DEI Learning Resource

Ableism

The system of oppression that disadvantages people with disabilities and advantages people who do not currently have disabilities. Like other forms of oppression, it functions on individual, institutional, and cultural levels. Ableism is not solely about the experiences of people with disabilities as targets of discrimination, but rather about the interaction of institutional structures, cultural norms, and individual beliefs and behaviors that together function to maintain the status quo and exclude people with disabilities from many areas of society. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook

Accessibility

The extent to which a space is readily approachable and usable by people with disabilities. A space can be described as a physical or literal space, such as a facility, website, conference room, office, or bathroom, or a figurative space, such as a conversation or activity. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Accomplice

An accomplice goes beyond allyship and advocacy by taking risks to dismantle oppressive systems. They actively engage in actions that may put their own comfort or safety at risk to support marginalized communities. Accomplices work collaboratively with these communities to address systemic injustices.

Example: An accomplice might participate in direct actions such as protests or civil disobedience that challenge unjust laws or practices, prioritizing the needs and leadership of marginalized groups.

Advocate

Advocacy involves actively working to protect and promote the rights of marginalized groups. Advocates take steps to challenge and change systems that perpetuate inequality, often using their privilege to interrupt harmful practices.

Example: An advocate might challenge discriminatory policies in their workplace or community, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.

Affinity Groups

A caucus is an intentionally created space for those who share an identity to convene for learning, support, and connections. Caucuses based on racial identity are often comprised, respectively, of people of color, white people, people who hold multiracial identities, or people who share specific racial or ethnic identities. Caucus and Affinity Groups

Affirm

To acknowledge, respect, value, and support someone’s full identity and self—including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, experiences, ideas, beliefs, etc.— and to encourage the development and exploration of who they are. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Ally

Someone who makes the commitment and effort to recognize their privilege (based on gender, class, race, sexual identity, etc.) and works in solidarity with oppressed groups in the struggle for justice. Allies understand that it is in their own interest to end all forms of oppression, even those from which they may benefit in concrete ways. Shared Understandings , The Trevor Project

Allyship

Allyship is the lifelong practice of self-reflection and action, which involves reevaluating beliefs, working in solidarity with marginalized individuals and groups, and building relationships based upon the ability of social privilege to support the marginalized group. Allyship involves two types of behaviors: Supportive behaviors: being present for and listening to the struggles of marginalized groups and providing support; and Advocacy behaviors: educating peers, confronting discriminatory attitudes and behaviors, and advocating for better policies and resources to support marginalized groups. (Stanford: Setting the Frame: Privilege, Power and Allyship)

Anti-Black

The Council for Democratizing Education defines anti-Blackness as being a two-part formation that both voids Blackness of value, while systematically marginalizing Black people and their issues. The first form of anti-Blackness is overt racism. Beneath this anti-Black racism is the covert structural and systemic racism which categorically predetermines the socioeconomic status of Blacks in this country. The structure is held in place by anti-Black policies, institutions, and ideologies. The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), Glossary 

Anti-Racist

An anti-racist is someone who is supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing antiracist ideas. This includes the expression of ideas that racial groups are equals and do not need developing, and supporting policies that reduce racial inequity.  How To Be An Antiracist, Being Antiracist

Assimilation

The process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society. The process of assimilating involves taking on the traits of the dominant culture to such a degree that the assimilating group becomes socially indistinguishable from other members of the society. As such, assimilation is the most extreme form of acculturation. Although assimilation may be compelled through force or undertaken voluntarily, it is rare for a minority group to replace its previous cultural practices completely; religion, food preferences, proxemics (e.g., the physical distance between people in a given social situation), and aesthetics are among the characteristics that tend to be most resistant to change.  Assimilation | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica

Bias

An error in evaluating performance, skill or potential. In evaluating performance, bias leads to lower assessments for some and more lenient ones for others—despite the same qualifications and level of accomplishment. (Steinpreis, Anders, Ritzke 1999)

Bias (Racial Bias)

Attitudes or stereotypes that affect an individual’s understanding, actions, and decisions in a conscious or unconscious manner. See also, implicit and explicit bias. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

BILAM

Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and Multicultural (BILAM) is an evolution of the terms “minority,” “minorities,” or “minority communities” which are inaccurate given that people of color are majority identities on a global level. Those terms have also been rejected for their potential to infer any inferior characteristics. The community may or may not also be a geographic community. Given that race is a socially defined construct, the definitions of these communities are dynamic and evolve across time. BILAM refers to groups that identify as non-white and may be used interchangeably or in place of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

BIPOC

A term referring to “Black and/or Indigenous People of Color.” While “POC” or People of Color is often used as well, BIPOC explicitly leads with Black and Indigenous identities, which helps to counter anti-Black racism and invisibilization of Native communities. Creating Cultures and Practices for Racial Equity: A Toolbox for Advancing Racial Equity for Arts and Cultural Organizations

Bystander

A person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part, jump in to either redirect, or stop an event. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Calling In

Based in the belief that mistakes happen and that harm is an opportunity for transformation, especially when mistakes/harm occurs in a relationship with shared values and within communities seeking justice and freedom. Involves addressing someone’s behavior more privately and personally, identifying the hurtful behavior, and making space to talk about it with compassion and patience. Shared Understandings – White Noise Collective

Calling Out

Bringing public attention to an individual’s oppressive behavior. Calling someone out serves two primary purposes: It lets that person know they’re being oppressive, and it lets others know that the person was being oppressive. By letting others know about this person’s oppressive behavior, more people can hold them accountable for their actions. Call-out culture refers to the tendency among progressives, radials, activists, and community organizers to publicly name instances or patterns of oppressive behavior and language use by others.

