GLOSSARY OF KEY DIVERSE TERMS

This glossary of diverse terms has been designed as a “living document” tool to assist in creating a common diversity and inclusion language to foster an environment of equitable inclusion within Whitman.


ACTIVE LISTENER

• Seeks to fully understand before offering a response or solution
• Hearing, interpreting, evaluating and responding. 
• Is a technique that is used in counseling, training, and solving disputes or conflicts. It requires that the listener fully concentrate, understand, respond and then remember what is being said.
• Actively listening is to fully concentrate on what is being said rather than just passively 'hearing' the message of the speaker. Active listening involves listening with all senses.
  

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

• Affirmative Action is a program that organizations must comply with when doing business with the Federal Government.
• Legal requirements to end/prevent employment practice discrimination by requiring respectful equitable relationships and calling for measurable statistical and affirmative steps to benefit members of protected classes.
• Was established to ensure there are a mix of qualified minority and white candidates and a mix of qualified male and female candidates in every candidate pool.
  
  
  AGEISM
• Refers to negative discriminatory practices based on a person's age, both older and younger.
• Prejudice or discrimination against a particular age-group and especially the elderly.
• Refers to stereotyping and generalizing on the basis of age, typically old age, and is spreading to middle age.
  
  
  ANCESTRY 

Refers to a person's self-identification of heritage, ethnic origin, descent, or close identification to an ethnic group.

ANTIRACIST

One who is supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing an antiracist idea.    https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2020/june/ibram-x-kendi-definition-of-antiracist/


ASSUMPTIONS

• A thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof
• An assumption is something that you assume to be the case, even without proof. 
• When a person takes something for granted or literally takes possession of something.
• The act of taking for granted – supposition, presumption, conjecture, suspicion, surmise, theory, hypothesis
  
  

ASYLEE

• A person who is seeking or has been granted political asylum.
• A person at a port of entry who is found to be unable or unwilling to return to her or his country of nationality, or to seek the protection of that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution. Persecution or the fear thereof must be based on the person’s race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

BARRIER

• Obstruction, difficulty, hindrance, obstacle, hurdle, stumbling block, restriction.
• That which you may not have direct control or authority to remove, but must be aware of and plan for when developing strategies and implementation

BELONGING

• The sense of belonging occurs when the person feels that they are part of something bigger than themselves and, therefore, recognizes the rest of the members of their reference group as equals. This can have a very positive effect on their self-esteem, and it is especially important for younger generations.
• An affinity for a place or situation.
• Feeling of being taken in and accepted as part of a group, thus, fostering a sense of belonging. It also relates to being approved of and accepted by society in general. Also called belongingness.
  
  
  

BIAS

• An inclination or preference, especially one that interferes with impartial judgment.
• A leaning or preference in favor of a particular individual or group (essentially the opposite of prejudice).
• Preference without facts (in favor of someone or something).

BICULTURAL IDENTITY

The condition of being oneself regarding the combination of two cultures. The term can also be defined as biculturalism, which is the presence of two different cultures in the same country or region.

BISEXUAL

A sexual orientation and/or identity of a person who is emotionally and sexually attracted to some males and some females.

CHALLENGE

• Anything that calls for special effort.
• A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking.
  
  

CHANGE AGENT

• A change agent is someone who is tasked to "alter human capability (for the better) or organizational systems to achieve a higher degree of output or self- actualization."
• Change agent is as much about identity and character as it is any definitions. 
• Regardless of what is going on today, a change agent has a vision of what could or should be and uses that as the governing sense of action
• A change agent has a strong ability to self-motivate. 
• A change agent must understand people; at the end of the day, change is about people
  
  
  

CHANGEMAKER

• A changemaker is someone who is deeply passionate about solving a particular issue or a problem for the purpose of the greater good. A change maker often is a highly empathetic and idealistic person who is passionately working on a hopeful mission, no matter how difficult the obstacles or circumstances.
• A person who desires change in the world and, by gathering knowledge and resources, makes that change happen.
• Changemakers are comfortable out of their comfort zone and understand the value and the need to proactively go to those places.
• Changemakers are driven by partnering with others, getting creative and developing solutions. 
• Changemakers are value-driven, mission-driven and thrive on meaningful action for purpose, on purpose.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

• Is about understanding the Past, Current, and the Future State. 
• Knowing what is the End In Mind.
• What is the appropriate approach to ensure Receptiveness, Engagement, and Behavior that will evolve the situation, initiative, and/or person to the next level successfully and with sustainability = value added for the stakeholders & the organization.

