# data[].attributes.body
An article written by Dr. Cris Cullinan on ways to hire for cultural competence. The workshop that Dr. Cullinan led changed how I crafted interview questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There isn't an independent school in this country that isn't struggling to attract and create an increasingly diverse and complex student body. And, it's safe to say, there isn't a school that doesn't want to have a faculty and staff that mirrors that complexity and is able to prepare all students to thrive in this multicultural, hyper-connected, 21st century world.

And yet, as the U.S. population becomes more diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, skin color, cultures, countries of origin, languages, and configurations of families, schools often do little to identify the knowledge and skills needed to bring diversity to our schools. This is not simply a matter of working not to discriminate; that's the equivalent of saying that we can identify good drivers by finding those who have not had catastrophic accidents. This is about identifying the knowledge and skills that are required to design and execute curriculum and pedagogy, to evaluate and evolve programming, to examine and revamp policies and practices, and to participate in effective teams that commit to ongoing feedback and skill development in the area of cultural competence.

Simply put, if we continue to seek out only those who have backgrounds and experiences similar and familiar to ourselves, we will continue to attract, hire, and retain those who "fit" rather than those who will help our schools grow and evolve. A school climate created by a dominant majority, whose implicit biases dictate that only community members like themselves are the "most qualified," is one that will struggle and fail to have the reality of our classrooms and workplaces live up to our rhetoric about equity and inclusion. To recruit and develop the best minds and talents, we must broaden our search to include culturally competent individuals who are able to design curriculum and choose activities that have the best chance of increasing the learning among a diverse group of students.

Why it Matters

When we search for culturally competent faculty, administrators, and staff, we are amplifying our parameters to include knowledge and skills needed to work respectfully and inclusively in a multicultural, multicolored, multinational, and otherwise diverse educational environment. If we don't make cultural competence an imperative, our schools, employees, students, and communities lose out. Here's why.

We miss the opportunity to learn from and problem-solve with others who have different and valuable insights that are necessary if independent schools are to continue to grow and evolve in using the most effective educational practices.

We wear out, discourage, and ultimately lose teachers, administrators, and staff who have cultivated knowledge and skills in areas related to cultural competence, but have tried and failed to get a school and its leaders to move forward in these areas.

We betray our mission of education in general, as well as much of the rhetoric we have incorporated into our strategic goals and plans in the last decade about providing a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment for all members of our school communities.

Where Do We Begin?

When we seek cultural competence in hiring, we start by identifying the knowledge and skills a qualified candidate needs to have to work with, teach, and lead groups of diverse individuals in respectful, equitable, and inclusive ways. Knowledge and skills related to cultural competence are integral to building school and classroom environments where every person has an opportunity to reach his or her full potential and is valued for their unique qualities and contributions.

We have all likely worked with faculty, administrators, and staff who have failed in their responsibilities to support such equitable and inclusive environments by, at the very least, being unaware of the stereotypes from which each was acting, and at worst, deliberately attempting to exploit, exclude, insult, or shame a student or other employee.

We can be more conscious in hiring so we minimize the likelihood of perpetuating these patterns. We can change the structure of our hiring processes so that we seek out, support, and reward cultural competence-from position descriptions to advertising to question development to candidate evaluation.

Ideally, culturally competent candidates will be attracted to apply for a position based on the school's reputation for taking issues of equity and inclusion seriously. To that end, a school's website, job advertisements, position descriptions, requirements, preferences, and interview questions should all speak to issues of how cultural competence and other 21st century skills are significant factors for successful candidates. The message should clearly be that successful applicants for this position are expected to be developing and practicing cultural competence in their teaching, team work, and leadership. If this is clear, candidates who are not qualified will likely not apply for the position.

Beyond the initial job posting, there are multiple other opportunities to assess cultural competence throughout the hiring process.
Applications:

Seek evidence that demonstrates a candidate is culturally competent in his or her teaching, teamwork, and leadership ability.

Use supplemental questions as part of the application process to ask for specific examples of doing this in an educational setting (see "How to Develop Effective Interview Questions" below).

Interviews:

Compose and ask questions designed to gauge the candidate's ability to apply culturally competent practices.

Make sure members of search committees understand appropriate and effective strategies so that they know how to evaluate responses.

References:

Compose and ask questions designed to elicit descriptions of candidate's behavior that demonstrate use of appropriate knowledge, leadership, and skills in working with diverse populations.

Ensure that responses are evaluated according to appropriate criteria developed as part of the hiring process so that nonresponsive references are not given a "pass" because you are impressed with the candidate overall.

Work samples:

Provide applicants opportunities to demonstrate appropriate and effective knowledge, leadership, and skills in carrying out the responsibilities of the position.

Ensure that these are evaluated according to appropriate criteria developed during the hiring process.

How to Develop Effective Interview Questions
Step 1: Describe an area of responsibility for the position where cultural competence is particularly important to the success of students. Step 2: Describe the cognitive knowledge and its application to look for in applicants to help evaluate their competency in this area. Step 3: Describe the skills and their applications to look for in applicants to help evaluate their competency in this area. Step 4: Write questions that would invite the candidate to provide specific examples of how each has developed and applied the necessary knowledge and skills. Step 5: Discuss and agree on the specific criteria to judge answers to these questions. If there's no agreement on these criteria, review the questions again to see how they can be changed. (For an example of this process, see "Question Generator for a Teaching Position" below.) Step 6: Evaluate the candidate's answers based on these criteria. Using one page per question, combine the information gathered from Steps 1 through 6 into a candidate evaluation form.
How Well Are We Doing?

In educational and workplace environments that value and support cultural competency, the following 10 structures, policies, and practices are evident; they are recurring patterns rather than isolated or onetime events.

1. Diversity, inclusion, equity, multiculturalism, internationalization, and globalization are considered to be overlapping and interwoven issues, and efforts to advance any of these are connected in deliberations, debates, and strategic planning processes. Institutional development planning mirrors this value and works to explain its value to potential donors.

2. All community members see it as their responsibility to take action if they believe that harassment or discrimination is occurring. People who report such instances are taken seriously, and each report is dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner. Those reporting, as well as those investigating such reports are supported in their efforts to stop any such harassment or discrimination from reoccurring. Investigations of such reports lead to policy and practice reviews and changes.

3. Everyone sees it as his or her responsibility to contribute to building and maintaining equitable, inclusive, and respectful environments for all students and their families, as well as for teachers, administrators, and other staff. Regular professional and student development, including evaluation of results, supports these efforts.

4. The school supports faculty planning strategies that include evaluation and improvement of curriculum and pedagogy. Teachers expect and plan for the fact that differences in the knowledge and life experiences of students in the classroom, lab, or seminar will inform teaching and learning in the classroom and enrich that experience for everyone.

5. People who take these responsibilities seriously, and act accordingly, are regularly recognized for their high levels of scholarship and professionalism (and not just given "diversity awards" on MLK Day).

6. People who do not take these responsibilities seriously, and do not act accordingly, are disciplined like they would be for any breach of professional behavior. There are consequences for not supporting equitable, inclusive, and welcoming educational and workplace environments for all students, faculty, administrators, and staff.

7. Curricula for all professional development activities are set up to include how factors of perceived race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, age, gender or gender identity, skin color, languages, accents, national origins, disabilities, or other characteristics seen as different from the dominant group affect the use of identified knowledge and skills. Separate "diversity" workshops are the exception rather than the rule because issues of equity and inclusion are seen as appropriate subject matter for all professional development classes.

8. No person is singled out because of his or her perceived race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, age, gender or gender identity, skin color, languages, accents, national origins, current disability, or other characteristics seen as different from the dominant group to bear any of these responsibilities for other members of the larger group, either in the workplace or in the classroom. It is not the "job" of the African-American teach to handle the "black" issues for the school. It is every person's job to do that.

