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Discussion: What is the line between being informed and getting lost in all of the news? Is it possible to hold that line for you?

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Discussion: What is the line between being informed and getting lost in all of the news? Is it possible to hold that line for you?

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Discussion Question: How transparent are you being with your students / served populations about how the political climate is impacting you and your work?

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Discussion Question: How transparent are you being with your students / served populations about how the political climate is impacting you and your work?

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Discussion Question: What are your barriers to finding a community, especially outside of work?

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Discussion Question: What are your barriers to finding a community, especially outside of work?

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Discussion Question: Whose rights are most under threat in your area?

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Discussion Question: Whose rights are most under threat in your area?

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Discussion Question: What concessions are you willing to make when working with administration / leadership? What won't you budge on?

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Discussion Question: What concessions are you willing to make when working with administration / leadership? What won't you budge on?

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Discussion Question: What are you doing to keep yourself and/or your students digitally safe?

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Discussion Question: What are you doing to keep yourself and/or your students digitally safe?

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Summary and Analysis of Trump Administration Executive Actions Impacting Education

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Summary and Analysis of Trump Administration Executive Actions Impacting Education

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This is a regularly-updated list written by the organization EducationCounsel keeping track of the many executive orders being released that impact education in some way

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EducationCounsel - Executive Actions Chart.docx

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Spring Up Free & Low-Cost Planning Resources

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Spring Up Free & Low-Cost Planning Resources

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Recommended:

Conflict Definitions

Organizational Accountability Wheel

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Free and low-cost resources. Browse and download worksheets, tools, watch videos and access booklists from Spring Up.

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Spring Up Free & Low-Cost Planning Resources

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Spring Up Free & Low-Cost Planning Resources

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Recommended:

Time Management Toolkit

10 Questions to Cope with the Inevitability of Change

Queer & Trans, Workplace, and Teacher / Facilitator Safety & Care Plans

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Free and low-cost resources. Browse and download worksheets, tools, watch videos and access booklists from Spring Up.

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Commons Library - Power Mapping and Analysis

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Commons Library - Power Mapping and Analysis

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Power Mapping is an activity that involves evaluating the influences and stakeholders within a given situation, helping you identify who needs to be convinced of what in order to meet your goals, available resources, and potential barriers.

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By Anita Tang

Introduction

This tool will guide your team through a power mapping analysis to inform your campaign strategy with a thorough picture of the players, and their power.

It runs step by step through a collaborative exercise where your team can all contribute to a visual map of power holders and power relationships affecting your issue and campaign.

This critical exercise will strengthen and inform your work and set you up to build power and win.

Purpose of power mapping and analysis process

To assist the campaign team:

Consider all players of relevance to its campaign and identify key players to target during the campaign

Provide an analysis and visual representation of where power relationships stand in relation to the issue and how the campaign team might intervene

Identify relationships between key players and assess relevance to your strategy

Identify further information ('research questions') needed to further develop the power map and inform you campaign strategy

When to do it

This process works best when the campaign has already:

Established a clear goal: something concrete and specific (eg have your local Council adopt a smoke-free outdoor areas policy)

Identified the people who can actually make your goal happen for you ie the decision-maker

Looked at the broader social, political and economic environment that impacts the issue and goal (eg through a Force Field analysis)

Who to involve in the process

Everyone who is on the campaign team! This process is about democratizing knowledge and building a collective understanding of the power dynamics around the campaign - so the more people the better.

At a minimum, you need:

Anyone involved in implementing campaign strategy - the campaign team, field volunteers and volunteer leaders

People familiar with the issue of focus in the campaign

People familiar with the local community or communities of interest to the issue of focus of the campaign

Equipment needed

A large surface area for your map, visible to the entire group: either a large whiteboard, poster paper, a wall or even the floor - marked using the 'powermap' grid

Marker pens - for whiteboard and poster paper

Poster paper - one sheet labelled for each of the following:

decision-makers

organised stakeholders

influencers

core constituencies ie people directly affected by the issue who may not be part of an organised structure

Post-it notes in 4 different colours (one for each category above)

Additional poster paper labelled "ResearchQuestions"

Time needed

It really depends on the complexity of your campaign and issue and the size of the group. Recommend 90mins for an initial session. This is likely to generate a series of research questions that can be done out of session and results bought back to the next meeting.

How it's done

Focus on a specific campaign, where there is a clear goal.

Identifying all the players

Ask the group: who is the person who can make the decision that achieves the campaign goal? Be specific - named person and role. In some cases, may be more than one person eg if the whole Council needs to pass a resolution.