Classism

Differential treatment based on social class or perceived social class. Classism is the systematic oppression of subordinated class groups to advantage and strengthen the dominant class groups. It’s the systematic assignment of characteristics of worth and ability based on social class. Policies and practices are set up to benefit more class-privileged people at the expense of the less class-privileged people, resulting in drastic income and wealth inequality… and the culture which perpetuates these systems and this unequal valuing.

Code Switching

Code switching involves adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior, and expression in ways that will optimize the comfort of others in exchange for acceptance, fair treatment, quality service, and employment opportunities. This is a tactic used by marginalized groups to blend with the dominant grouping. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Colonization

Colonization can be defined as some form of invasion, dispossession, and subjugation of a people. The invasion need not be military; it can begin—or continue—as geographical intrusion in the form of agricultural, urban, or industrial encroachments. The result of such an incursion is the dispossession of vast amounts of land from the original inhabitants. This is often legalized after the fact. The long-term result of such massive dispossession is institutionalized inequality. The colonizer/colonized relationship is by nature an unequal one that benefits the colonizer at the expense of the colonized. Colonization and Racism

Color-Blindness

We recognize the problematic ableist language of this term, but we reference it as used by scholars to describe an important social phenomenon. Color-blind ideology (or color-evasiveness – purporting to not notice race in an effort to not appear be racist). Asserts that ending discrimination merely requires treating individuals as equally as possible, without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity. Color-blindness, by overlooking the cumulative and enduring ways in which race unequally shapes life chances and opportunities for people from different groups, actually reinforces and sustains an unequal status quo. By leaving structural inequalities in place, color-blindness has become the “new racism.” It also ignores cultural attributes that people value and deserve to have recognized and affirmed. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook

Colorism

The prejudice and/or discrimination against an individual with darker skin color, tone, shade, pigmentation or complexion. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Cultural Appropriation

The act of adopting or stealing cultural elements (e.g., icons, rituals, aesthetic standards or behavior) of one culture or subculture by another for personal use or profit. It is generally applied when the subject culture is a minority culture. Often occurs without any real understanding of why the original (or “appropriated”) culture took part in these activities.

Cultural Competence

The ability of an individual or organization to understand how inequity can be (and has been) perpetuated through socialized behaviors and using that knowledge to disrupt inequitable practices; the ability to function effectively and empathically as an individual and/or as an organization within the context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs presented by another’s culture. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Cultural Humility

At its base, cultural humility means opening a conversation in a way that genuinely attempts to understand a person’s identities related to race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, education, social needs, and others. Cultural Humility Vs. Cultural Competence

The identity or feeling of belonging to a group based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality or other types of social groups with their own distinct culture. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Culture

Social system of customs, behaviors and norms that a group of people develops to ensure its survival and adaptation. It is also a system of values, habits, skills, ideologies and beliefs.

Decolonization

Decolonization may be defined as the active resistance against colonial powers, shifting of power towards political, economic, educational, cultural, psychic independence and power that originate from a colonized nations’ own indigenous culture. This process occurs politically and applies to personal and societal psychic, cultural, political, agricultural, and educational deconstruction of colonial oppression.

Denial (dominant group)

Refusal to acknowledge the societal privileges (see the term "privilege") that are granted or denied based on an individual's ethnicity or other grouping. Those who are in a stage of denial tend to believe, "People are people. We are all alike regardless of the color of our skin." In this way, the existence of a hierarchical system or privileges based on ethnicity or race can be ignored. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

“Deserving” Victim

In contrast, the deserving victim is cast as having certain characteristics (gendered, sexualized, & raced) that are coded as inherently worthless and therefore they are inviting themselves to be violated. This can be seen in contexts such as “slut-shaming.” https://www.conspireforchange.org/resources/shared-understandings/

Discrimination

The unequal treatment of members of various groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, physical or mental ability, religion, citizenship status, a combination of those identified, and/or other categories.  In contrast to prejudice, discrimination is behavior.  To discriminate is to treat a person, not on the basis of his or her intrinsic qualities, but on the basis of a prejudgment about that person or group.  Discrimination can either be de jure (legal, as in segregation laws) or de facto (discrimination in fact, without legal sanction). Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Diversity

Includes all the ways in which people differ, and it encompasses all the different characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. It is all-inclusive and recognizes everyone and every group as part of the diversity that should be valued. A broad definition includes not only race ethnicity, and gender--the groups that most often come to mind when the term: diversity” is used—but also age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, and physical appearance. It also involves different ideas, perspectives, and values. (UC Berkeley Center for Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, “Glossary of Terms”)

Dog Whistle

Language that is seemingly race-neutral but is actually a disguise for racial stereotypes without the stigma of explicit racism. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Dominant Group

Not necessarily the majority, but the group within a society with the power, privilege, and social status to control and define societal resources and social, political, and economic systems and norms.

Employee Resource Groups (Caucus or Affinity): 

An intentionally created space for those who share an identity to convene for learning, support, and connections. Caucuses based on racial identity are often comprised, respectively, of people of color, white people, people who hold multiracial identities, or people who share specific or ethnic identifies.

Equality

Fair treatment of all by providing the same resources or opportunities to individuals. Treating individuals the same does not result in proportional fairness and ignores that barriers for underserved and underrepresented populations exist.   

Equity

Fair treatment for all. The principle of equity acknowledges that there are historically underserved and underrepresented populations. It strives to ensure access, opportunity, and advancement for these populations. Its goal is to identify and eliminate the barriers that have preventEquity vs. Equality

The difference between equality and equity must be emphasized. Although both promote fairness, equality achieves this through treating everyone the same, regardless of need and circumstances. Equity achieves this through treating people differently dependent on need, circumstance and consideration of historical and systemic inequities.

