Dear campus community,
As we are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing civil protests, you may be asking yourself “Am I doing enough? What else can I do to interrupt the cycle of racism that is gripping our country?” and “How can I become an ally?”
Suggested actions to becoming an ally against racism
1. Avoid burdening friends or coworkers of color with constant questions about their experiences.
2. Seek out books and articles on the topic written by people of color. Visit the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’s newsletter for some suggestions — https://spark.adobe.com/page/qBLnB4bDepDvc/.
3. Critically evaluate documentaries that surround topics like slavery, race, and the U.S. prison system.
4. Do the work of uncovering your hidden racial bias before initiating efforts to help people of color. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/user/agg/blindspot/indexrk.htm
5. Build emotional resilience so that you can be present in the face of uncomfortable truths.
6. Educate others in your community with what you have learned. Push through the discomfort.
7. If peers make problematic remarks, make a serious effort to interrupt their behavior.
8. Engage in active anti-bias work by instilling more inclusive practices at your school or business. Here is an article to start you on your way — https://medium.com/@fairforceberlin/7-ways-to-be-more-inclusive-in-your-everyday-life-9af5ee018372.
9. Be an engaged witness when you see people of color being aggressively confronted or harassed, and use technology to record the incidents.
10. Make inclusion a habit. Look for ways to share power, wealth and access every day, and ask yourself every night if you did so.
Below are some of the ongoing initiatives the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and others are doing on the campus. The ODEI is offering a five-week workshop analyzing structural inequities. You can contact Zoë O’Brey at z.obrey@hvcc.edu to register.
We are also offering free STEM workshops for 5th through 12th graders in an effort to expose under-represented minorities and women to the STEM field. Interested students can register at: SOWI registration. For more information, contact Taunya Hannibal-Williams at SOWI@hvcc.edu.
You can also follow the ODEI on our social media posts and get updates in our monthly podcast:
Facebook: @HVCCODEI
Instagram: HVCC_ODEI
In addition, the Office of Human Resources is offering an online training module for diversity and inclusion. You can register at the following link: https://compliancelearning.thomsonreuters.com.
The Marvin Library is updating resources weekly under Smart Resources: https://libguides.hvcc.edu/examining_racism
All of these initiatives are intended to support our campus community trying to understand the changes affecting our country. We hope that you will take the time to participate in this important work.
Thank you for your support.
Ainsley Thomas
Chief Diversity Officer
Published: Tue, 16 Jun 2020 12:42:23 +0000 by a.thomas1