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Home My WebLink About09-24-21 City Commission Special Meeting Training MaterialsWelcome City of Bozeman, Montana Commissioners Deconstructing Equity . Igniting the Power of Us Presented by Ariana Flores September 24, 2021 Today’s Agenda ▪Welcome & facilitator introduction ▪Group agreements ▪Review the current DEI landscape ▪The equity continuum ▪Discussion of the role of government in DEI ▪Mapping your personal equity journey ▪Closing thoughts About Your Facilitator Group agreements ▪Fill the space with grace ▪Practice empathy ▪Allow openness with yourself, colleagues ▪Step up, step back ▪Take care of yourself ▪Participate! Check In ▪Small groups ▪Share a hope and a fear for today’s session What we’re seeing… ▪Term confusion ▪Hesitancy, lack of finesse to discuss EDI issues due to our social-political climate ▪Discomfort with centering race or having other equity conversations ▪Not understanding the impact of bias ▪Expectation that people of color will lead this work and solve the inherent challenges related to leadership and E,I & D ▪Not everyone knows their role in EDI Diversity fatigue is a real thing What is Compassion Fatigue? Compassion Fatigue is the physical and mental exhaustion and emotional withdrawal experienced by those who care for sick or traumatized people over an extended period. Apathy or indifference toward the suffering of others as the result of overexposure to tragic news stories and images and the subsequent appeals for assistance. What is Imposter Syndrome? Imposter syndrome can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. It makes us suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence. What are you seeing… How are you seeing compassion fatigue show up in you, at work, in others, your community, those you serve, etc.? How are you seeing the diversity fatigue show up? How are you seeing imposter syndrome show up? Discuss and give examples. Equality Diversity Inclusion Equity Start with this Let’s understand WHAT we’re doing and talking about Equality It is about sameness, level-setting and providing access. Equity It is about creating systems where everyone can thrive. People don’t get the same things; they get what they need. This is not a perfect depiction, but you get the point. Diversity It is about honoring the richness and beauty of the differences of all of us. Inclusion It is what we do with our diversity. Leveraging of the skills, abilities, talents and experience of everyone. Organizations can work continuously to create conditions for this to happen. •A win-win for the individual •A win-win for the organization •A win-win for the community *Three Filters of Inclusion Whatever diversity you leverage, it must be: Discuss a situation where all three filters of inclusion were met in an inclusive situation. What steps were taken to include people? What was the outcome and how did it feel? _______________________________ Discuss a situation where 1 or more filters of inclusion were ignored. What was the outcome and how did it feel? What steps could have made the situation more inclusive? How do we build these systems? Equality Diversity Inclusion Equity Break Bias at Work 95% 5% Conscious brain activity Unconscious brain activity What is Bias? Biases are drivers —cognitive quirks — that influence how people perceive the world. Conscious (explicit) biases are intentional prejudices formed about other people and groups. Unconscious (implicit) biases are stereotypes formed outside of awareness or intention that affect our understanding, actions and decisions. **They are influenced by socialization, experiences and human instinct. They are innate in all humans. What is a microaggression? The term microaggression describes brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults toward marginalized people and/or their communities. How to handle a Focus should be on the person toward whom the aggression was made Be open to listening, but recognize that it’s not the targeted person’s responsibility to teach The relationship matters Calling in vs. walking away microaggression Bias isn’t just found in hearts and minds… It appears in systems and institutions, too. Intention vs. Impact Researchers randomly assigned traditionally white and African American sounding names to identical résumés and discovered that it took 50% more applications from the latter group to get a call back. (Structure for Success) Is Emily more employable than Lakisha? Black people are arrested at disproportionally high rates, given harsher sentences, and Black juveniles are tried as adults more often than their White peers. Black boys are also seen as less childlike, less innocent, more culpable, more responsible for their actions, and as being more appropriate targets for police violence (Goff, 2014). Bias in Systems Criminal Legal System Bias in Systems Healthcare is a setting where implicit biases are very present. People of color and women are subject to less accurate diagnoses, curtailed treatment options, less pain management, and have worse clinical outcomes (Chapman, Kaatz, & Carnes, 2013). UVA study of medical students & residents found that inaccurate beliefs about Black people contribute to inadequate diagnoses and treatment recommendations for Black patients (Hoffman, 2016). Healthcare Covid-19 racial & ethnic disparities Break The Role of Government Values & realities “All men are created equal” “With liberty and justice for all” “Government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth” Reflections About Race: The Power of an Illusion •How do the stereotypes of “ethnic Europeans” compare to current stereotypes of people of color today? •Did you learn anything that surprised you? •What are some examples of government action in the film? •How do the depictions in the film compare to your own or your family’s experience? Government continues to be the final arbiter of race •“Muslim travel ban” •Pan-ethnic terms like “Asian American,” “Hispanic,” & “Pacific Islander” determined by census •Catch-all for tribal members & descendants “American Indian,” “Alaska Native” Housing segregation persists •Despite invalidation of racial covenants, illegal to discriminate •Actors like banks, appraisers continue to discriminate What still holds true about Race: The Power of an Illusion? Japanese Internment Racial segregation Governmental (in)equity throughout history Explicit actions Governmental (in)equity throughout history Implicit, “race-neutral” actions Mass incarceration Racial wealth gap Disparities in educational funding Pursuing equity explicitly Perpetuating inequity, travel ban Governmental (in)equity throughout history Explicit actions Taking action The Most Common Response Choice Points: Areas of discretion in your day-to-day duties and responsibilities Activity: Identify your levers of power •List 5 responsibilities within your current role •List who you report to and/or to whom you are accountable •List who reports to you, or alternatively, with whom you work closely •List any decisions you make on a regular basis (e.g. setting meeting agendas, choosing teams, proposing projects, etc.) Activity: Identify your levers of power •List three internal goals your department/commission can work on with regard to racial equity. o Refers to personnel issues; morale; committees on which you serve; etc. •List three external goals your department/ commission can work on with regard to racial equity. o Refers to delivery of services; how to improve the experiences of the client population you serve; how to get community-and/or constituency-based input, etc. Now what…? •Identify the “fences” in your work and put in the effort to take them down. •Set some goals. Let this moment in history enhance relationships; not degrade them. Your leadership matters more than ever before. •Be conscious of where you sit in “the boat.” That is where your consciousness comes from. •Do some individual learning and find ways to make this work personal. Check Out ▪Lingering questions ▪Reflect on your hopes and fears ▪One-word check out Thank you! Ariana Flores | Senior Equity Consultant The Equity Project, LLC ariana@theequityprojectllc.com (720) 287-2573