Ethnicity

A social construct that divides people into smaller social groups based on characteristics such as shared sense of group membership, values, behavioral patterns, language, political and economic interests, history and ancestral geographical base. Ethnicity is not the same as race. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Equity vs. Equality

The difference between equality and equity must be emphasized. Although both promote fairness, equality achieves this through treating everyone the same, regardless of need and circumstances. Equity achieves this through treating people differently dependent on need, circumstance and consideration of historical and systemic inequities.

Ethnicity

A social construct that divides people into smaller social groups based on characteristics such as shared sense of group membership, values, behavioral patterns, language, political and economic interests, history and ancestral geographical base. Ethnicity is not the same as race. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Explicit Bias

Attitudes or beliefs that we are aware of and choose to act on. These biases are intentional and often reflect stereotypes or preferences that influence how we treat others based on race, gender, language, age, ability, or other identities. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Attitudes or beliefs that we are aware of and choose to act on. These biases are intentional and often reflect stereotypes or preferences that influence how we treat others based on race, gender, language, age, ability, or other identities. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

False Equivalence

A type of logical fallacy in which a person attempts to draw an equivalence between two things based on the presence of a few shared features when those two things are not alike in the relevant respects. False equivalencies are a type of fallacy because they exaggerate the similarities or downplay the differences between two or more things in order to draw some kind of comparison. 5 False Equivalence Examples to Know Before Your Next Argument | Develop Good Habits

Feminism

The theory and practice that focuses on the advocacy of social, economic and political equality between men, women and all gender identities. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Fragility

Defensiveness associated with recognizing and acknowledging systemic privilege, and the possible ways that the person has perpetuated or benefited from it.

Gender Expression 

The way in which a person embodies or demonstrates their gender outwardly through the ways they act, dress, behave, interact, or other perceived characteristics. Society identifies these cues as masculine or feminine, although what is considered masculine or feminine changes over time and varies by culture. See also gender identity. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Gender Identity 

How a person sees themselves in terms of their gender. That is, it refers to a person’s own internal sense of self and their gender, whether that is man, woman, neither or both. Unlike gender expression, gender identity is not outwardly visible to others. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

(Personal) Gender Pronouns (PGPs) 

The set of pronouns that an individual personally uses and would like others to use when referring to them. There are several types of personal pronouns used for different groups and identities including: gendered, gender neutral and gender inclusive. Although the list of personal pronouns is continuously evolving, the intention of using a person’s pronouns correctly is to reduce the adverse societal effects those with personal pronouns that don’t match their perceived gender identity face. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Gentrification

A process of economic change in a historically disinvested neighborhood that happens through mechanisms such as real estate investment and increase in higher-income residents, resulting in the displacement of long-term residents and demographic changes in income, education, and racial make-up. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Harassment

Unwanted conduct with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment based on their race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, and/or age, among other things.

HBCU

An acronym that stands for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Health Disparity

A healthy disparity is the occurrence of diseases at greater levels among certain population groups more than among others. Differences in health disparities may occur by gender, race or ethnicity, education, income, disability, geographic location and sexual orientation. Health Disparities in HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, and Tuberculosis | NCHHSTP Health Equity | CDC

Health Equity

the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Achieving this requires focused and ongoing societal efforts to address historical and contemporary injustices; overcome economic, social, and other obstacles to health and healthcare; and eliminate preventable health disparities. About Health Equity | NCHHSTP Health Equity | CDC

Implicit Bias (Hidden or Unconscious Bias)

The unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect a person’s understanding, actions or decisions as they relate to people from different groups.

Imposter Syndrome

The fear that some high-achieving individuals have of being exposed as a fraud or inadequate, inhibiting their ability to recognize their own accomplishments, common in members of underrepresented groups. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Inclusion

Creating a culture that is welcoming to all people regardless of race, gender, age, class, ability, sexual orientation, and religion. Everyone is valued, respected, and able to reach their full potential.

Inclusive Language

Language that acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Inclusive Leadership

leadership that values team members, invites diverse perspectives, and creates an atmosphere where people feel their opinions and contributions improve the organization’s well-being.

Indigenous People

A term used to identify ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area (also known as First People), in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied, or colonized the area more recently. In the United States, this can refer to groups traditionally termed Native Americans (American Indians), Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. In Canada, it can refer to the groups typically termed First Nations. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions  

Institutional Racism

Occurs within institutions. It involves unjust polices, practices, procedures, and outcomes that work better for white people than people of color, whether intentional or not.

Justice

The process of society moving from an unfair, unequal, or inequitable state to one that is fair, equal, or equitable. A transformative practice that relies on the entire community to acknowledge past and current harms to reform societal morals and subsequently the governing laws. Proactive enforcement of policies, practices, and attitudes that produce equitable access, opportunities, treatment, and outcomes for all regardless of the various identities that one holds. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Latinx

A gender-neutral or nonbinary term that refers to a person of Latin American origin or descent (gender-neutral version of Latino or Latina).

LGBT/LGBTQ/LGBTQIA+

An acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and the + represents the totality of possibilities that exist beyond all acronyms. This acronym has become the new standard over recent years.

Liberation

The progression toward or the conscious or unconscious state of being in which one can freely exist, think, dream, and thrive in a way which operates outside of traditional systems of oppression. Liberation acknowledges history but does not bind any person to disparate systems or outcomes. Liberation is a culture of solidarity, respect, and dignity. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Marginalization

The process that occurs when members of a dominant group relegate a particular group to the edge of society by not allowing them an active voice, identity, or place for the purpose of maintaining power. Also, referred to social exclusion, occurs when certain groups of people get denied access to areas of society (e.g., financial, education, health, housing, justice system, opportunities, funding).