Write these names on separate post-it notes of the same colour and place on the 'decision-makers' poster paper

Ask the group to quickly brainstorm names of organised stakeholders and influencers. Each name goes on a post-it note of a different colour to that used for decision-makers and stuck to relevant poster paper, or write straight onto poster paper

Ask the group to consider the core constituencies - who are the people directly affected (eg parents of primary school aged children) who may not necessarily be organised.

Mapping the players

Taking each player at a time, ask the group where this player sits in terms of

(a) influence over the decision

(b) support for our goal

and place the relevant post-it note on the appropriate spot on the grid

This step should involve a lot of discussion and conversation - the aim is to share the knowledge in the room.

Note - don't get too stuck on exact placement of the players on the map - the focus is on the positions relative to each other rather than any 'right' or 'wrong' placement.

Identifying relationships

Have the group look at the power map and the placement of all the players. Ask people about any known links between any of the players, and draw lines between them to show the connection.

This helps identify potential avenues for the campaign team to reach decision makers indirectly and to influence the influencers.

Research questions

These will arise from the conversations taking place while trying to place each player on the map. Some examples of questions needing more research:

Does this organisation have a view about our issue?

Who are the key leaders in a named stakeholder organisation and what are their relationships with decision makers?

Political factions or alliances of decision makers?

Analysis and strategy and next steps

Have the group look at the map and consider the following:

Which people or groups influence the decision maker and support your issue? How can you involve them in your campaign?

Think about your decision makers - what communities do they identify with? Where do they spend their time? How does your issue affect their electoral constituency? Are they subject to competing views or priorities?

For key players - what is holding them back from adopting our ask or agreeing with our position?

Are there people or groups who are influential in terms of power, who you should recruit as allies?

For those groups or individuals where you have no direct relationship and who may be important to your campaign, how will you connect with them?

Are there some players who are not of great relevance to your campaign (low in power, neutral position on your issue and not well connected to other stakeholders)?

Are there 2-3 obvious spots on the map where your actions may have the greatest impact?

Strategy and action plan

Your campaign strategy will start to emerge from this analysis of power around your issues:

Who are the players key to our success?

How can we influence the decision maker(s)?

Who do we know that influences the decision maker, and how can we involve them in our strategy?

For any of the players not already supportive, can we move them to be more supportive?

How can we neutralise the impact of those with opposing views?

How can we organise the people directly affected?

Next steps

Assign people to find the answers to the research questions identified

Develop a 'target table' that captures the essence of what is now known about each of the relevant key players and assign responsibility for actions

Explore Further

Topics: Collection:

Tags:

Language:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This tool will guide your team through a power mapping analysis to inform your campaign strategy with a thorough picture of the players, and their power.

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The Consortium has published several documents that may help you argue the need and validity of your program:

A Call to Action: Student Affairs Leadership’s Failure to Protect and Support QT Resource Practitioners

Promising Policies and Practices for Supporting Trans and Nonbinary People in Postsecondary Education

2024 Consortium Member Needs Assessment Report

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Lambda Legal offers a form to submit general inquiries about discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and HIV status. It does not offer legal advice or assistance with emergency needs.

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We are a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV.

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Civil Liberties Defense Center - Know Your Rights

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Civil Liberties Defense Center - Know Your Rights

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Resources for understanding the rights of activists, immigrant communities, and youth

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Learn what your constitutional rights are and how they apply to protest, direct action and demonstration. Learn the "magic words" to say while interacting with law enforcement as an activist, in order to keep you and your friends safe. We will walk you through the legal system and what to expect if you are arrested. Finally this training focuses on ways the government and law enforcement try to suppress our movements, and how you can stay resilient to repression.

Learn what your constitutional rights are when you are in the United States. Learn how to invoke and assert those rights, and what specific words and phrases you can use to keep yourself safe when talking to the police or ICE. Learn the difference between police and ICE and what each group can and cannot do. This training discusses ICE and their powers and limitations, and what you can do to keep yourself safe from them as an undocumented person. We also have a training for "immigrants and allies", which is similar, but shines a stronger light on what allies can do to support and protect their undocumented neighbors.

Learn your constitutional rights as a youth, how to interact with police to keep yourself safe. Empower yourself to know your rights from as early of an age as possible! Can be tailored to any demographic of youth.

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Know Your Rights | Civil Liberties Defense Center

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Learn what your constitutional rights are and how they apply to protest, direct action and demonstration. Learn the "magic words" to say while interacting with law enforcement as an activist, in order to keep you and your friends safe. We will walk you through the legal system and what to expect if you are arrested.