9. Persons who are seen as "different" from the dominant group are rewarded for contributing their perspectives, based on their professional expertise, to the critical-thinking and problem-solving efforts of the whole group, including when their perspectives bring new and challenging ideas into the mix. They are also encouraged and supported to continue in their chosen professional and scholastic development. While we expect everyone to be rewarded for excellent work, what often happens is that professionals of color, for instance, are frequently only recognized for their "diversity" work instead of all the professional areas in which they contribute.

10. Celebrations of diversity are not seen as substituting for any of the actions listed above, nor do these occur outside of accurate historical contexts. Themed "celebrations," such as Cinco de Mayo or those surrounding Black History Month, are placed in historical perspective. For example, Cinco de Mayo commemorations speak to the Battle of Puebla and why it was important in Mexican history; Black History Month events are embedded with information about the necessity and importance of recognizing often overlooked history. In these two examples, history should never be eclipsed by food, fun, and festivals.

Defining the Talents of Cultural Competence
Is cultural competence at the core of your school hiring process? Ask these five questions. 1. Do we believe people are most open to learning when they know they are seen as worthy and viable learners in the environment?
If so, then we need to seek out teachers, administrators, and staff who can demonstrate that they recognize how implicit bias can operate in a school setting and provide specific examples of times when they have recognized and eliminated it. 2. Do we believe the best teachers are those who can recognize and develop the learning potential of every student and be continuously alert to how their own implicit biases, as well as those of other members of the school community, may affect their abilities to do so?
If so, we must question those who seek to lead, teach, and serve in our schools about their experiences in doing this, ask for specific examples of both their successes and their failures and what they learned, and how they would bring this learning into our schools. 3. Do we believe the best supervisors and managers are those who have the knowledge and ability to use the diverse skills and experiences of all their staff members to build strong and effective teams? Do we believe they must identify and respond appropriately and clearly to biases, harassment, and discrimination that can damage morale and destroy team cohesiveness?
If so, we need to question all applicants, asking them for examples of using these skills in diverse supervisory and administrative settings. 4. Do we believe the best school staff members are those who repeatedly challenge their own beliefs and assumptions and are aware that their worldviews are culturally shaped by their own life experiences. And that those with other backgrounds may see the world, as well as the issues in education and schools, from different perspectives?
If so, we must question all potential staff members about their understandings of cultural bias and how they have learned to identify and deal with their own in an educational setting.
5. Do we believe the best leaders are those who can review, examine, and rework existing policies and procedures by testing them against both their intent and the results for all members of the school community?
If so, then we need to question all potential school leaders about how they see and use multiple and diverse viewpoints to shape culturally responsive policies and procedures. Ask them to provide examples of how they have gathered and meaningfully involved a broad range of stakeholders to identify, understand, and solve institutional challenges and problems.

Get More
Cris Cullinan offers more insights and perspectives on hiring for cultural competence with National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) community members. In a February 2016 webinar, she explores proven strategies for hiring teachers, administrators, and staff who possess the knowledge and skills to effectively work with cultural differences and identities. Members can listen to a recording of this webinar or view a PDF of the presentation slides at nais.org/culturalcompetencehiring . In a November 2015 Independent Ideas blog, she writes about why seeking cultural competency in candidates for all school positions is hiring for excellence. Read her post at nais.org/learn/independent-ideas/november-2015/hiring-for-excellence-in-independent-schools-why/ . Independent Ideas Blog
The Problem with Inclusion: Time to Shift to Belonging

Creating and cultivating a space where all constituents feel seen, heard, valued, and loved.
Read the Post

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There isn't an independent school in this country that isn't struggling to attract and create an increasingly diverse and complex student body. And, it's safe to say, there isn't a school that doesn't want to have a faculty and staff that mirrors that complexity and is able to prepare all students to thrive in this multicultural, hyper-connected, 21st century world.

# data[].attributes.body
When I co-taught a course on identity development and exploration for 7th and 8th graders, one of my team teachers created a choice project for students to share their learning about the complexity of identity, acknowledging their identity, and understanding common language about identities overall. One of the choices was to create a digital collage which shared important and salient parts of who they were. I often learned more about my students from that project that I could in our every day interactions. And I enjoyed seeing the pride they felt when they submitted works of art that spoke true to themselves. How might you provide choice in how students show their learning? How might digital collages be a part of those options?

# data[].attributes.headline
Teaching For Black Lives (book + web resource)

# data[].attributes.subject
Teaching For Black Lives (book + web resource)

# data[].attributes.body
The book description, "Rooted in the Black Lives Matter movement, this essential guide demonstrates how educators can teach to affirm Black joy, connect curriculum to young people’s lives, and highlight the hope and beauty of activism and collective action."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our campaign supports teachers with free lessons and resources for teaching about racism and anti-racist struggles.

# data[].attributes.headline
Kyriarchy 101: We're Not Just Fighting the Patriarchy Anymore - Everyday Feminism

# data[].attributes.subject
Kyriarchy 101: We're Not Just Fighting the Patriarchy Anymore - Everyday Feminism

# data[].attributes.body
I wish this term would come out of academia and into the mainstream. "The kyriarchy is the social system that keeps all intersecting oppressions in place."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you're familiar with feminism, you'll have heard of the term patriarchy - the social order that privileges men and oppresses women. It's a useful term as it gives a name to the institutionalisation of male privilege.

But feminism has moved on from being purely concerned with male privilege.

We now - thankfully and rightfully! - take into account the number of different privileges and oppressions that people experience.

First named by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, intersectional feminism is concerned with the social order that privileges and oppresses people based on race, gender, language, class, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, culture, and so on.

Intersectional feminism tells us that oppression comes in many different forms. Someone is not simply oppressed or privileged: we can be simultaneously privileged and oppressed by different aspects of our identities.

For example, somebody can be privileged by the fact that they are cisgender, thin, and white, while being oppressed by the fact that they are queer, disabled, and female.

Because of this, we need a word to describe the complex social order that keeps these intersecting oppressions in place.

Kyriarchy is an excellent word for this concept - it is more in line with intersectional feminism, and is not as problematic as the word patriarchy can be.

Kyriarchy 101

The term kyriarchy was coined by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza in her 2001 book, Wisdom Ways: Introducing Feminist Biblical Interpretation. In the glossary, she defines kyriarchy as:

a neologism...derived from the Greek words for "lord" or "master" ( kyrios) and "to rule or dominate" ( archein) which seeks to redefine the analytic category of patriarchy in terms of multiplicative intersecting structures of domination... Kyriarchy is best theorized as a complex pyramidal system of intersecting multiplicative social structures of superordination and subordination, of ruling and oppression.

In other words, the kyriarchy is the social system that keeps all intersecting oppressions in place.

In the glossary of Wisdom Ways, Schussler Fiorenza points out that "the theoretical adequacy of patriarchy has been challenged because, for instance, black men do not have control over white wo/men."

This is definitely true.

To extend this example, let's imagine two people: one is a white, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied woman. Another is a black, transgender, pansexual, disabled man. According to the theory of patriarchy, the woman would be oppressed and the man would be privileged.

Sure - the woman will experience oppression as a woman, and the man might experience forms of male privilege. But it's a whole lot more complicated than that.

In this situation, the man would not have control (or economic, social, and political privilege) over the woman. To merely call the man dominant and the woman oppressed without taking any other factors into account would be to erase all the other aspects of their identities.

This is not to say that male privilege can be totally erased because of certain factors. Rather, it means that the way someone experiences male privilege is dynamic and dependent on other identities.

Why Kyriarchy Is Useful for Intersectional Feminism
Oppression is not simply about discrimination. It is about being institutionally and systemically repressed.
Gender-based oppression, for example, is not just about someone making a joke about women belonging only in the kitchen. It's about women being denied equal access to education, the job market, equal pay, reproductive health services, and legislative equality for centuries.