Microaggression

Subtle statements or actions that unconsciously express a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group. Forms of microaggressions can include verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults: 

• Micro-assaults – Explicit verbal or nonverbal attacks meant to hurt the intended victim through name-calling, avoidant behavior, or purposeful discriminatory actions. These are often conscious and intended to degrade.
• Micro-insults – Subtle snubs, frequently unconscious, that convey rudeness and insensitivity, diminishing a person's racial heritage or identity. They send a message that the target is lesser than the aggressor.
• Micro-invalidations – Comments or actions that subtly exclude, negate, or nullify the thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of a person. They can make the person feel invisible or unimportant. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Misogynoir

Hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against Black women. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Misogyny

Hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Model Minority Myth

A stereotype that generalizes Asian Americans by depicting them as the perfect example of an “if they can do it so can you” success story by highlighting the success of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Indian immigrants with a specific professional and educational background. The model minority myth is successful because it constructs Black people as the “problem” minority.  It uses comparisons between social status and the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Black Americans to maintain the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” myth. It is a historical and presently used tool designed to protect institutionalized white supremacy and validate anti-black racism. Shared Understandings – White Noise Collective

Nonbinary

A person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that is neither entirely male nor entirely female. Many people with nonbinary genders prefer the pronouns they and their. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Oppression

A system of supremacy and discrimination for the benefit of a limited dominant class that perpetuates itself through differential treatment, ideological domination, and institutional control. Oppression reflects the inequitable distribution of current and historical structural and institutional power, where a socially constructed binary of a “dominant group” horde power, wealth, and resources at the detriment of the many. This creates a lack of access, opportunity, safety, security, and resources for non-dominant populations. Oppression resides not only in external social institutions and norms but also within the human psyche as well. Eradicating oppression ultimately requires struggle against all its forms, and that building coalitions among diverse people offers the most promising strategies for challenging oppression systematically. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Othering

The perception or placing of a person or a group outside and/or in opposition to what is considered to be the norm. Othering is based on a conscious or unconscious assumption that a certain identified group poses a threat to the favored or dominant group. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Patriarchy

The manifestation and institutionalization of men and/or masculinity as dominant over women and/or femininity in both the private and public spheres, such as the home, political, religious, and social institutions, sports, etc. Patriarchy is deeply connected with cissexism and heterosexism through the perpetuation and enforcement of the gender binary. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

People of Color

Political or social (not biological) identity among and across groups of people that are racialized as non-White. The term “People of color” is used to acknowledge that many races experience racism in the U.S, and the term includes, but is not synonymous with, Black people. See also, BIPOC. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Power

The ability to define, set, or change situations. Power can manifest as personal or collective self-determination. Power is the ability to influence others to believe, behave, or adopt values as those in power desire. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Prejudice

Prejudice is an unfounded hatred, fear, mistrust, or opinion of a person or group formed from irrational feelings without thought or reason that deny the right of individual members of certain groups to be recognized and treated as individuals with individual characteristics. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Privilege

A set of conditions or immunities that allow a group of people to benefit on a daily basis beyond those common to others. Advantage can exist without a person’s conscious knowledge. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Psychological Safety (at work)

he ability to freely express your opinions at work without fear. Psychological safety develops over time. When it exists, members of a team can be themselves, and they share the belief they can take appropriate risks, and they can and should:

• admit and discuss mistakes,
• openly address problems and tough issues, 
• seek help and feedback,
• trust that no one on the team is out to get them, and
• trust that they are a valued member of the team.

Race

A social and political construction—with no inherent genetic or biological basis—used by social institutions to arbitrarily categorize and divide groups of individuals based on physical appearance (particularly skin color), ancestry, cultural history, and ethnic classification. The concept has been, and still is, used to justify the domination, exploitation, and violence against people who are racialized as non-white. Racial categories subsume ethnic groups. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial Anxiety

The fear of being judged, based on an individual’s race, when interacting with people of other races. White people fear assumptions of being racist, while people of color fear being the victim of discriminatory behavior, systemic racism and/or violence. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial Disparity

An unequal outcome one or more racial groups experiences as compared to the outcome for another racial group and their population relative overall population. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial Disproportionality

The underrepresentation or overrepresentation of a racial or ethnic group at a particular decision point, event, or circumstance, in comparison to the group’s percentage in the total population. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial and Ethnic Identity

An individual's awareness and experience of being a member of a racial and ethnic group; the racial and ethnic categories that an individual chooses to describe themselves based on such factors as biological heritage, physical appearance, cultural affiliation, early socialization and personal experience. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial Equity

Racial equity is the condition that would be achieved if one's racial identity no longer predicts ones life outcomes. When we use the term, we are thinking about racial equity as one part of racial justice, and thus we also include work to address root causes of inequities, not just their manifestation. This includes elimination of policies, practices, attitudes and cultural messages that reinforce differential outcomes by race or fail to eliminate them. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial Healing

A process that restores individuals and communities to wholeness, repairs the damage caused by racism. It acknowledges historical past wrongs created by racism and address present consequences. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial Inequity

Race as the number one predictor of life outcomes, e.g., disproportionality in education (high school graduation rates), jobs (unemployment rate), criminal justice (arrest and incarceration rates), life expectancy, etc. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racial Justice

The proactive process of reinforcing and establishing a set of policies, practices, attitudes, and actions that produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts, and outcomes for all individuals and groups impacted by racism. The goal, however, is not only the eradication of racism, but also the presence of deliberate social systems and structures that sustain racial equity through proactive and preventative measures. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Racism

Racism is a complex system of beliefs and behaviors, grounded in a presumed superiority of the white race. These beliefs and behaviors are conscious and unconscious; personal and institutional; and result in the oppression of people of color and benefit the dominant group, whites. Prejudice becomes racism when it is practiced by the economically, socially or politically powerful. A simpler definition is racial prejudice + power = racism. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Restorative Justice