CISGENDER

If a doctor announces, “It’s a girl!” in the delivery room based on the child’s body and that baby grows up to identify as a woman, that person is cisgender. Similarly, a baby designated male in the delivery room who grows up to identify as a man is cisgender.

Cisgender may also be defined as those who have "a gender identity or perform a gender role society considers appropriate for one's sex."

CIVILITY

• Civility is claiming and caring for one’s identity, needs and beliefs without degrading someone else’s in the process.
• Courteous; Politeness; a Polite Action or Expression
• Civility is about disagreeing without disrespect, seeking common ground as a starting point for dialogue about differences, listening past one’s preconceptions, and teaching others to do the same.
  
  
  

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

• Valuing another’s culture as you value your own
• The ability to understand and empathize with a person or a group of people whose demonstrated values, way of life, religion, conventions and possibly language are different from your own.  
• Awareness about one's cultural assumptions, biases, behaviors, and beliefs. 

The ability to interact with and understand people from other cultures without imposing one's cultural values.


CULTURAL TOLERANCE

• A fair and objective attitude towards those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc. differ from one’s own; freedom from bigotry.
• Cultural tolerance is understood to be one's ability to withstand, respect and tolerate a particular culture, belief and its practices. It is determined by the peaceful or turbulent co-existence of various cultures with intermittent beliefs within a single society.

The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular, the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.


CULTURE

• A culture shares common assumptions about Behavior, a Shared Belief System and Values - People, Departments, Organizations, Family, Geographical Areas, etc. 
• This includes everything from lifestyle choices to food. 
• The system of common beliefs, shared meanings, accepted behavior patterns, values, assumptions, shared common experiences and traditions that distinguish one group of people from another.
• It is a learned set of behaviors, values, skills, knowledge and beliefs.
  
  
  

DEMOGRAPHICS

The statistical characteristics of human populations (such as age, race, income, etc.) are used to identify current and potential markets/service areas.


DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY

• Race, Gender, Ethnicity, Religion, Veterans
• Age, Capability/Disability, Sexual Orientation, Gender Expression, Gender Identity
• Generations, Multiculturalism
• Socio-Economics (Wealth, Upper Class, Middle Class, Low Income, Working Poor, Poverty)
• Values, Perspectives, Ideas, Skills, Knowledge, Experience
• Communication Styles, Geography, Sense of Wellness

DISABILITY

• A Disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these. 
• A Disability may be present from birth, or occur during a person's lifetime.
• A Disability can be visible or invisible
• A Disability can be permanent or for a short or long period of time
  
  

DISCRIMINATION

• Willful behavior
• Treating someone differently than someone similarly situated without sound business reason (e.g. services, suppliers, scheduling, discipline, pay, expectations, hiring, promotions)
  
• Treating someone differently than someone similarly situated without being fair and valuing the individual (e.g.
• High profile initiatives, leading projects, socio-economics, gender, race, ethnicity, accent, etc.)
  

DIVERSITY

Diversity means all the ways we are uniquely different.  It includes the readily visible differences and the underlying differences that may be below the surface.

"Diversity is All The Ways In Which We Are Unique and Diversity is The Total Sum of the Person"                                 – Deborah D. Vereen, CCDP/AP (THE VEREEN GROUP)


DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT

Managing Diversity can be defined as a planned, systematic and comprehensive managerial process for developing an organizational environment in which all employees, with their similarities and differences, can contribute to the strategic and competitive advantage of the organization; and where no one is excluded on the basis of factors unrelated to performance.


EMPATHY

Understanding what matters to others


EMPATHIC

Showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.


EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY CLASSIFICATIONS (USA)

Also used in Census Data

• American Indian / Native Indian / Alaska Native
  All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North, Central, South America & maintain tribal/community affiliations
• Asian / Asian Indian / Indian American
  All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia
  This area includes, for example:  China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, India
  
• Black / African American
  All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Black racial groups
  This area includes, for example:  African American, African, South Africa, Jamaica, Caribbean, Haiti, West Indies
  
• Hispanic / Latino
  All persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish Culture or origin, regardless of race
  
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander
  All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Pacific Islands
  This area includes, for example:  Hawaii, Philippine Islands, Samoa
  
• White / Caucasian / Anglo
  All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or in the Middle East
• Two or More Races
  All persons having a combination of origins in any of the above
  

EQUITABLE INCLUSION

Fairness, Impartiality:  Access to the Same Opportunities; the Square becomes part of the Circle
Equality in Value and Power:  Each Individual has a Voice; Each Voice is Valued and Incorporated


EQUITY

Fairness, impartiality in all disciplines.