It's about the gender-based violence that women experience.

It's about women being presented as weak, overemotional, lacking sexual desire, irrational, and superficial by institutions such as the media, education system, politicians, legislation, and commercial groups.

It's about stereotypes - of all sexes - being enforced by these institutions.
It's about socializing people to believe one gender is superior while the others are inferior. It's about the social, political, and economic repression of women.
Oppression is not about isolated incidents. It's about a number of incidents, habits, culture, and tradition enforcing the domination of one group over another.

Effective anti-oppression movements will view oppression as systemic. These movements take into account the fact that oppression can only be eradicated through radical, holistic change.

We therefore need a name for the institutionalisation of oppression. Feminists often call the institutionalisation of sexism "the patriarchy."

Mainstream feminism has been traditionally concerned with gender inequality. Intersectional feminism, however, is concerned with all types of inequality. The term kyriarchy is useful as it is therefore more in line with intersectional feminism.

1. It acknowledges that gender-based oppression is not the only type of oppression that exists.

We'll never achieve equality by tackling only sexism.Inequality doesn't begin and end with sexism - so why should we only recognize a system that keeps gender inequality in place?

Unlike the term patriarchy, which refers only to institutionalized sexism, kyriarchy covers all forms of inequality.

To achieve true, full equality, we need to tackle the systemic oppression of all groups of people.

2. It acknowledges that one can both benefit from and be oppressed by the system.

I'm oppressed by the fact that I am a woman. I am, however, privileged in that I am white. I'm both oppressed and privileged, and I can fight my own oppression while perpetuating the oppression of others.The existence of the kyriarchy means that we can be both privileged and oppressed at the same time. It also reminds us that since different oppressions exist, we can fight one form of oppression while perpetuating others.

This has been particularly true of the mainstream gay rights movement, which has at times excluded trans, gender non-conforming, intersex, and polysexual people. Gay rights activism in my country particularly has a history of being exclusive of people of color and poorer people. It is also true of mainstream feminism which has traditionally excluded trans people as well as women of color.

In both cases, the movement has attempted to challenge the oppression of one group of people while throwing another group of people under the bus, so to speak. This demonstrates that a movement can simultaneously challenge oppression and be oppressive.

A group of people can challenge one form of oppression while using their privileges to oppress others. We can be victims while being bullies.
Intersectionality tells us that fighting one form of oppression is not enough.
We have to be as inclusive as possible in order to truly tackle inequality. For this reason, we cannot merely challenge one form of systemic oppression - the patriarchy. We have to challenge all forms of oppression - the kyriarchy.

3. It could suggest why so many oppressed people are complicit in their own oppression.

Nobody is either a bully or a victim in the kyriarchy.

As explained above, most people are likely to be both bullies and victims - most groups of people consist of members who have dominance over another group of people.

Certain people, who experience both privilege and oppression, do not want to challenge the social structure that oppresses them. This is because they recognize that challenging this social structure will cause them to question - and perhaps lose - the dominance they have over other groups. As Lisa Factora-Borchers argues,

[S]tudying kyriarchy displays that it's more than just rich, white Christian men at the tip top and, personally, they're not the ones I find most dangerous. There's a helluva lot more people a few levels down the pyramid who are more interested in keeping their place in the structure than to turning the pyramid upside down.

These people are the overworked lower-middle-class people who oppose state grants for the poor. These people are the gender-conforming straight women who shy away from feminism, thinking that the movement is only for queer or gender-non-conforming women.
Whether it's out of greed or a matter of survival, people tend to conform to the system that spits on them.
4. It does not erase people who do not identify as men or women.

The idea of a patriarchy has a very binary view on gender. It asserts that one is either a man, and therefore privileged, or a woman, and therefore oppressed.

Yes, men definitely have systemic privilege over women. But what about people who do not identify as one of those two genders? The concept of a patriarchy fails to take into account that women who are cisgender will have privilege over people who identify as a non-binary gender.

The kyriarchy, on the other hand, can take into account the range of gender identities people can have, as well as cisgender privilege.

5. It acknowledges that oppressions are interlinked.

The term patriarchy might still be useful if we're talking only about gender relations. It could be useful if we are referring to a certain culture, for example. So I might say that Capetonian, middle-class, white culture is aggressively patriarchal, as the dominance of males over females is deeply entrenched.

However, considering gender relations without taking other forms of institutionalised oppression into account is extremely simplistic. Examining gender oppression on its own would be to strip the issue of its real-world context.
The use of the term kyriarchy is therefore better, as it demands that we take other forms of oppression into account.
To return to my example of patriarchal Capetonian, middle-class, white culture: It would be foolish of me to ignore the fact that it's a highly elitist and racially exclusive culture, or that it is heterosexist and cissexist, too.

Ignoring these oppressions would mean erasing the experiences of people of color, queers, trans* people, and poorer people.

Additionally, a person does not simply experience being a certain gender or a certain race. Our experiences are informed by all of our identities, not just one at a time. I cannot separate my experience of being oppressed as a woman from my oppression as a queer person, as that is what I've been all my life.

The kyriarchy gives us the framework to discuss oppressions in context of one another.

***

Although the word patriarchy is still useful in many ways, the concept of a kyriarchy is more compatible with intersectional feminism.

Would you replace the word patriarchy with kyriarchy in your feminist exchanges? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments or in our forum!

Sian Ferguson is a Contributing Writer at Everyday Feminism. She is a South African feminist currently studying toward a Bachelors of Social Science degree majoring in English Language and Literature and Gender Studies at the University of Cape Town. She has been featured as a guest writer on websites such as Women24 and Foxy Box, while also writing for her personal blog. In her spare time, she tweets excessively @sianfergs, reads about current affairs, and spends time with her gorgeous group of friends. Read her articles here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kyriarchy 101: We're Not Just Fighting the Patriarchy Anymore - Everyday Feminism

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're familiar with feminism, you'll have heard of the term patriarchy - the social order that privileges men and oppresses women. It's a useful term as it gives a name to the institutionalisation of male privilege. But feminism has moved on from being purely concerned with male privilege.

# data[].attributes.body
Clear, helpful, and a great place to point folks who are new to the idea of gender-expansive pronouns.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Pronouns are the way that we refer to people in place of their name or in third person (referring to that person while talking to someone else). Often, pronouns have an implied gender such as "he" to refer to a man/boy or "she" to refer to a woman/girl. People may also make assumptions about the gender of a person based upon their appearance or their name. In both cases, these assumptions aren't always correct, accurate, or helpful. In fact, in our workplaces, schools, and communities, these messages can be harmful and damaging to relationships.

When you use someone's correct pronouns, it serves to create an inclusive environment where you demonstrate that you care for and respect them. Just as we wouldn't want to make up a nickname for someone and use it against their will, it can be just as upsetting or disrespectful to refer to someone using incorrect pronouns. Actively choosing to not use the pronouns someone has shared that they go by is harassment and implies that intersex, transgender,
non-binary, and gender nonconforming people do not or should not exist.

When someone shares their pronouns, it is an indication of how they would like to be referred to in the third person. Pronouns in the first person (referring to yourself- e.g., "I") or second person (referring to the person you're speaking to- e.g., "you") do not change. Most people think of pronouns as they fall within the gender binary- with men using he/him/his and women using she/her/hers. However, gender neutral pronouns such as they, ze, xe, and others exist and are often used by non-binary people, who do not associate themselves with genders of man or woman.

Gender neutral pronouns are also useful if someone doesn't know the gender of the person they are speaking about ("The pizza delivery person is at the door, give them a good tip!").

Some people give options when sharing their pronouns. For example a non-binary person could use both "he/him/his" and "they/them/theirs" pronouns.