Restorative justice is both a set of practices and a broad philosophy with applicability across contexts. Restorative justice has several core philosophical features, including a focus on identifying needs and repairing harm, active accountability, centering relationships and community, and voluntary participation. Contemporary restorative justice practice and philosophy have roots and resonances with various Indigenous, religious, and other cultural traditions from around the world. What is Restorative Justice? - National Center on Restorative Justice

Safe Space

An environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves and participating fully, without fear of attack, ridicule or denial of experience (i.e., a judgment-free zone). Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Sexism

Gender or sex prejudice + power. Often involves imposing a limited or false notion of masculinity and femininity on people with a belief that a person of one sex is intrinsically superior to a person of the other. Shared Understandings – White Noise Collective

Sexual Orientation

The sex(es) or gender(s) to whom a person is emotionally, physically, sexually, and/ or romantically attracted. Examples of sexual orientation can include gay, lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual, asexual, pansexual, queer, etc. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Socialization

The process of consciously and unconsciously learning norms, beliefs, and practices from individuals, media and institutions about who does/does not have power and privilege as it relates to social identities and how the self is positioned in relationship to these identities. “How we are supposed to act.”  

Through exposure to popular movies, television shows, plays, books, and contemporary news, a child grows up with an unconscious belief that business executives are straight white men.  When this person walks into an office building of mixed race and mixed gender businesspeople to meet with the executive, they look immediately to the white man and ask to speak to him.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) 

The non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. Health is influenced by many factors, which may generally be organized into five broad categories known as determinants of health: genetics, behavior, environmental and physical influences, medical care, and social factors. Social factors encompass economic and social conditions that influence the health of people and communities. These conditions are sharped by socioeconomic position, which is the amount of money, power, and resources that people have, all of which are influenced by socioeconomic and political factors (e.g., policies, culture, and societal values). An individual’s socioeconomic position can be shaped by various factors such as their education, occupation, or income. All of these factors (social determinants) impact the health and well-being of people and the communities they interact with. Social Determinants of Health | NCHHSTP Health Equity | CDC

Social Equity

In the context of public administration, social equity is defined as “the fair, just and equitable management of all institutions serving the public directly or by contract, and the fair and equitable distribution of public services, and implementation of public policy, and the commitment to promote fairness, justice and equity in the formation of public policy. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Social Justice

A process, not an outcome, which (1) seeks fair (re)distribution of resources, opportunities, and responsibilities; (2) challenges the roots of oppression and injustice; (3) empowers all people to exercise self-determination and realize their full potential; (4) and builds social solidarity and community capacity for collaborative action. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

SOGIE

An acronym that honors the fluidity of numerous and ever-expanding identities related to sexual orientation (SO), gender identity (GI) and (gender) expression (E). See also LGBTQ+, sexual orientation, gender identity and (gender) expression. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

State Violence

Acts of violence or terrorism committed by an official state, military or sponsored by a sovereign government outside of the context of a declared war, which targets civilians or shows a disregard for civilian life in attacking targets – either people or facilities – for the purpose of attaining a political or religious goal.  There is the symbolic kind of violence, including thought control (i.e. propaganda, giant parades and nationalist music). There is also the development of penal and legal institutions which often divide the population into the free and the imprisoned. Shared Understandings – White Noise collective

Stereotype

Fixed, widely held image, beliefs or assumptions about a group of people made without regard to individual differences.  Unlike prejudice, which may be formed by a single individual, stereotypes are held by a large number of people in a society.  Stereotypes are impervious to evidence and contrary argument. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Stereotype Threat

The threat of being stereotyped or the fear of doing something that would inadvertently confirm that stereotype. The resulting apprehension often causes the individual to behave in ways that reinforce that stereotype. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Structural Equity

The Identification and removal of institutional barriers to fair and equal opportunities with recognition to historical, cultural and institutional dynamics and structures that routinely advantage privileged groups in society and result in chronic, cumulative disadvantage for subordinated groups. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Structural Inequality

Systemic disadvantage(s) of one social group compared to other groups, rooted and perpetuated through discriminatory practices (conscious or unconscious) and reinforced through institutions, ideologies, representations, policies/laws and practices. Structural inequality thus refers to the system of privilege and inequality created, designed and maintained by interlocking societal institutions. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Structural Racism Framework

Structural Racism in the U.S. is the normalization and legitimization of an array of dynamics – historical, cultural, institutional and interpersonal – that routinely advantage white people while producing cumulative and chronic adverse outcomes for people of color. It is a system of hierarchy and inequity, primarily characterized by white supremacy – the preferential treatment, privilege and power for white people at the expense of Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Arab and other racially oppressed people. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Structural Racism

The overarching system of racial bias across institutions and society. It is a system in which public policies, institutional practices, cultural representations, and other norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial inequities. It encompasses dimensions of our history and culture that have allowed privileges associated with “whiteness” and disadvantages associated with “color” to endure and adapt over time. Examples can include the racial gap in wealth, homeownership, education, historical redlining practices among other factors. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Systemic Inequalities

Specific policies, standards, and practices, as well as attitudes and prejudices combined to create institutionalized and even structural problems of inequality that differently provide opportunities and resources to some groups while restriction access to those same resources for other groups.