ETHNICITY

A heterogeneous population is distinguished by customs or characteristics, a unique language, ancestral, common history and or national origin.  It is not the same as race.


FEDERAL EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY LAWS

• Equal Employment Opportunity – The law prohibits discrimination in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, selection, evaluation, promotion, training, compensation, discipline, retention, scheduling and working conditions. 
• Federal EEO laws do not require an employer to extend preferential treatment to any person or group because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or handicapping condition. 
  
• EEO merely demands that all persons receive the same opportunities for learning, hiring, training, promotion, etc. When those opportunities have not been available to all groups in the past because of discrimination, affirmative employment is required to overcome the effect of such bias.
• These laws protect individuals by prohibiting discrimination on the basis of:
  Race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, veteran, status, genetics, retaliation

GENDER / SEX

• Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men – such as norms, roles and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed.
• While most people are born either male or female, they are taught appropriate norms and behaviors – including how they should interact with others of the same or opposite sex within households, communities and work places
• Some people experience a mismatch between their gender identity and their biological sex
• Sex refers to the biological differences between males and females, such as the genitalia and genetic differences. 
  
  

GENDER BINARY

• The gender binary, also referred to as gender binarism (sometimes shortened to just binarism), is the classification of sex and gender into two distinct, opposite and disconnected forms of masculine and feminine. Gender binary is one general type of a gender system.
• Sometimes in this binary model, "sex", "gender" and "sexuality" are assumed by default to align. For example, when a male is born, gender binarism assumes the male will be masculine in appearance, character traits, and behavior, including having a heterosexual attraction to females.
  

GENDER EXPRESSION

• How we identify ourselves in terms of our gender.
  
• Gender identity refers to the way you understand yourself and your gender. It is about the internal sense of masculinity or femininity that a person feels.Person’s sense of self as being either male or female.
• Gender identity does not always match biological sex; for example, a person may be born biologically male yet have a female gender identity.

GENERATIONS

• All the people born at about the same time; sometimes called a Generational Cohort in demographics.  Historians hold differing opinions regarding to what extent dividing history into generations is a useful analytical tool or an improper over-generalization.
  
• “Cohort-group” can refer to all persons born in a limited span of consecutive years, whose length approximates the span of a phase of life given to be approximately 20 to 23 years, and whose boundaries are fixed by peer personality. 
• Researchers are starting to shorten the span of years.
  
• Peer personality generational persona is recognized and determined by common age location, common beliefs and behavior, major events, and perceived membership in a common generation.

WWII / Greatest Generation:  1922 - 1927

Silent / Traditionalist Generation:  1928 – 1945

Baby Boomer / Sandwich Generation:  1946 – 1964 

Generation X / GenNext Generation:  1965 – 1980

Generation Y / Millennials Generation:  1981 – 1996 

Generation Z / Founders/ iGeneration:  1997 – 2012

Alpha Generation:  2010/2013 - 2025

GENETICS

Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 protects applicants and employees from discrimination based on genetic information in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment. GINA also restricts employers’ acquisition of genetic information and strictly limits disclosure of genetic information. Genetic information includes information about genetic tests of applicants, employees, or their family members; the manifestation of diseases or disorders in family members (family medical history); and requests for or receipt of genetic services by applicants, employees, or their family members.


GLOBAL MIND SET

• “A set of attributes and competencies that help current and future global leaders work more effectively with individuals, groups and organizations unlike themselves.”
  
• “It’s the ability to understand the similarities and differences among cultures and their reasons.”
  
• “The ability to avoid the simplicity of assuming all cultures are the same, and at the same time, not being paralyzed by the complexity of the differences.”
• “Being comfortable with being uncomfortable in uncomfortable environments. ”—    Thunderbird School of Global Management                                                                                            
  
  

GLSEN

Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network


GSA

• Gay-Straight Alliances or Gender and Sexuality Alliances
  
• GSA clubs–originally called Gay-Straight Alliance clubs when they first established in the 1980s–are student-run organizations, typically in a high school or middle school, which provide a safe place for students to meet, support each other, and talk about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. 
  