Here are examples of third-person pronouns that you may commonly hear used:
Want to practice using pronouns? https://www.minus18.org.au/pronouns-app/
It's important to note that we should never assume someone's pronouns. While the majority of people may use 'she/her' or 'he/him,' we cannot always tell by looking at someone. Pronouns commonly have a gendered association, however, anyone of any gender can use any pronouns that fit for them. Everyone has pronouns, not just transgender, nonbinary, or intersex people. Keep in mind that some people may use more than one set of pronouns to refer to themselves (e.g., 'she/her' and 'they/them'). In these instances, you can use either set when referring to this person.

What if I don't know what pronouns someone uses?

If you don't know what pronouns someone uses, you can do one of three things:

1. Use "They": Use singular "they/them/theirs" for this person until you have the opportunity to ask about their pronouns.

2. Ask!: It's perfectly acceptable to ask someone what pronouns they use. See the next section for tips and methods!

3. Use their name: Use their name until you learn their pronouns.
a.Be aware that it can be challenging to do this without practice. Even though we think that we will only use someone's name instead of pronouns in an attempt to not misgender them, we often use pronouns without realizing it, so it is easy to make a mistake. If someone has told you their pronouns, and you use their name or they instead of the pronouns that they told you, this is still misgendering.

How do I ask what pronouns to use?

Our clients often ask, "How do I know what pronoun to use?" and the easiest way is to ask. Sometimes people get nervous about asking for pronouns, because they aren't sure how to ask.

The easiest way to lean into asking someone about their pronouns is to share your own:

"Hello, my name is Charlie and I go by 'he, him, his' pronouns."

By opening the conversation with your pronouns, you are signaling to the other person that you are familiar with the concept of pronouns and may be safe to talk to, particularly if you're speaking to a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, you are increasing the normalcy of sharing of pronouns in public spaces and interactions. You're creating an opening to ask for their pronouns. Using our example above, you could say:

"Hello, my name is Charlie and I go by 'he, him, his' pronouns. What pronouns do you use?" "How would you like me to refer to you?"

Both of these models create the opportunity for someone to reciprocate by sharing their pronouns in their introduction. It can be a bit awkward the first few times you do this, but practice makes proficient! Further, you may get some folks who are confused when you introduce yourself with pronouns. It can be helpful to have a planned elevator pitch that you can share about why you're sharing your pronouns.

Please see the following video for more information and insights on how to share pronouns.
[V ideo-Sharing Your Pronouns by the LGBT Equity Center]

What if I make a mistake?

Mistakes happen! Everyone makes them. It's what we do when we make a mistake that is most important. Here are some strategies for what to do when you've made a mistake or witnessed someone make a mistake with someone's pronouns.

If you use the wrong pronouns for someone in a conversation and you immediately recognize it, correct yourself, apologize, and move on in the conversation. It's important here not to make the situation about yourself, your intention, or make excuses about the mistake. The best way to demonstrate that you care about this individual and are supportive of them is to correct the error and move forward.

Example: "Oh she's a great friend. I'm sorry, I meant they are a great friend. They always send me funny videos to cheer me up."

Avoid dragging out the apology and making the other person comfort you for your mistake. We all make mistakes, and even if you feel terrible about it, it isn't about you.

If someone isn't present when their pronouns are misused, it is our job to hold others accountable to using the correct pronouns. When in a conversation with someone else who makes a mistake, there are a couple of ways to navigate the conversation. Before correcting the individual who made the mistake, consider whether the person who has been misgendered has shared about their pronouns in all areas of their life. Some people may only use certain pronouns in various aspects of their lives (e.g., using 'they/them' at work but 'he/him' at home). Some people make this choice for their own personal safety, or because they simply don't feel comfortable being "out" in certain contexts. If you are not sure if the person in question has shared their pronouns with the person you are speaking to, ask them first before trying the following correction strategies.

One strategy is to just respond to the individual who has made the mistake using the correct pronouns.

Example: Someone says, "Oh she's a great friend." Your response can be, "You're right, they are a great friend."

In this instance, you're just repeating what was said with the correct pronoun. In many cases, if that person is aware of the pronouns, they will correct themselves as well.

If the person who made the mistake is not aware and the individual who has been misgendered has shared their pronouns in all areas of their life, then best practice here is to gently correct the person who made the mistake.

Someone says, "Oh she's a great friend." Your response can be, "You're right, they are a great friend. Also, just so you know, Sam uses 'they/them/theirs' pronouns."

Being gentle in the response is appropriate in these instances since we are operating under the assumption that this person did not know about the pronouns before the conversation.

Misgendering is when someone uses the wrong pronoun for another person. When someone uses the wrong pronoun for someone else, it is a hurtful experience whether it is intentional or unintentional. It is hurtful because it communicates that the person's gender and experiences are not valid or respected. When someone is misgendered over and over, it can cause significant emotional pain.

Similarly, deadnaming is when the wrong name (usually an old name) is used for someone. This is often seen for individuals using the birth name of a transgender or non-binary person. When this is done intentionally, it communicates that the person's gender and experiences or not valid or respected.
[Video-Pronouns by Cut]

Best Practices for Pronouns

Share your pronouns as a part of your introductions.

Share pronouns at the beginning of every meeting, even with folks who you have been regularly meeting or know. Pronouns can and do change for people, sometimes regularly if they are genderfluid . Including pronouns as a regular practice for introductions provides space for people to share and be aware of how to refer to people who are new to the environment.

Avoid using the word "preferred" in front of pronouns because it insinuates that the pronouns are optional. Instead, just say "my pronouns are" or "their pronouns are".

Add your pronouns to your business cards and email addresses. You can also include a link to this webpage for folks who may want more information on pronouns. For example:

Emma Smith (pronouns: she/her)
Want to learn more about pronouns?https://www.diversitycenterneo.org/about-us/pronouns/ Pronouns: She/her/hers
Want to learn more about pronouns? https://www.diversitycenterneo.org/about-us/pronouns/

Gender Inclusive Language

Continue on the journey to build a more inclusive environment by eliminating language that assumes the genders and pronouns of attendees in a space. When we use language that is gendered it eliminates the experiences and identities of others who are in the room. For instance, saying "gentlemen" to a room that is 50% men and 50% women would not be acceptable because half of the room is women. Here are some examples of language that could be used:

Instead of "Yes, ma'am" or "Good morning, sir," you could say:

When referring to specific people, you do not want to assume their gender. You could say:

The person wearing black

The person with their hand raised

The individual who just spoke

The person standing over here (gestures)

Instead of "ladies and gentlemen" or "boys and girls," or other similar gendered-language, you could say:

Instead of "he or she" or "s/he" when talking or writing about a person whose gender is not known, you could say:

Rather than saying "men and women" you could say:
Suggestions adapted from MyPronouns.org
Want to learn more about pronouns, LGBTQ identities and other diversity, equity, and inclusion topics? Contact our team for a free consultation at programs@diversitycenterneo.org. We work with schools, non-profit organizations, and businesses, and can't wait to work with you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pronouns: A How-To - The Diversity Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What are Pronouns? Pronouns are the way that we refer to people in place of their name or in third person (referring to that person while talking to someone else). Often, pronouns have an implied gender such as "he" to...Read more ›

# data[].attributes.headline
The Impact of Words and Tips for Using Appropriate Terminology - NMAI

# data[].attributes.subject
The Impact of Words and Tips for Using Appropriate Terminology - NMAI

# data[].attributes.body
Powerful and straightforward reminders and suggestions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Diversity

It's important to acknowledge the diversity of Indigenous Peoples' cultures, traditions, and languages throughout the Western Hemisphere. When teaching about a particular tribe or nation, learning and using accurate terms specific to the community can prevent stereotypes and encourage cultural understanding and sensitivity among your students.

American Indian or Native American?