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Movement Advancement Project - LGBTQ+ Rights by State

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Movement Advancement Project - LGBTQ+ Rights by State

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State-by-state tracking of policies and laws related to the LGBTQ+ community

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The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) tracks over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies. This map shows the overall policy tallies (as distinct from sexual orientation or gender identity tallies) for each state, the District of Columbia, and the five populated U.S. territories. A state's policy tally scores the laws and policies within each state that shape LGBTQ people's lives, experiences, and equality. The major categories of laws covered by the policy tally include: Relationship & Parental Recognition, Nondiscrimination, Religious Exemptions, LGBTQ Youth, Health Care, Criminal Justice, and Identity Documents.

Click on any state to view its detailed policy tally and state profile, or click "Choose an Issue" above to view maps on over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies.

Note that these scores reflect only existing laws and policies. They do not reflect bills currently under consideration, nor the implementation of each state's laws. The tally also does not reflect the social climate in a state, the efforts of advocates, and/or opportunities for future change. States with lower scores might shift rapidly with an influx of resources, and states with higher scores might backslide, or they might expand equality for LGBTQ people in ways that can provide models for other states. In other words, these scores are an excellent measure of the current LGBTQ policy landscape across a wide range of issues, but the scores do not necessarily reflect the entire political or social landscape for LGBTQ people.

Each of the over 50 LGBTQ-related laws and policies that MAP tracks earns a score (positive for protective, or negative for harmful). See a state's profile to see its detailed scores across all these policies. For each state, these individual policy scores are then added up to produce a summary tally score. This table shows how a state's tally score determines its categorization.

Below are the current scoring thresholds. Each category reflects a percentage range of the total possible points. For example, earning 25-49.9% of the total points possible results in a "Fair" categorization.

Movement Advancement Project. "Equality Maps Snapshot: LGBTQ Equality By State." https://www.mapresearch.org/equality-maps/. Accessed 11/25/2023.

Percent of Adult LGBTQ Population Covered by Laws

*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ adult population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here.

44 % of the LGBTQ population lives in states with high overall policy tallies

4 % of the LGBTQ population lives in states with medium overall policy tallies

9 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with fair overall policy tallies

16 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with low overall policy tallies

27 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with negative overall policy tallies

The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) tracks over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies. This map shows the sexual orientation policy tallies for each state, the District of Columbia, and the five populated U.S. territories. A state's policy tally scores the laws and policies within each state that shape LGBTQ people's lives, experiences, and equality. The major categories of laws covered by the policy tally include: Relationship & Parental Recognition, Nondiscrimination, Religious Exemptions, LGBTQ Youth, Health Care, Criminal Justice, and Identity Documents.

Click on any state to view its detailed policy tally and state profile, or click "Choose an Issue" above to view maps on over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies.

This tally includes laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation. The term "sexual orientation" is loosely defined as a person's pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction (or lack thereof) to people. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily target, whether for protection or harm, lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Transgender people can also be affected by laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation.

Recommended citation:
Movement Advancement Project. "Equality Maps: Snapshot: LGBTQ Equality By State." https://www.mapresearch.org/equality-maps/. Accessed 11/25/2023.

Percent of Adult LGBTQ Population Covered by Laws

*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ adult population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here.

41 % of the LGBTQ population lives in states with high sexual orientation policy tallies

9 % of the LGBTQ population lives in states with medium sexual orientation policy tallies

14 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with fair sexual orientation policy tallies

32 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with low sexual orientation policy tallies

4 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with negative sexual orientation policy tallies

The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) tracks over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies. This map shows the gender identity policy tallies for each state, the District of Columbia, and the five populated U.S. territories. A state's policy tally scores the laws and policies within each state that shape LGBTQ people's lives, experiences, and equality. The major categories of laws covered by the policy tally include: Relationship & Parental Recognition, Nondiscrimination, Religious Exemptions, LGBTQ Youth, Health Care, Criminal Justice, and Identity Documents.

Click on any state to view its detailed policy tally and state profile, or click "Choose an Issue" above to view maps on over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies.

This tally includes laws that explicitly address or impact gender identity and/or expression. "Gender identity" is a person's deeply-felt inner sense of being male, female, or another gender(s). "Gender expression" refers to a person's characteristics and behaviors such as appearance, dress, mannerisms, and speech patterns, all of which can be described as masculine, feminine, or something else. Gender identity and expression are independent of sexual orientation. Transgender people may identify as heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, or something else. Laws that explicitly mention "gender identity" or "gender identity and expression" primarily target, whether for protection or harm, transgender people. These laws also can apply to people who are not transgender, but whose sense of self or expression does not adhere to gender stereotypes.

