Equity = Welcoming + Respectful + Valuing

The core of my equity and diversity services (which include a focus of combatting harassment) are to promote what I refer to as a “welcoming, respectful and valuing environment.”  

Most businesses, schools, organizations and communities want and strive to create and be an environment that is respectful to all, that is welcoming and which values the various constituencies that interact with and in that environment.  However, few businesses, schools, organizations or communities are aware of the ways that they are, and are not, truly welcoming, respectful and valuing.  If you don’t know the ways you’re inherently not, you can’t know a way to improve.  

I offer a package of services and products designed to help you become more welcoming, respectful and valuing of all your constituencies.  While these services and produces are customizable, there are some core aspects that I tend to include in all of what I offer.   

Focus:

  • Achieving equity and diversity is, in part an intersectional effort.  That is, recognizing that equity and diversity is at the intersection of race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, age and other identities.  All of us exist at the intersections of these identities and interact at the intersection of these intersections.  Intersectional theory and practice is heavily integrated into the work I offer with you.
  • Implicit bias is gaining attention and recognition as a factor that is often involved in how we interact with each other.  At the organizational level, there often exists a collective implicit bias.  Collective implicit bias refers to the ways that un-examined bias gets woven into the collective norms of an organization and then gets expressed as a part of the organizational culture.  I assist you in identifying this collective implicit bias and creating strategies to counter it.
  • The organizational context and environment is where the most critical work to promote equity and diversity is located.
  • In order to fully achieve equity and diversity, and counter environments that support or allow harassment, a rigorous examination of how masculinities are expressed is critical.
  • My efforts are strengths-based.  I work to identify the ways your and your organization already have the foundations for much of this work.  I help to identify these strengths and work with you to build upon them to help you achieve even better outcomes and progress.

The services I offer include a thorough organizational assessment (policy review, organizational culture, physical environment, and training and supervision), recommendations in each of these areas, training, and ongoing technical assistance/support.

The exact menu of options will be designed for you and your organization.  You have the option of choosing which of those services you seek for your organization, and then we will work together to customize those services for you, your organization and the context in which you’re working.