  
  

HISPANIC

• Hispanic, since it is a government-endorsed term, will likely be used by formal institutions, especially if they are connected with the government in some way.
• This includes schools, non-profits, Congress and political speeches.
  Since writing style is standardized in the media; Hispanic is more likely to be seen in the news.
  
  
  

HISPANIC / LATINO

• People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of any race
• Persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or other Spanish or Portuguese culture of origin regardless of race.
  
• Latino: When referring to gender neutral, identifying both men and women, use Latino.
  
• Latina: When specifically referring to women, use Latina.
  

HUMILITY

Humility is not thinking less of yourself; but thinking of yourself less


IMMIGRANT

A person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country


IMPLICIT BIAS

• Occurs when someone consciously rejects stereotypes and supports anti-discrimination efforts but also holds negative associations in his/her mind unconsciously. 
  
• The unconscious or subtle associations that individuals make between groups of people and stereotypes about those groups (US Justice Dept.-7.2016)

Implicit bias can affect interactions and decisions due to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and socio-economic status, as well as other factors.


INCLUSION

• The act of encouraging belonging; insuring the part is embraced in the whole
  
• Taking Everything and Everyone into account
  
• Ensuring all Students, Associates/Employees feel valued
  
• Is when it does not matter if you are different & each person has the same access and opportunities
  
• Creating an environment that encourages individuals to be themselves, however different, so they can thrive.
  
• If a person is not distracted/stressed about having to be like someone or something else, they will be focused and productive enabling Engagement & Best Performance
  
  
  

INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP COMPONENTS

Supportive, Equitable, Entrusting, Encouraging, Enabling

INSTITUTIONAL RACISM

• Formal institutions or governing bodies that have power socially, culturally, politically in a society.  Policies, procedures, legislation, and practices of institutions that have a disproportionate negative effect on racial minorities’ access to goods, services, opportunities.
• Institutional racism is a pattern of social institutions — such as governmental organizations, schools, banks, and courts of law — giving negative treatment to a group of people based on their race. Institutional racism leads to inequality; sociologists use the concept to explain why some people face unequal treatment or occupy unequal statuses. One historic example of institutional racism is the barring of African-American students from attending certain public schools, which limited the students' educational opportunities and helped prevent them from achieving a status equal to that of others. Institutional racism need not involve intentional racial discrimination. For example, individual judges might intend to impose similar sentences for similar crimes; yet if Caucasian people tend to receive lighter punishments, plausibly institutional racism occurs.
• When someone is treated unfairly because of their race) that has become part of the normal behavior of people within an institution.  For example, the police faced allegations of institutional racism after a black suspect was beaten by four white police officers.  Was this a one-time event or a pattern of behavior?
  
• Individual racism can lead to institutional racism. This is because institutional racism was started by one person then it led to institutional racism. For instance, one of the owners of the company might refuse to higher people of a certain community in his or her company.
  
  

INTENT VS. IMPACT

• When an organization’s internal demonstrated behaviors do not mirror the external messaging and expectations impacting their brand identity & trust account.
  
• This refers to problematic situations that often happen when people from different cultures (or generations) communicate without being culturally competent.  
  

The “Intent” is meant to be positive; however, the “Impact” is perceived as negative. (i.e. Unintended Consequences)


INTERSECTIONALITY

• An analytic framework which attempts to identify how interlocking systems of power impact those who are most marginalized in society. Intersectionality considers that the various forms of what it sees as social stratification, such as class, race, sexual orientation, age, disability and gender, do not exist separately from each other but are complexly interwoven. While the theory began as an exploration of the oppression of women of color within society, today the analysis is potentially applied to all categories (including statuses usually seen as dominant when seen as standalone statuses).
  
• The idea that racism, sexism, transphobia, etc. are connected and can't be abolished individually. To combat different types of oppression, Intersectionality states that we should all fight against it equally.
  

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.


IWD

Individuals With Disabilities


KINDNESS

• Kindness is a behavior marked by ethical characteristics, a pleasant disposition, and concern and consideration for others. It is considered a virtue, and is recognized as a value in many cultures and religions.
  

The quality of being Friendly, Generous, and Considerate.


LATINO

• Since it is not a government term, Latino will often be used by grassroots organizations, heritage groups and other community-based initiatives.
  
• Sometimes it is used to create a more community-oriented environment.
  
• Newspapers serving in an area with a high Latino population often start to use Latino. 
  