Movement Advancement Project. "Equality Maps: Snapshot: LGBTQ Equality By State." https://www.mapresearch.org/equality-maps/. Accessed 11/25/2023.

Percent of Adult LGBTQ Population Covered by Laws

*Note: These percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ adult population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Estimates of the LGBTQ adult population in the five inhabited U.S. territories are not available, and so cannot be reflected here.

45 % of the LGBTQ population lives in states with high gender identity policy tallies

6 % of the LGBTQ population lives in states with medium gender identity policy tallies

4 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with fair gender identity policy tallies

10 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with low gender identity policy tallies

35 % of LGBTQ population lives in states with negative gender identity policy tallies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) tracks over 50 different LGBTQ-related laws and policies. This map shows the overall policy tallies (as distinct from sexual orientation or gender identity tallies) for each state, the District of Columbia, and the five populated U.S. territories.

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Collections of answers to a variety of questions about rights for various communities, including LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and disabled people

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Everyone has basic rights under the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws. Learn more here about what your rights are, how to exercise them, and what to do when your rights are violated.

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Know Your Rights | American Civil Liberties Union

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Everyone has basic rights under the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws. Learn more here about what your rights are, how to exercise them, and what to do when your rights are violated.

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National Immigration Law Center - Know Your Rights: What to Do if You Are Arrested Or Detained by Immigration

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National Immigration Law Center - Know Your Rights: What to Do if You Are Arrested Or Detained by Immigration

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What to Do if You Are Arrested or Detained by Immigration

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A Know Your Rights resource with general information on what to do if you are stopped, arrested, or detained by immigration or other law enforcement.

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Immigrant Legal Rights Center - Know Your Rights "Red Cards"

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Immigrant Legal Rights Center - Know Your Rights "Red Cards"

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Printable cards that state one's rights regarding being approached and questioned by immigration enforcement, available in nine languages

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Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas | Immigrant Legal Resource Center | ILRC

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All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The ILRC’s Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home. Special thanks to our many partners who contributed translations in the various languages now available, making these red cards accessible to more individuals.

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A in-depth dive into what is needed from leadership to build organizations that last. May be useful in helping connect with leaders focused on "the big picture" or who need to build skills in managing organizations effectively

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Building Resilient Organizations - The Forge

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Click here to listen to Maurice Mitchell read this article. Haga clic aquí para leer el artículo en Español. Maurice Mitchell talks with Cyndi Suarez of Nonprofit Quarterly about the inspiration behind​ the article. Executives in professional social justice institutions, grassroots activists in local movements, and fiery young radicals on protest lines are all […]

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Center for Liberatory Practice & Poetry - Weaving Our Values & Practice Zine

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Center for Liberatory Practice & Poetry - Weaving Our Values & Practice Zine

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A short collection of reflective and reflexive writing on leading with one's values when those values are being degraded, how to sustain under long-term stress.

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Weaving Our Values and Practice - Final For Print October.pdf

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Facilitating Conflict / Hot Moments Resource Bank

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Facilitating Conflict / Hot Moments Resource Bank

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Practical resources on how to address and navigate conflict in spaces you are responsible for, with a focus on recognizing and managing emotions.

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The Chronicle of Higher Education - DEI Legislation Tracker

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The Chronicle of Higher Education - DEI Legislation Tracker

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A commonly passed-around resource, this is a map of various anti-DEI legislation happening in the states and federally.

EdTrust also has a similar tracker, that can sometimes be easier to search / use.

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The Chronicle is tracking legislation that would prohibit colleges from having diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or staff; ban mandatory diversity training; prohibit institutions from using diversity statements in hiring and promotion; or prohibit colleges from using race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in admissions or employment. All four proscriptions were identified in model state legislation proposed this year by the Goldwater and Manhattan Institutes.

Updated March 9, 2023.

What Would the Legislation Restrict?

Methodology

The Chronicle looked for bills introduced in the current legislative sessions on state legislative websites. We searched for bills that would affect diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts identified in the model state legislation proposed by the Goldwater and Manhattan Institutes this year. We supplemented those efforts by looking for articles about relevant legislation in local media outlets.

In some states, changes in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at public colleges have come from outside the legislature. For example, in a measure that appears to target diversity statements, the University of North Carolina's Board of Governors voted in February to prohibit colleges from asking applicants or employees to state or agree with certain viewpoints in hiring or admissions, while the chancellors of the Texas A&M and Texas State systems eliminated requirements for diversity statements in hiring. We did not include measures like those, but focused on state legislation only.