American Indian, Indian, Native American, or Native are acceptable and often used interchangeably in the United States; however, Native Peoples often have individual preferences on how they would like to be addressed. To find out which term is best, ask the person or group which term they prefer. When talking about Native groups or people, use the terminology the members of the community use to describe themselves collectively. There are also several terms used to refer to Native Peoples in other regions of the Western Hemisphere. The Inuit, Yup'ik, and Aleut Peoples in the Arctic see themselves as culturally separate from Indians. In Canada, people refer to themselves as First Nations, First Peoples, or Aboriginal. In Mexico, Central America, and South America,the direct translation for Indian can have negative connotations. As a result, they prefer the Spanish word indígena (Indigenous), comunidad (community), and pueblo (people).

Tribe or Nation, and Why So Many Names?

American Indian people describe their own cultures and the places they come from in many ways. The word tribe and nation are used interchangeably but hold very different meanings for many Native people. Tribes often have more than one name because when Europeans arrived in the Americas, they used inaccurate pronunciations of the tribal names or renamed the tribes with European names. Many tribal groups are known officially by names that include nation. Every community has a distinct perspective on how they describe themselves. Not all individuals from one community many agree on terminology. There is no single American Indian culture or language.

The best term is always what an individual person or tribal community uses to describe themselves. Replicate the terminology they use or ask what terms they prefer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Native Knowledge 360°-The Impact of Words and Tips for Using Appropriate Terminology: Am I Using the Right Word?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
NK360° Helpful Handouts: Guidance on Common Questions provide a brief introduction to teachers about important topics regarding Native American life, cultures, and communities. The Impact of Words and Tips for Using Appropriate Terminology offers insight about terminology that is most appropriate to use when referring to Native Peoples. #NK360

# data[].attributes.headline
Five things wrong with the term "Third World Countries"

# data[].attributes.subject
Five things wrong with the term "Third World Countries"

# data[].attributes.body
" One practice I hope to advocate more strongly for is the naming of specific countries, or group nations in question, by addressing their shared (relevant) attribute. For example, instead of talking about “third world countries” and global health concerns, the norm should be to specify “countries experiencing an HIV/AIDS epidemic.” "

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I recently spoke to a friend who referred to South Africa as a "third world country." Knowing that was untrue (and after I set them straight), I began looking into what actually defined a so-called, "third world country." My consensus? The term itself is outdated and inappropriate.

----

1. The nature of the term implies entire nations are unsophisticated and alien.

(Seriously, why does the term imply that certain nations are on another entirely different world?) The issue at hand is that "third world" has become an adjective used when individuals do not wish to outline what they actually mean. When in fact someone seeks to refer to how a country is specifically poverty-ridden or plagued with governmental corruption or repressive in civil liberties or struggling with high economic vulnerability, "third world" has become a convenient shorthand expression. While many of the aforementioned traits overlap in certain countries, to wholeheartedly characterize a nation as consequently "third world" can be misleading. The term is without a doubt ambiguous and hence vulnerable to usage in meaningless or unformed political rhetoric.

2. The term is simply archaic.

"Third World" was coined during the Cold War to describe nations that neither supported 'the West' (NATO) nor 'the East' (the Communists). In effect, the term was created as a marker for a nation's political ideology (perhaps often pacifism in the case of "Third World countries") in a time of great global unrest. So why is the term still used today despite the end of the first Cold War? After all, how appropriate can a Cold War-era classification be when used as a blanket term for economic, political and social life in primarily Africa, Asia and Latin America.

3. It assumes a hierarchy between countries- and this is also true of the expressions "developed" and "developing" countries.

These terms paint most definitely not homogenous Western nations as the ideal, despite the grave issues affecting so-called Western nations. Furthermore, these terms are not concrete, whereas quantitative data, such as infant mortality rates, provide a more solid basis for comparison.

Additionally, referring to certain nations as of the "Third World," presupposes the existence of a First (and Second World). But what does a "First World" country actually look like? The United States? Scandinavia? What really makes a country "first in its class?" (Yes, that is a phrase appropriated from car commercials, but when you think about it, that is an inherent meaning when a country is labeled "First World.")

4. These artificial labels lack legitimacy.

Who is one to classify another? Even in the 21st century, there's no clear consensus on what it means to be a developed country. As written by one senior politics writer, Zeeshan Aleem, "Social democracy in Scandinavia, oil-funded theocracy in Saudi Arabia, and a one-party, partially planned, partially free market economy in China are all vastly different models for generating and harnessing prosperity." With all these subjective perspectives on what defines a country, where lies the merit behind such universal labeling?

5. The term depicts the 'afflicted' countries as inaccessible

In 1952 when Alfred Sauvy wrote "Three words one planet" for his article in L'Observateur, he envisioned a world entirely constructed in terms of capitalism and socialism, with a grey area denoted as the "third world." While he may have had his problematic reasoning, in the 21st century, the term makes so-called "third world countries" sound inaccessible. Why must we refer to nations whose exports we consume, whose citizens we laud and whose culture we often derogate as on 'another world?' Are we that unwilling to find common ground or even admit that we all share one global economy and 'pile of resources' so-to-speak?

----

Perhaps somewhere out there lies a justifiable reason to classify nations for certain attributes. But the idea of a "third world" is disconcerting. There is only one world: a world with billions of people and superficially drawn borders that have overtime come to divide and define us. In my opinion, rhetoric on nation-states should be unifying rather than divisive-the opposite of emotions evoked from the term "third world."

In the future, I will be even more vigilant about policing myself (and those around me) so we are all mindful of the terminology we use to describe that which is perceived as foreign, and question the narrative certain lingo perpetuates. One practice I hope to advocate more strongly for is the naming of specific countries, or group nations in question, by addressing their shared (relevant) attribute. For example, instead of talking about "third world countries" and global health concerns, the norm should be to specify "countries experiencing an HIV/AIDS epidemic."

Lastly, though this may appear a juvenile point, I think it is important to remember that humankind exists on one shared world. The challenges some nations face are liabilities for all other nations, and so it is crucial that divisive and unfounded rhetoric is eliminated from modern vernacular.

To my friend, under modern definitions of the term "third world country," no, South Africa is not classified as so. And neither should any other country.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five things wrong with the term "Third World Countries"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I recently spoke to a friend who referred to South Africa as a "third world country." Knowing that was untrue (and after I set them straight), I began looking into what actually defined a so-called, "third world country." My consensus? The term itself is outdated and inappropriate. ---- 1.

# data[].attributes.body
Radical copyediting helps language live up to its most radical potential—serving the ends of access, inclusion, and liberation, rather than maintaining oppression and the status quo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Language can be a weapon or a tool for positive change. It can uphold oppression or dismantle it. Radical copyediting helps the language you use match your values.

# data[].attributes.body
I honestly can't remember where I first came across this framework, but I find it friendly and accessible for all ages. It's been a handy check-in tool in my classroom in the past, and I was glad to be able to collect both descriptors and suggested coping strategies in the same graphic.

# data[].attributes.headline
Folder of mindful breathing animated graphics

# data[].attributes.subject
Folder of mindful breathing animated graphics

# data[].attributes.body
I've collected these over the past many years for (literal) everyday use in my classroom. My students love them - they always say, "That's so satisfying." Enjoy!

# data[].attributes.body
I learned about the Mood Meter chart and app from an educator about a year ago. The chart allows you to consider the spectrum of pleasantness you're feeling and your level of energy. It shares a variety of feelings across four quadrants.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In my book, Permission To Feel, I describe the Mood Meter, a tool to build greater emotional awareness that was built based on decades of research on the circumplex model of emotion. My colleague David Caruso first used the tool to help people recognize emotions. In the early 2000s, David and I reworked the Mood Meter which became the signature tool of RULER, the evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has now been adopted by over 3,500 schools across the globe.