LATINX

• Individuals in the United States who have Latin American roots. Other names for this social category include Hispanic, Latino, Latina.
  
• For those who are non-binary, the term Latinx helps them feel seen. It gives them a way to define their ethnicity and their heritage, and to embrace their rich culture without sacrificing their gender identity, or even having to address their gender identity. They are not male or female; they are simply Latinx. 
  
• The most common way to pronounce Latinx is the same way you would Spanish-derived Latina or Latino but pronouncing the "x" as the name of the English letter X. So you get something like \luh-TEE-neks\.
  
  

LGBT

An umbrella Acronym referring collectively to people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender.


LGBTQIA

• LGBTQIA stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Queer, Intersex and Ally, Asexual
  
• The emerging rubric is “L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+,” which stands for different things, depending on whom you ask.
  
• “Q” can mean “questioning” or “queer,” an umbrella term itself, formerly derogatory before it was appropriated by gay activists in the 1990s.
  
• “I” is for “intersex,” someone whose anatomy is not exclusively male or female.
  
• “A” stands for “ally” (a friend of the cause) or “asexual,” characterized by the absence of sexual attraction.   
  
  

MAJORITY-MINORITY

• Used when one or more racial and/or ethnic minorities (relative to the whole country's population) make up a majority of the population
  
• Refers to all Federal EEO Racial & Ethnic classifications except White/Caucasian, non- Hispanic when one of these demographics is no longer in the minority
  

• African American/Black       
• American Indian/Alaskan   
• Asian/Asian Indian
• Hawaiian/Pacific Islander    
• Hispanic/Latino                     
• Two or more Races
  
  

MANAGING A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY / WORKFORCE

• Understanding, Valuing, and Maximizing the various attributes of all Students and Employees
  
• Not trying to force anyone to be Like You
  
• Fostering an Inclusive Environment leading to a sense of “Belonging”
• Ensuring there is Equity and Parity across the board
  
  

MICRO-AGGRESSIONS

• When people belittle someone on the basis of stereotypes.
  
• New word for old style societal or "structural" racism
  
• The peppering of small, off-hand comments that, without malicious intent, prompt uncomfortable feelings of racism, sexism, and discrimination.
  
• Micro-aggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.
  
• In many cases, these hidden messages may invalidate the group identity or experiential reality of target persons, demean them on a personal or group level, communicate they are lesser human beings, suggest they do not belong with the majority group, threaten and intimidate, or relegate them to inferior status and treatment. 
  

MIGRANT

A person who moves from one place to another, especially in order to find work or better living conditions. 


MINORITY

All Federal EEO classifications except White/Caucasian, non-Hispanic
A racial, religious, or political group that differs from the larger controlling group.


MULTICULTURAL

A Person who is multicultural has the ability to function effectively and appropriately and can select appropriate behaviors, values and attitudes of other cultures.


NATIONALITY

The status of belonging to a particular nation by birth, origin, or naturalization.


NON-BINARY

When someone identifies as non-binary (which for the record, isn't called "gender non-binary"), that means that their gender expression is outside traditional expectations of masculinity and femininity. While many, if not most, cisgender and transgender men and women have gender expressions that are frequently masculine or feminine, many non-binary or gender non-conforming people live in the space between (or beyond) these ideas, and often use they/them pronouns instead of the gender-specific he/him or she/her.


OPPORTUNITY-GAP STUDENT

• (Underserved Student)
  
• Students who have not had the same opportunities as other students entering a course of study and may need special arrangements or additional assistance to prepare them for study; disadvantages may be due to physical or emotional problems or deficiencies caused by inequities in social conditions/social construct.
  
• “Systemically Marginalized"

PARITY

• Equality in Value and Power 
• Each Individual has a Voice
  
• Each Voice is Valued and Incorporated
  
  

PEDAGOGY

• The action or process of educating or of being educated
  
• Most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, refers more broadly to the theory and practice of education, and how this influences the growth of learners. Pedagogy, taken as an academic discipline, is the study of how knowledge and skills are exchanged in an educational context, and it considers the interactions that take place during learning.
  
• The pedagogy adopted by teachers shape their actions, judgments, and other teaching strategies by taking into consideration theories of learning, understandings of students and their needs, and the backgrounds and interests of individual students.
  

Theories of pedagogy increasingly identify the student as an agent, and the teacher as a facilitator. Conventional western pedagogies, however, view the teacher as knowledge holder and student as the recipient of knowledge.