Systemic Racism

An interlocking and reciprocal relationship between the individual, institutional and structural levels which function as a system of racism. These various levels of racism operate together in a lockstep model and function together as a whole system. These levels are: (1) Individual (within interactions between people), (2) Institutional (within institutions and systems of power) and (3) Structural or societal (among institutions and across society). In many ways “systemic racism” and “structural racism” are synonymous. If there is a difference between the terms, it can be said to exist in the fact that a structural racism analysis pays more attention to the historical, cultural, and social psychological aspects of our currently racialized society. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Targeted Universalism

An approach to equity work that sets universal goals followed by targeted processes to achieve said goals. Within a targeted universalism framework, universal goals are set for all individuals and groups. The strategies developed to achieve the goals are targeted, based upon how different groups are situated within structures, culture and across geographies to obtain the universal goal. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

TCU

An acronym that stands for Tribal Colleges and Universities. These are institutions of higher learning in which 50 percent or more of the student demographics are Native American, Inuit or Alaska Native. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Tokenism

Racism requires those in power to maintain their privilege by exercising social, economic, and/or political muscle against people of color (POC). Tokenism achieves the same while giving those in power the appearance of being non-racist and even champions of diversity because they recruit and use POC as racialized props. 

Helen Kim Ho, “8 Ways People of Color are Tokenized in Nonprofits

Transgender

An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from their sex assigned at birth. Trans is sometimes used as shorthand for transgender. Transgender or “trans” does not imply any form of sexual orientation. Cisgender is a gender identity where an individual’s self-perception of their gender matches their sex. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Trans-Misogyny

The negative attitudes expressed through cultural hate, individual and state violence and discrimination directed toward trans women and transfeminine people. Additionally, trans-misogyny is the intersection of transphobia and misogyny. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Transphobia

Fear or hatred of transgender people; transphobia is manifested in many ways, including violence, harassment and discrimination. This phobia can exist in LGBTQIA+ and straight communities. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Trauma-informed

How organizations or systems – such as hospital or school – can work with people who’ve experienced trauma. It’s based on evidence about what they need to feel safe. Assuming any person using an organization or system’s service(s) may have experienced trauma, whether they disclose it. So, trauma-informed care focuses on how to avoid re-traumatization. What does being ‘trauma-informed’ actually mean? 

Trauma-informed Practices

Emphasizes focusing on six key elements to avoid re-traumatization: physical and emotional safety, trustworthiness and transparency, choice and empowerment, peer support, collaboration, and cultural humility. What does being ‘trauma-informed’ actually mean?

Underrepresented Groups

Groups who traditionally (or historically) have not had equal access to economic opportunities because of discrimination or other societal barriers. This may vary by context and geography but can include race, gender, ethnicity, sexual-orientation, disability or low-income status. Examples of groups may be considered underrepresented can include women or women of color in a traditionally male and/or white discipline such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

Veteran Status

Whether or not an individual has served in a nation’s armed forces (or other uniformed services). Clemson University DEI Key Terms and Definitions

“Virtuous” Victim Narrative

A stereotyped role that casts certain individuals (usually feminized, often white women in mainstream culture) as virtuous victims who need protection from “bad guys.” This pattern shows up in a lot of ways. We see the white woman on a pedestal and objectified. She is an image or a caricature, not a person who can inhibit authentic relationships and relationships. She is saintly, sexually pure, and obedient. The white woman is seen as needing protection, and her image, or the defense of her image, has repeatedly been used, usually by white men, to justify violence against communities of color. https://www.conspireforchange.org/resources/shared-understandings/

White Dominant Culture

White dominant culture is an artificial, historically constructed culture which expresses, justifies and binds together the United States white supremacy system. It is the glue that binds together white-controlled institutions into systems and white-controlled systems into the global white supremacy system.

White Fragility

A range of defensive (and centering) emotions and behaviors that white people exhibit when confronted with uncomfortable truths about race or even a minimum amount of racial stress. This may include outward displays of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate White racial comfort and status quo. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

White Privilege

The unearned power and advantages that benefit people just by virtue of being white or being perceived as White. Generally white people who experience such privilege do so without being conscious of it. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

White Supremacy

The idea (ideology) that white people and the ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions of white people are superior to People of Color and their ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions. White supremacy is ever present in our institutional and cultural assumptions that assign value, morality, goodness, and humanity to the white group while casting people and communities of color as worthless (worth less), immoral, bad, and inhuman and "undeserving." White supremacy also refers to a political or socio-economic system where white people enjoy structural advantage and rights that other racial and ethnic groups do not, both at a collective and an individual level. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

White Supremacy Culture

Characteristics of white supremacy used as norms and standards without being proactively named or chosen by the group. They are show up in our organizations and are damaging attitudes and behaviors because they promote white supremacy thinking:

• perfectionism
  • little appreciation expressed among people for the work that others are doing; 
  • appreciation that is expressed usually directed to those who get most of the credit anyway
  • more commonly is to point out either how the person or work is inadequate or even more common, to talk to others about the inadequacies of a person or their work without ever talking directly to them
  • mistakes are perceived as personal, i.e. they reflect badly on the person making them as opposed to being seen for what they are – mistakes, making a mistake is confused with being a mistake, doing wrong with being wrong
  • little time, energy, or money put into reflection or identifying lessons learned that can improve practice, in other words little or no learning from mistakes
  • tendency to identify what’s wrong; little ability to identify, name, and appreciate what’s right 
  • often internally felt, in other words the perfectionist fails to appreciate her own 
  • good work, more often pointing out his faults or ‘failures,’ focusing on inadequacies and mistakes rather than learning from them; the person works with a harsh and constant inner critic
  • antidotes: develop a culture of appreciation, where the organization takes time to make sure that people’s work and efforts are appreciated; 
  • develop a learning organization, where it is expected that everyone will make mistakes and those mistakes offer opportunities for learning; create an environment where people can recognize that mistakes sometimes lead to positive results; 
  • separate the person from the mistake; when offering feedback, always speak to the things that went well before offering criticism; ask people to offer specific suggestions for how to do things differently when offering criticism; 
  • realize that being your own worst critic does not actually improve the work, often contributes to low morale among the group, and does not help you or the group to realize the benefit of learning from mistakes 
• sense of urgency 
  • continued sense of urgency that makes it difficult to take time to be inclusive, 
  • encourage democratic and/or thoughtful decision-making, to think long-term, to consider consequences, or learn from mistakes (see above) 
  • frequently results in sacrificing potential allies for quick or highly visible results, for example sacrificing interests of communities of color to more quickly win victories for white people (seen as default or norm community) 
  • reinforced by funding proposals which promise too much work for too little money and by funders who expect too much for too little 
  • antidotes: realistic workplans; leadership which understands that things take longer than anyone expects; discussion and planning for what it means to set goals of inclusivity and diversity, particularly in terms of time; learn from past experience how long things take; 
  • write realistic funding proposals with realistic time frames; be clear about how you will make good decisions in an 
  • atmosphere of urgency; realize that rushing decisions takes more time in the long run because inevitably people who didn’t get a chance to voice their thoughts and feelings will at best resent and at worst undermine the decision because they were left unheard 
• defensiveness 
  • the organizational structure is set up and much energy spent trying to prevent abuse and protect power as it exists rather than to facilitate the best out of each person or to clarify who has power and how they are expected to use it because of either/or thinking (see below), criticism of those with power is viewed as threatening and inappropriate (or rude) people respond to new or challenging ideas with defensiveness, making it very difficult to raise these ideas 
  • a lot of energy in the organization is spent trying to make sure that people’s feelings aren’t getting hurt or working around defensive people white people spend energy defending against charges of racism instead of examining how racism is actually happening 
  • leaders perceive calls for change as personal attacks (because if they were leading in the “right” way, then nothing would need to change); their defensiveness creates an oppressive culture where people feel they cannot make suggestions or when they do, these are ignored 
  • antidotes: understand that structure cannot in and of itself facilitate or prevent abuse; understand the link between defensiveness and fear (of losing power, losing face, losing comfort, losing privilege); work on your own defensiveness; name defensiveness as a problem when it is one; give people credit for being able to handle more than you think; discuss the ways in which defensiveness or resistance to new ideas gets in the way of the mission; support yourself and others to avoid taking things personally 
• quantity over quality 
  • all resources of organization are directed toward producing measurable goals things that can be measured are more highly valued than things that cannot, for example numbers of people attending a meeting, newsletter circulation, money spent are valued more than quality of relationships, democratic decision-making, ability to constructively deal with conflict 
  • little or no value attached to process; if it can’t be measured, it has no value discomfort with emotion and feelings 
  • no understanding that when there is a conflict between content (the agenda of the meeting) and process (people’s need to be heard or engaged), process will prevail (for example, you may get through the agenda, but if you haven’t paid attention to people’s need to be heard, the decisions made at the meeting are undermined and/or disregarded) 
  • antidotes: include process or quality goals in your planning; make sure your organization has a values statement which expresses the ways in which you want to do your work; make sure this is a living document and that people are using it in their day-to-day work; look for ways to measure process goals (for example if you have a goal of inclusivity, think about ways you can measure whether or not you have achieved that goal); learn to recognize those times when you need to get off the agenda in order to address people’s underlying concerns
• worship of the written word 
  • if it’s not in a memo, it doesn’t exist 
  • the organization does not value other ways in which information gets shared 
  • those with strong documentation and writing skills are more highly valued, even in organizations where ability to relate to others is key to the mission 
  • antidotes: take the time to analyze how people inside and outside the organization get and share information; figure out which things need to be written down and come up with alternative ways to document what is happening; work to recognize the contributions and skills that every person brings to the organization (for example, the ability to build relationships with those who are important to the organization’s mission); make sure anything written can be clearly understood (avoid academic language, ‘buzz’ words, etc.)
• only one right way 
  • the belief there is one right way to do things and once people are introduced to the right way, they will see the light and adopt it 
  • when they do not adapt or change, then something is wrong with them (the other, those not changing), not with us (those who ‘know’ the right way) 
  • similar to the missionary who does not see value in the culture of other communities, sees only value in their beliefs about what is good 
  • antidotes: accept that there are many ways to get to the same goal; once the group has made a decision about which way will be taken, honor that decision and see what you and the organization will learn from taking that way, even and especially if it is not the way you would have chosen; work on developing the ability to notice when people do things differently and how those different ways might improve your approach; look for the tendency for a group or a person to keep pushing the same point over and over out of a belief that there is only one right way and then name it; when working with communities from a different culture than yours or your organizations, be clear that you have some learning to do about the communities’ ways of doing; never assume that you or your organization know what’s best for the community in isolation from meaningful relationships with that community 
• paternalism 
  • decision-making is clear to those with power and unclear to those without it 
  • those with power assume they are capable of making decisions for and in the interests of those without power 
  • those with power often don’t think it is important or necessary to understand the viewpoint or experience of those for whom they are making decisions 