Soon after, people started asking for a way to track their feelings and moods over time so they could gain greater insight about their emotional lives. That's when Robin Stern and I worked in collaboration with hopeLab to create the first Mood Meter App, which was released in 2013.

Six years later, I had the pleasure to collaborate with Ben Silbermann, co-founder and president of Pinterest on a new version of the app. Together, Ben with volunteers from Pinterest, and I with a team at Yale, including Robin Stern and Zorana Pringle decided to build How We Feel. This app includes an updated Mood Meter (now with 144 words!) and was designed to help you gain greater insight around the causes and consequences of your feelings and learn research-based strategies to help you regulate your feelings to achieve greater well-being. Two other cool features include a mini course on emotions and a reporting feature to help you understand your emotional patterns over time. It's currently only available on iOS (but will available on Android soon). I hope you enjoy the app and share it with your friends, family, and colleagues.

Go to https://howwefeel.org/ to sign up and download the app.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mood Meter App aims to help you regulate your feelings and build your emotion vocabulary for improved well-being.

# data[].attributes.body
My podcast club students love  DrawTogether! I used this activity to help inspire them as they craft their own audio-based mindfulness practices. They've asked to do the same one multiple times and you can immediately feel the calming effect in class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hey it's Wendy! We have a special DT treat for you today - it's a fun art experiment:

A DrawTogether Podcast! (Sort of.) But really, when we say listen up, we mean it literally. Grab a pen and paper and PRESS PLAY on the audio above.

A little backstory: when my TED talk came out, it was released only via video, and not via audio on TED's iTunes podcast. Some folks didn't think that such a visual talk would translate to audio. The wonderful Helen Walters, head of curation, advocated for the talk to be on iTunes. People agreed, and up it went. Since then, so many people have responded positively to the audio-only version. Like, big, big feelings. Seems that listening to a talk about looking works.

So I thought... what if we created an audio-only DrawTogether?? A drawing podcast. Would it even make sense? Would it be relaxing? Confusing? Calming? Frustrating? Fun?
Answer: I DON'T KNOW.
So, in true DT spirit: let's try! It's just a short 5-minute drawing exercise, and it's powerful for focusing and centering. If you haven't already, grab a pen and paper and PRESS PLAY at the top.

How was it? Tell us in the comments below. If it's clear and relaxing and fun to do, maybe we'll try more.

Thanks Chris Colin for the awesome background music, Kate Levitt for the mix (Kate is not only lead of the DT Classrooms project, she is also a DJ!), Hrishikesh Hirway for the audio advice (his TED talk on listening was my fave of the conference), and writer Jon Mooallem who has been working with me on DT ideas since the jump and suggested doing something with audio ages ago. If this doesn't work, blame him! :)

P.S. - Educators and community leaders! This is THE LAST CHANCE to apply for the FREE DrawTogether Classroom program!! . Deadline is this Sunday. If you already applied, you'll hear from us next week.

P.P.S. - DrawTogether was featured in the LA Times!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hey it's Wendy! We have a special DT treat for you today - it's a fun art experiment: A DrawTogether Podcast! (Sort of.) But really, when we say listen up, we mean it literally. Grab a pen and paper and PRESS PLAY on the audio above.

# data[].attributes.body
I was introduced to this technique by a colleague when I worked in San Francisco. Since then, I've appreciated it as a way to reconnect with my breath and slow down my breathing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Box breathing is a breathing technique. It can heighten performance and concentration while also being a powerful stress reliever.

Box breathing, also known as square breathing, is a technique used when taking slow, deep breaths. It's also called four-square breathing.

This technique can be beneficial to anyone, especially those who want to meditate or reduce stress. It's used by everyone from athletes to U.S. Navy SEALs, police officers, and nurses.

You may find it particularly helpful if you have a lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Before you get started, make sure that you're seated upright in a comfortable chair with your feet flat on the floor. Try to be in a stress-free, quiet environment where you can focus on your breathing.

Keeping your hands relaxed in your lap with your palms facing up, focus on your posture. You should be sitting up straight. This will help you take deep breaths.

When you're ready, start with step 1.

Sitting upright, slowly exhale through your mouth, getting all the oxygen out of your lungs. Focus on this intention and be conscious of what you're doing.

Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose to the count of four. In this step, count to four very slowly in your head.

Feel the air fill your lungs, one section at a time, until your lungs are completely full and the air moves into your abdomen.

Hold your breath for another slow count of four.

Exhale through your mouth for the same slow count of four, expelling the air from your lungs and abdomen.

Be conscious of the feeling of the air leaving your lungs.

Hold your breath for the same slow count of four before repeating this process.

According to the Mayo Clinic, there's sufficient evidence that intentional deep breathing can actually calm and regulate the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

This system regulates involuntary body functions such as temperature. It can lower blood pressure and provide an almost immediate sense of calm.

The slow holding of breath allows CO ₂ to build up in the blood. An increased blood CO ₂ enhances the cardio-inhibitory response of the vagus nerve when you exhale and stimulates your parasympathetic system. This produces a calm and relaxed feeling in the mind and body.

Box breathing can reduce stress and improve your mood. That makes it an exceptional treatment for conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression.

It can also help treat insomnia by allowing you to calm your nervous system at night before bed. Box breathing can even be efficient at helping with pain management.

If you're new to box breathing, it may be difficult to get the hang of it. You may get dizzy after a few rounds. This is normal. As you practice it more often, you'll be able to go longer without the dizziness. If you get dizzy, stay sitting for a minute and resume normal breathing.

To help you focus on your breathing, find a quiet, dimly lit environment to practice box breathing. This isn't at all necessary to perform the technique, but it can help you focus on the practice if you're new to it.

Ideally, you'll want to repeat the box breathing cycle four times in one sitting.

Do box breathing several times a day as needed to calm your nerves and relieve stress.

Read this article in Spanish.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn the steps of box breathing and discover how it can help relieve anxiety and stress. Watch a GIF that helps you perform this technique that's used by everyone from Navy SEALs to nurses. Find out about its various benefits, get tips for beginners, and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teachers have long known that feeling safe and secure in school helps students focus their energy on learning. And the research bears that out: A 2018 study found that when teachers deliberately foster a sense of belonging by greeting each student at the door of the class, they see "significant improvements in academic engaged time and reductions in disruptive behavior."

Edutopia covered that study last year, and we've shared many other ideas from teachers for ensuring that every student in the classroom feels like they belong.

Some of the activities below take less than five minutes. They're divided up among the grades, but many can apply across all of the years from kindergarten to 12th grade.

Elementary School

Shout-Outs: This is a quick way for students to celebrate each other for doing a job well or for attempting something difficult. Shout-outs can be incorporated at any point in a class. First-grade teacher Valerie Gallagher of Providence, Rhode Island, rings a chime when she wants to get the class's attention to ask who has a shout-out.

"It's not just me as the teacher saying, 'You're doing well'-it's a way for them to interact with each other and celebrate positivity," says Gallagher.

Friendly Fridays: Elizabeth Peterson, a fourth-grade teacher in Amesbury, Massachusetts, uses Friendly Fridays as a simple way for students to lift each other and themselves up. Peterson has her students write a friendly, anonymous note to a classmate, practice using positive self-talk, or use storytelling to give a peer a pep talk.

Sharing Acts of Kindness: Fifth-grade teacher Marissa King, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, shares two activities that encourage kindness. In the first, the teacher gives students secret kindness instructions, such as writing an anonymous note to a peer who is struggling in one of their classes.

The second activity revolves around noticing others' acts of kindness: When a student sees a peer tidying up in the classroom, for example, they can post a thank you note on a shared digital "kindness wall." Both activities coach students to be kind to their peers in the hope that they'll begin to practice kindness unprompted.