PERSON OF COLOR
Usually used in place of the word “Minority” when referencing populations.
Refers to all Federal EEO classifications except White/Caucasian, non-Hispanic
African American/Black       

• American Indian/Alaskan   
• Asian/Asian Indian
• Hawaiian/Pacific Islander   
• Hispanic/Latino                     

Two or more Races




POVERTY

• Poverty is general scarcity or dearth, or the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution refers to the deprivation of basic human needs, which commonly includes food, water, sanitation, clothing, shelter, health care and education.
  
• A state or condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and essentials to enjoy a minimum standard of life and well-being that's considered acceptable in society. Poverty status in the United
• States is assigned to people that do not meet a certain threshold level set by the Department of Health and Human Services.
  
  
  

PREJUDICE

• A preconceived judgment or opinion, usually unfavorable, which is made before the relevant facts are known (prejudgment).
• It is also defined as an irrational suspicion, intolerance or hatred of others
  
  
  

PWD

Person With a Disability / People With Disabilities




RACE
(United States)

• The 0MB (Office of Management & Budget) standards explain that the specified race and ethnicity categories are socio-political constructs and should not be interpreted as being scientific or anthropological in nature. – January 26, 2018
  
• The racial categories included in the census questionnaire generally reflect a social definition of race recognized in this country and not an attempt to define race biologically, anthropologically, or genetically. In addition, it is recognized that the categories of the race item include racial and national origin or sociocultural groups. 
  
• “White.” People who identify their origin as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish may be of any race.
  
• A race is a grouping of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into categories generally viewed as distinct by U.S. society. First used to refer to speakers of a common language and then to denote national affiliations; by the 17th century the term race began to refer to physical (phenotypical) traits.
  - https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html
  
  
  

RACIAL JUSTICE

Racial justice is a proactive reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes and actions that produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts and outcomes for all.



RACISM

• The practice of racial discrimination, segregation, prejudice, bias, bigotry, stereotype
  
• A set of incorrect assumptions, opinions and acts resulting from the belief that one race is inherently/genetically superior to another. 
  
• It occurs when people are not treated fairly because of their cultural or ethnic differences and/or the color of their skin
  
• Racism is the system that allows the racial group that’s already in power to retain power.
  
  

RACIST vs. BIGOT

• Racist:  A person who believes in racism, the doctrine that one's own racial group is superior or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.
  
• Racist:  A person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another:
  
• Bigot:  A person who is narrowly, obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices. 
  
• Bigot:  A person who has strong, unreasonable beliefs and who does not like other people who have different beliefs or a different way of life. 
  
• Key difference: The main difference between racist and bigot is the fact that a racist discriminates on the basis of race, whereas a bigot discriminates on the basis of his/her personal opinion, which can include race, gender, religion or beliefs. 
  
  

REFUGEE

A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster




RELIGION

• Strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny, often involving a code of ethics
  
• Sincerely held belief and practice of a recognized Religion
  
• Religions:  Indigenous Peoples, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Christian-Coptic & Eastern Orthodox, Christian-Mormon, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Shinto, Sikh, Wicca, Zoroastrian
  
  
  

RESPECT

• To treat with consideration, value and regard.
  
• To be kind; show courtesy  
  
• To value the individual 
• Respecting the individual needs, talents and uniqueness of those in our community. 
  
  

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

• Restorative justice is an approach to justice in which one of the responses to a crime is to organize a meeting between the victim and the offender, sometimes with representatives of the wider community.
  
• Restorative Justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that allow all willing stakeholders to meet, although other approaches are available when that is impossible.
  
  
  

ROLE MODEL FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

• Champions are, by definition, Role Models.  Role Models address exclusionary behaviors when they arise.  
  
• Diversity Champions are able to have candid conversations about difficult issues without resorting to blame.  They are willing to coach their colleagues about Diversity and point out inappropriate remarks or actions if and when they surface.
• Taking Diversity seriously requires speaking out on behalf of groups other than your own to foster an Environment of Inclusion
  
  
  

SEXISM

• The belief, attitude, or behavior that one sex is inherently superior to, more competent than, or more valuable than the other
  
• Discrimination or devaluation based on a person's sex, as in restricted job opportunities; especially such discrimination directed against women. 
  
  

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

• Sexual orientation is our attraction to someone else of the same or different gender or both. It refers to the kinds of relationships that you have with others.
  