  • those without power do not really know how decisions get made and who makes what decisions, and yet they are completely familiar with the impact of 
  • those decisions on them 
  • antidotes: make sure that everyone knows and understands who makes what decisions in the organization; make sure everyone knows and understands their level of responsibility and authority in the organization; include people who are affected by decisions in the decision-making; make sure everyone understands the budget (because if you understand the budget, you understand a lot)
• either/or thinking 
  • things are either/or — good/bad, right/wrong, with us/against us 
  • closely linked to perfectionism in making it difficult to learn from mistakes or accommodate conflict 
  • no sense that things can be both/and 
  • results in trying to simplify complex things, for example believing that poverty 
  • is simply a result of lack of education 
  • creates conflict and increases sense of urgency, as people feel they must make decisions to do either this or that, with no time or encouragement to consider alternatives, particularly those which may require more time or resources 
  • often used by those with a clear agenda or goal to push those who are still thinking or reflecting to make a choice between ‘a’ or ‘b’ without acknowledging a need for time and creativity to come up with more options 
  • antidotes: notice when people use ‘either/or’ language and push to come up with more than two alternatives; notice when people are simplifying complex issues, particularly when the stakes seem high or an urgent decision needs to be made; slow it down and encourage people to do a deeper analysis; when people are faced with an urgent decision, take a break and give people some breathing room to think creatively; avoid (when possible) making decisions under extreme pressure
• power hoarding 
  • little, if any, value around sharing power 
  • power seen as limited, only so much to go around 
  • those with power feel threatened when anyone suggests changes in how things should be done in the organization, feel suggestions for change are a reflection on their leadership 
  • those with power don’t see themselves as hoarding power or as feeling threatened
  • those with power assume they have the best interests of the organization at heart and assume those wanting change are ill-informed (stupid), emotional, inexperienced 
  • antidotes: include power sharing in your organization’s values statement; discuss what good leadership looks like and make sure people understand that a good leader develops the power and skills of others; understand that change is inevitable and challenges to your leadership can be healthy and productive; make sure the organization is focused on the mission
• fear of open conflict 
  • people in power are afraid of expressed conflict and try to ignore it or run from it 
  • when someone raises an issue that causes discomfort, the response is to blame the person for raising the issue rather than to look at the issue which is 
  • causing the problem
  • emphasis on being polite at the surface (while often deeply offensive to those who have a beef with you or your organization); insisting on politeness as 
  • terms for conversation or negotiation (i.e. requiring people to “check” their anger, particularly when it is a logical response to what is happening) 
  • equating the raising of difficult issues with being impolite, rude, or out of line 
  • antidotes: role play ways to handle conflict before conflict happens; distinguish between being polite and raising hard issues; don’t require those who raise hard issues to raise them in ‘acceptable’ ways, especially if you are using the ways in which issues are raised as an excuse not to address those issues; once a conflict is resolved, take the opportunity to revisit it and see how it might have been handled differently
• individualism 
  • little experience or comfort working as part of a team 
  • people believe they are responsible for solving problems alone 
  • accountability, if any, goes up and down, not sideways to peers or to those 
  • the organization is set up to serve 
  • desire for individual recognition and credit 
  • leads to isolation 
  • competition more highly valued than cooperation and where cooperation is valued, little time or resources devoted to developing skills in how to cooperate 
  • creates a lack of accountability, as the organization values those who can get things done on their own without needing supervision or guidance 
  • antidotes: include teamwork as an important value in your values statement; make sure the organization is working towards shared goals and people understand how working together will improve performance; evaluate people’s ability to work in a team as well as their ability to get the job done; make sure that credit is given to all those who participate in an effort, not just the leaders or most public person; make people accountable as a group rather than as individuals; create a culture where people bring problems to the group; use staff meetings as a place to solve problems, not just a place to report activities 
• I’m the only one 
  • connected to individualism, the belief that if something is going to get done right, ‘I’ am the one to do it 
  • little or no ability to delegate work to others 
  • antidotes: evaluate people based on their ability to delegate to others; evaluate people based on their ability to work as part of a team to accomplish shared goals
• progress is bigger, more 
  • observed in how we define success (success is always bigger, more)
  • progress is an organization which expands (adds staff, adds projects) or develops the ability to serve more people (regardless of how well they are serving them) 
  • gives no value, not even negative value, to its cost, for example, increased accountability to funders as the budget grows, ways in which those we serve may be exploited, excluded, or underserved as we focus on how many we are serving instead of quality of service or values created by the ways in which we serve 
  • antidotes: create Seventh Generation thinking by asking how the actions of the group now will affect people seven generations from now; make sure that any cost/benefit analysis includes all the costs, not just the financial ones, for example the cost in morale, the cost in credibility, the cost in the use of resources; include process goals in your planning, for example make sure that your goals speak to how you want to do your work, not just what you want to do; ask those you work with and for to evaluate your performance
• objectivity* 
  • the belief that there is such a thing as being objective or ‘neutral’
  • the belief that emotions are inherently destructive, irrational, and should not play a role in decision-making or group process 
  • invalidating people who show emotion 
  • requiring people to think in a linear (logical) fashion and ignoring or invalidating those who think in other ways 
  • impatience with any thinking that does not appear ‘logical’
  • antidotes: realize that everybody has a world view and that everybody’s world view affects the way they understand things; realize this means you too; push yourself to sit with discomfort when people are expressing themselves in ways which are not familiar to you; assume that everybody has a valid point and your job is to understand what that point is; recognize that we can know things emotionally and intuitively in ways that we may not be able to explain “rationally;” understand that often “rational” thinking is actually an emotional response couched in logic
• right to comfort
  • the belief that those with power have a right to emotional and psychological comfort (another aspect of valuing ‘logic’ over emotion)
  • scapegoating those who cause discomfort
  • equating individual acts of unfairness against white people with systemic racism which daily targets people of color
  • antidotes: understand that discomfort is at the root of all growth and learning; welcome it as much as you can; deepen your political analysis of racism and oppression so you have a strong understanding of how your personal experience and feelings fit into a larger picture; don’t take. White Supremacy Culture - Home 

Workforce Equity

The workforce of a jurisdiction reflects the diversity of its residents, including across the breadth (functions and departments) and depth (hierarchy) of government. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA

Xenophobia

Any attitude, behavior, practice, or policy that explicitly or implicitly reflects the belief that immigrants are inferior to the dominant group of people. Xenophobia is reflected in interpersonal, institutional, and systemic levels oppression and is a function of White supremacy. Understanding Equity Terms and Concepts | City of Alexandria, VA