Middle School

Paper Tweets: To build community in her seventh-grade classroom, Jill Fletcher of Kapolei Middle School in Kapolei, Hawaii, created a bulletin board modeled on Twitter. Students use a template to create a profile, and they enlist at least three followers-a friend, an acquaintance, and someone they don't interact with much.
Courtesy of Jill Fletcher
When the class does this activity-which takes about 45 minutes to set up the first time-Fletcher has them respond to prompts about their current mood or new things happening in their lives, and then their followers respond.

Class Norms: Bobby Shaddox, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at King Middle School in Portland, Maine, has his students develop a set of norms for themselves-adjectives that describe them as a community of learners. Having students come up with their own norms creates "a pathway toward belonging for every single student in that class," says Dr. Pamela Cantor, founder of Turnaround for Children.

"Instead of a top-down list of rules that a teacher gives a class, these are words that we generated together," says Shaddox. "It helps us own the behavior in the classroom."

Group Salutes: A moment shared between two or more students at the beginning or end of an activity, a Group Salute is a teacher-prompted interaction that is a quick, low-prep way to cultivate community. The shared gesture can be physical-like a high five-or social-a teacher could ask students to express gratitude to their group members.

There's some interesting data supporting this idea: Researchers found that NBA teams whose players touch the most early in the season-high fives, fist bumps, etc.-had the best records later for the season.

High School

Morning Meetings: Morning meetings have long been a staple of elementary classrooms, but they can help students in all grades transition into class. Riverside School, a pre-K to 12th-grade school in Ahmedabad, India, uses a version of morning meetings at every grade level as "a pure relationship-building time." Bonding exercises led by teachers or students include physical or social and emotional activities, or discussions of sensitive topics like bullying.

Appreciation, Apology, Aha: As a quick, daily closing activity, students gather in a circle and share an appreciation of one of their peers, an apology, or a light bulb moment. The teacher models the activity by sharing and then asks for volunteers to speak.

"Those types of appreciations and community recognitions can go a long way toward building bonds," explains Aukeem Ballard, an educator with Summit Public Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

"A low-stakes thorn might be 'I feel tired.' Yet many students choose to share more personal items, like 'My thorn is that my dog is sick and I'm really worried about her,'" writes Alex Shevrin Venet, a former school leader at a trauma-informed high school.

Snowball Toss: Students anonymously write down one of their stressors on a piece of paper, crumple it up, gather in a circle, and throw their paper balls in a mock snowball fight. When that's done, they pick up a snowball and read it aloud.

"The idea is that we're moving around. We're able to have fun, laugh, scream, be loud, and then have that discussion about stress," says Marcus Moore, an advisory leader at Urban Prep School in Chicago.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These community-building ideas for the classroom can help teachers ensure that students in every grade feel like they belong.

# data[].attributes.headline
National Museum of African American History and Culture resources

# data[].attributes.subject
National Museum of African American History and Culture resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
National Museum of African American History and Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For some, community means a group of people sharing common social characteristics, physical space, ideas, beliefs, or activities. For others, a community cannot exist unless the people coming together care about and feel connected to each other. This nuance reminds us that we can have things in common and be in the same space, but still feel isolated from and even afraid of each other. By considering each other's lives and experiences, and perspectives, we allow a community to be not only about what we have in common but what makes us different.

"Far too often, people think of themselves as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity."

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

Community and community building are central to conversations about identity and equity. At the National Museum of African American History and Culture, community building is the way we connect and interact with others during our antiracist work and discussions about race. By sharing our own social identities (e.g. race, gender, class, culture, etc.), experiences and insights in these conversations, we're committing to building a community with others dedicated to achieving racial and social equity.

Community is essential to the health of human beings. If a person is not around people that care about them or for whom they have social connections, it can result in social isolation and emotional harm. Starting from birth, humans need nurturing relationships. This basic need for community is vital through a person's life. Learn about the science of human belonging starting in infancy.

The Importance of Community Building
Humans have survived by living in communities since the beginning of time. We are born into families, and into the groups that our families choose to be a part of. We also deliberately seek out and create community based on proximity (neighborhood or workplace), shared values and beliefs (religion, activism or politics), and individual interests (book clubs, sports or hobbies). When we intentionally create a community for the purpose of a shared goal, it can deepen relationships, create feelings of belonging, and provide support for the health and wellbeing of all members. Community is a gateway to better understand our own lives and the lives of others and creates an essential foundation for people working toward common goals.

Ubuntu - A person is a person through other persons South African philosophy

Community Building in Equity Work

Ground Rules or Community Agreements
When discussing race or across any lines of difference, an essential first step is creating ground rules or to ensure open, respectful dialogue and encourage maximum participation. Here are some suggested guidelines on creating community agreements.

Examples of norms or community agreements we have used are the four agreements from "Courageous Conversations about Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools," by Glenn E. Singleton and Curtis Linton.

Stay engaged: Staying engaged means "remaining morally, emotionally, intellectually, and socially involved in the dialogue."

Experience discomfort: This norm acknowledges that discomfort is inevitable, especially in dialogue about race, and that participants make a commitment to bring issues into the open.

Speak your truth: Use "I" statements when talking. You are the only person who has your unique experiences.

Expect and accept nonclosure: This agreement asks participants to "hang out in uncertainty" and not rush to quick solutions. Be aware that racial understanding requires ongoing dialogue.

Safe Spaces to Brave Spaces
A long tradition in equity work, ground rules have been used to create a safe environment for having honest, open conversations about differences and identity. For people who identify as white, safety is often confused with comfort. In our workshops, we encourage our white participants to "get comfortable with being uncomfortable."

Conversations about race may be uncomfortable, yet it is at the edge of discomfort where we can learn the most. Since we cannot remove the risk from conversations about race, we encourage a shift in mindset. By moving from safe spaces to brave spaces, we can rise to the challenge of having honest conversations that lead to a more equitable society.

For people of color, a racially mixed group is rarely a safe space no matter what the intent of the participants. Brave space requires different kinds of bravery for people of color than it does for white people.

The Power of Storytelling
In a data-driven world, we can very often find our world reduced to numbers, statistics, and soundbites. While informative, if we use only those methods of understanding our world, we can miss the nuances and subtle differences in what it means to be human. Storytelling is an essential way to portray the complexity of the human experience.

When community building, the power to share our own stories and hear the stories of others is foundational and uplifts us all. By reflecting and understanding our own lives and those of others, we connect our shared experiences and learn from our differences. This process of sharing stories strengthens our ability to consider different perspectives and builds our empathy towards others. Learn more about the science of how our brains react to storytelling.

Through the act of storytelling, we practice being vulnerable as we share our own stories. When we hear stories of others, we practice the art of deep listening. The dual nature of storytelling, consisting of vulnerability and listening, form two crucial characteristics of community building.

The Courageous Conversation Compass
A powerful tool to use to seek an understanding of others is the Courageous Conversation Compass from "Courageous Conversations about Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools" by Glenn E. Singleton and Curtis Linton. The compass, initially designed for educators, can be used to identify how each of us enters the dialogue about race and how we process the content. Recognizing and considering where each of us joins the conversation can lead to a more open, more in-depth understanding.

Emotionally: We respond to information through feelings, when a racial issue strikes us at a physical level and causes an internal sensation such as anger, sadness, joy, or embarrassment.

Intellectually: Our primary response to a racial issue or information that may result in a personal disconnect with the subject or lead to a search for more information or data. An intellectual response is often verbal and based on rational thinking.

Morally: We respond from a deep-seated belief that relates to the racial information or event. This belief has to do with the "rightness" or "wrongness" of a given racial issue. The justifications for one's moral views are often that of a "gut" or intuitive reaction and may not be verbally articulated.

Socially: We connect and respond to racial information through our specific behaviors or actions.