• The preferred term used when referring to an individual’s physical and/or emotional attraction to the same and/or opposite gender.   
  
• The inner feelings of who we are attracted or oriented to emotionally and sexually.
  Sexual orientation is not the same as a person’s gender identity
  
  

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Fair treatment of all people in a society, including respect for the rights of minorities and equitable distribution of resources among members of a community.



SOCIO-ECONOMICS

• Relating to or concerned with the interaction of social and economic factors
  
• Socioeconomic status (SES) is an economic and sociological combined total measure of a person's work experience and of an individual's or family's economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation.
  
  
  

SOGIE

SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression)



STEREOTYPE

• Forming a belief about an entire group based on limited experience with individual members of that group.
  
• Ascribe characteristics / perceptions to an entire group based on a small representation 
  
  
  
  

STRUCTURAL RACISM

Structural racism refers to the ongoing, historical, and long-term reproduction of the racialized structure of our society through a combination of all forms of racism. Structural racism manifests in widespread racial segregation and stratification on the basis of education, income, and wealth, the recurrent displacement of Persons of Color from neighborhoods that go through processes of gentrification, and the overwhelming burden of environmental pollution borne by People of Color given its proximity to their communities. Structural racism results in large-scale, society-wide inequalities on the basis of race.




SYSTEMIC RACISM

• Many sociologists describe racism in the U.S. as "systemic" because the country was founded on racist beliefs that created racist policies and practices, and because that legacy lives today in the racism that courses throughout the entirety of our social system. This means that racism was built into the very foundation of our society, and because of this, it has influenced the development of social institutions, laws, policies, beliefs, media representations, and behaviors and interactions, among many other things. By this definition, the system itself is racist, so effectively addressing racism requires a system-wide approach that leaves nothing unexamined.  ~Cole, Nicki Lisa, Ph.D.
• "Defining Racism Beyond its Dictionary Meaning." ThoughtCo, Feb. 11, 2020, thoughtco.com/racism-definition-3026511.
  
• TEAMWORK
  
• The ability to work together toward a common vision.
  
• The ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives.
• The fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. 
  
  

TRANSGENDER

• An umbrella term referring to a person whose gender identity or gender presentation falls outside of stereotypical gender norms.
  
• An identity of a person whose gender identity is not aligned with their sex assigned at birth and/or whose gender expression is non-conforming.
  
• Person whose gender identity or gender expression is not the same as his/her biological sex.
  
• A person born female who sees themselves as partly to fully masculine; a person born male who see themselves as partly to fully feminine.
  
• Transgender people can be heterosexual/straight, bisexual, homosexual/gay/lesbian.
  
  
  

TRANSITIONING

• The process through which a person modifies his/her physical characteristics and/or manner of expression to satisfy the standards for membership in a gender other than the one he/she was assigned at birth.  
  
• Some people transition simply by living as a member of the other gender, while others undergo medical treatment to alter their physical characteristics.
  
  

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS

• Is the process by which the brain uses “mental associations that are so well established as to operate without awareness, or without intention, or without control.”  
• On a daily basis we operate with unconscious bias impacting our interactions and the decisions we make.
  
  
  

VALUING DIVERSITY

• Making use of Diversity – Encourage, Support, Leverage
  
• Building on Everyone’s Strengths
  
• Recognizing Diversity as an Advantage in a Competitive Environment
  
• The focus is on recognizing the uniqueness of everyone, valuing what each brings to the table and fostering an environment that respects and promotes those differences.
  
• Valuing, managing or Leveraging Diversity is a Voluntary Process undertaken by organizations to maximize their potential.
  
• Enforcement comes from internal advocates as well as stakeholders-students, parents, community partners, suppliers, and/or investors who demand improvement.

WSOM VISION

We aspire to be a pre-eminent and inclusive school of management that:

• Prepares students for professional success, engaged citizenship, and lifelong learning;
• Produces high-impact research that advances business and society.
  

WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

• A workforce that reflects your service area population demographics
• Increasing the Internal Workforce (including leadership) Diverse Representation (race, ethnicity, gender, age, capability, LGBTQ, etc.)
• Total Workforce vs. Management vs. Salaried or Hourly, etc.
• Cross-functional Synergy
  

WORLDVIEW

• A worldview is a set of beliefs and assumptions that a person uses when interpreting the world around them.
  
• A person’s worldview is shaped by what they have or have not been exposed to and/ or experienced.