initiative that was formed by the Wisconsin AAUW, as an extension of the National AAUW strategic plan. As DE&I branch contact to the WI AAUW DE&I Committee, part of my job is to form a group within our branch to do the following:
· Become familiar with the AAUW DE&I Tool Kit
· Educate ourselves and our branch on diversity, equity and inclusion issues. Become a resource for programming and newsletter articles
· Use the Tool Kit and webinars to create branch and/or district programing
I would like to help you become familiar with the DE&I Tool Kit that is on AAUW.org. I’ve found it easiest to just click on the following link:
https://www.aauw.org/resources/member/governance-tools/dei-toolkit/
Please save this link for future access. I’ve found the tool kit to be a great resource but difficult to absorb all in one sitting. There is so much information and many ideas presented plus dozens of resources that I found it was overwhelming the first time I discovered it.
At our first meeting we will get to know each other, choose a day, date and time that will (hopefully) work for everyone for future gatherings (either by Zoom or
in person) and decide how we want to proceed with the tool kit. It will be great
to network on this project and learn from each other. As a group we need to determine the best time to meet and discuss how we want to proceed. If you would be interested in being part of this group, please send me your email address.
My email address: reinert.june@eagle.uwlax.edu
My address: Eagle Crest South, 622 Bennora Lee Ct., Apt 5002, La Crosse, WI 54601.
My telephone number: 608-881-0456
Let me know if mornings, afternoons or evenings are best for you. Please let me know as soon as possible as I would like to setup a meeting ASAP. I hope to hear from you and looking forward to working with you on this important adventure.
Kim Churches . . .
Our commitment to diversity is not just among the staff at the national office, or with the nationally elected board — this must be a commitment from all of our 170,000 members and advocates around the nation who believe in our vision of equity for all. That means we must hold each other accountable, we must set bold goals and be transparent about where we are and where we are going, we must be lifelong learners in reading, listening and understanding.
This is work we must all embrace.
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Women’s eNews
https://womensenews.org/
Women’s eNews reports the stories of women and girls to create a more equitable world. It is an award-winning nonprofit (501c3) news service covering issues of particular concern to women and providing women’s perspectives on public policy. Women’s eNews editors seek out freelance writers from around the world to write on every topic–politics, religion, economics, health, science, sustainability, education, sports, legislation–and commission them to write 800-word news articles for distribution each day to our subscribers and for posting on our Web site.
Our Vision: A world that honors, respects and supports the lives of women and girls.