Source: "Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools," by Glenn E. Singleton, 2nd Edition (2015). Corwin: A SAGE Company. Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Gratitude
Throughout American history, from slavery to segregation to modern-day challenges, we appreciate humanity's strength, resistance, and resilience. We even people find joy and gratitude despite horror and hardship. At the museum, we end our workshops with expressions of gratitude. We acknowledge the journey we have shared and the choice each participant has made to join in conversations about race in our community.

Gratitude is more than saying "thank you" to someone. From a scientific perspective, gratitude is an emotion that serves a biological purpose; it is a more profound appreciation that produces longer lasting positivity. Gratitude can help reduce stress in big and small ways, including the pressure that may arise in conversations about race. We show appreciation to individuals engaged in antiracist work because of its power to improve well-being, increase patience, and boost brain function. Expressing gratitude toward others seals the time we've spent together, enhancing the bond we have with each other as people committed to antiracist work. It acknowledges the humanity that is central to the work and says, "I see you."

Recognizing, honoring, and embracing the differences in our identities can help us to be more understanding, empathetic, and cooperative as we work towards equity. By recognizing how we are the same and how we are different, we can know each other more deeply. This understanding allows us to create powerful communities dedicated to equity for all.

Examples of Community Building
Explore the videos below that exemplify the power of building community.

WATCH: Not In Our Town presents a portrait of a community grappling with a suspected hate crime after an African American family's home was set on fire in Manhattan Beach, California.

REFLECT:

In the video above, the Clintons describe the community they experienced in Manhattan Beach before their home was firebombed and the community they experienced in Manhattan Beach afterward. What do you notice about their two descriptions? What difference did community make to them?

Learn More about the Clinton's family history of community building in the face of bigotry.

WATCH: Stephen Thompson walks you through his journey from being a ward of the state at age nine to Silicon Valley Executive and how he created a community to pave the way.

REFLECT: Stephen Thompson overcame incredible life obstacles, and he asserts, "My success is a symptom of my community." Why do you think he feels this way? What have your various communities given you that you value?

WATCH: Angel Alviar-Langley (a.k.a. Moonyeka) runs a movement-based program for black and brown girls, welcoming like-minded women and LGBTQ+ people into the dance scene. Watch her and other dancers pop, strut and waack at the Seattle Center.

LISTEN: For several months, Brian Peterson passed Matt Farris on his way to and from work. Then, one day, Brian decided to introduce himself. The friendship they would go on to develop would have a surprising influence on them both.

REFLECT: Given these strangers have very different lives, what do you think is the benefit of their efforts to connect in a meaningful way?

WATCH: Students Demonstrate Two Community Building Practices

Let's Think

Watch below as John McKnight, a longtime civics community builder, talks about the importance of valuing people, especially those different from you, as bringers of gifts and not bringers of problems. What do you think of his perspective? What is your view on the best way to do community building?

Let's Talk

1. Consider the places in your community that people come together to socialize where you feel comfortable.

2. Now identify the social situations that people gather where you don't feel comfortable.

3. Write down your thoughts for at least 3 minutes about why you feel as you do for each. Have a partner from the same place do the same activity.

4. Share the thoughts you generated. Take turns listening to each other, one at a time, BUT NOT RESPONDING at any point, only listening attentively.

5. Use the opportunity to hear what elements might make a community welcoming or unwelcoming. Conclude by thanking your partner for sharing.

Let's Act

One of the most potent ways of community building is to involve yourself with other people doing something you value in an organized way.

Can you think of an activity you value (a hobby, a skill you want to learn, or a campaign you want to be involved in) to participate in for a defined period of time?

Now imagine a way to do this activity with a group made of people who are mostly of a social group radically different from yours in some way (e.g., age, ethnicity, religion, political orientation, etc.)?

Once you decide on an activity, consider making a short-term commitment to trying it out (if it sounds daunting, consider picking something with five or fewer participants).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For some, community means a group of people sharing common social characteristics, physical space, ideas, beliefs, or activities. For others, a community cannot exist unless the people coming together care about and feel connected to each other.

# data[].attributes.headline
Responsive Classroom reflection structures and language

# data[].attributes.subject
Responsive Classroom reflection structures and language

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Building a Positive Community Through Reflection

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As the year draws to an end, we find ourselves reflecting on the past 12 months. New Year’s Eve in 2019 also marks the end of the decade! Reflection can Read More »

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Strategies to build classroom connections during remote learning - @educatorsforjustice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Useful end-of-day check-ins on last slide

# data[].attributes.body
Partway down, see "Shifts Toward Restoration" paragraphs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 2016, when Ryan T. Williams arrived as the new assistant principal at East Millbrook Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina, he seemed like the perfect fit. The school was under investigation by the Office of Civil Rights due to disproportionate suspension rates for Black students. As an elementary teacher, Williams had done restorative work in his classroom for years.

But in his first year at East Millbrook, Williams admits, he "suspended a lot of students." By year two, Williams said, suspension numbers were "stratospheric." The school urgently needed to disrupt a culture based on harsh punishments that removed students from classrooms. Williams knew this, as did those who recruited him to the position. The open question was how.

"There was not a structure for me to implement [restorative] practices," Williams says. "So I walked into that culture, and I kind of adhered to that culture because I didn't really have anything else to lean on.

"So we had to come up with something better."

Williams' story resonates in an education system still reckoning with months of protests and activism that demanded an end to racist discipline systems. It resonates as students and families point to the ways those racist discipline practices have been maintained in virtual learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past year, we've seen a commitment to change from schools across the country.

But truly restorative practices can't be instituted overnight. They require a foundation of inclusion and trust-and experts say it's vital that educators understand the steps, structural change and coalitions it takes to get there.

What Do We Mean by Restorative Practices?

According to the International Institute of Restorative Practices (IIRP), restorative practices, at their core, are about strengthening individual and community relationships to create a sense of belonging and provide a system of communal accountability that sets the stage for repairing harm that may arise from student or educator behavior.

That wasn't the culture in place when Williams walked into East Millbrook. He says the culture there, at the time, was one that prioritized student compliance. In the Spring 2021 issue of Teaching Tolerance magazine, scholars and educators discuss how compliance has historically and presently been used in schools to exert control over-and demand assimilation from-students of color, particularly Black and Indigenous students. Tools of compliance, such as punitive discipline practices, dress codes and school security measures, enact harm on students. That harm, as the story illustrates, can be overt and obvious, or it can be more insidious.

Dr. Thalia González, a legal scholar who studies systemic harm and restorative practices, says that the common punitive culture of compliance in U.S. schools disproportionately drives BIPOC students into the criminal justice system and sustains cycles of poverty and opportunity gaps. It also drives negative health outcomes, even years later, for students who face repeated traumas, rejection, isolation or dehumanization.

The solution, she says, is to ask a key question: "How do we disrupt these drivers for young people that will continue to persist if we can't get rid of, or at least purge to a large extent, this whole structure that is about social control of a particular set of bodies?"

For González, Williams and many others, restorative practices have a vital role to play in that restructuring.

These practices include restorative inquiry, restorative conferencing, and most famously, restorative circles-a broad term for group conversation that can be used proactively or after an incident, ultimately serving to provide a more equitable format for discussing critical topics or resolving community conflicts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Toolkit: The Foundations of Restorative Justice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
School discipline and classroom management do not have to be based in compliance. Learn more about restorative practices in this companion piece to the feature article "It Was Always About Control."

# data[].attributes.headline
Equity Unbound Community Building Activities

# data[].attributes.subject
Equity Unbound Community Building Activities

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Digital drawing of three young people. Each of them has a nametag next to them that reads, "Ask me about," with a topic of their choice.

# data[].attributes.body
This exercise is described in Tamisha's August newsletter. https://tamishawilliamsconsulting.substack.com/p/im-grateful-that-you-have-survived?r=3lm7d&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=copy