Data on student enrollment represents only full-time students for the fall of 2021, and it comes from the U.S. Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (Ipeds). Employee numbers also come from Ipeds, and these figures include only full-time employees. Nonwhite students and faculty percentages are calculated by taking the total population minus the white population. People who identified as two or more races, nonresidents, or unknown were removed from these calculations as well. Only data from Title IV, degree-granting institutions within the United States is included.

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integrated postsecondary education data system

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university of north carolina board of governors

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The Chronicle is tracking legislation that would prohibit colleges from having diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or staff ; ban mandatory diversity training; prohibit institutions from using diversity statements in hiring and promotion; or prohibit colleges from using race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in admissions or employment.

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GLAAD's quick guide to helping LGBTQ people to be more safe online.

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GLAAD | GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance.

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We Keep Us Safe: LGBTQ Digital Safety Guide | GLAAD

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For LGBTQ activists, organizations, journalists, public figures, and anyone who spends time online — the guidelines are just a few easy best practices you can implement to protect yourself.

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Perhaps in response to the critique that corporate efforts to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion are all talk and no action, an increasing number of companies are taking the matter of diagnosing and resolving inequities more seriously. According to a recent survey, more than 40% have either already conducted a DEI survey or audit or are looking to do so "in the near future."

But in my own work as a DEI practitioner who often administers, analyzes, and helps companies act on these kinds of assessments, arriving at data-driven insights is only the tip of the iceberg. The far harder challenge is addressing organizational inequities without incurring backlash: strong adverse reactions from individuals and groups that undermine or compromise the positive outcomes DEI initiatives try to create.

Mandatory DEI trainings have been linked to lower levels of representation in leadership positions for Black, Latine, and Asian employees of all genders, and white women, due to resistance from existing leaders. Backlash is well-documented in response to organizational equity efforts like affirmative action policies, as well as broader equity-related social movements. In what has since been called the "#MeToo Backlash," a 2019 survey following up on the impact of the #MeToo movement found that 19% of men were less willing to hire attractive women, 21% were less willing to hire women for jobs involving close interpersonal interactions, and 27% now avoided one-on-one meetings with female colleagues.

It isn't only people from privileged groups that contribute to backlash, either. When the "diversity" of candidates is mentioned as a reason for their hiring, people rate the qualifications and skill of a candidate from a marginalized group lower - even if they themselves are from that same group. And when marginalized employees are presented with a "business case for diversity," espousing the benefits of diversity on business outcomes, they respond by reporting a lower sense of belonging and less interest in joining the organization.

Why is backlash such a large risk when DEI initiatives are put into practice, especially when the vast majority of workers express support for DEI in the abstract? Because people are strongly motivated to protect their own sense of self-esteem, competence, and "inherent goodness." When any of these things are challenged, their gut reaction is to resist and reject. If people are told that their language and interactions are biased, that constitutes a challenge to their self-esteem. If people are told that "diversity" and not "skill" played a role in their hiring, or that favoritism played a role in their promotion, that constitutes a challenge to their sense of competence. If people are criticized for being a member of a social group that has negative associations, that constitutes a challenge to "inherent goodness." Regardless of how true any of these assertions are, these framings run a high risk of resistance, rejection, and backlash.

One powerful method to avoid backlash is by framing DEI initiatives to address inequities as changing systems, rather than changing individuals. By situating an organizational inequity in something less "personal" than an individual or group, like a process, policy, or normalized set of practices, leaders can galvanize the workforce while lowering the risk that people feel personally targeted. Here are some examples of this approach in action, compared to framings that risk activating backlash.

Backlash risk: "Biased hiring managers are only bringing in candidates that look like themselves, which is why we have little racial or gender diversity. To address this, we should have all hiring managers go through training to address their biases."

Systems framing: "The hiring process doesn't have consistent guidelines or expectations, putting additional burden on hiring managers, creating an inconsistent experience for candidates, and making it difficult to connect our organizational strategy to our hiring strategy. To address this, we should create initiatives to support hiring managers, like implementing hiring panels, tracking the overall race and gender makeup of the candidate pool through each stage, and coming together to agree on how to make decisions fairly based on resumes and interviews."

Backlash risk: "Employees with disabilities and those who are neurodivergent aren't able to navigate the workplace as well as their non-disabled or neurotypical peers. To address this, we should give disabled and neurodivergent employees coaches and run a campaign to help all employees build empathy for these experiences."

Systems framing: "The employee experience is built around narrow assumptions about the 'ideal' employee that no longer hold true for our current workforce, which, among other things, is more disabled and neurodivergent than the workforce of the past. To address this, we should revisit employee onboarding, job design, and the manager-direct report experience to be more accessible, then integrate these changes into our general management training."

To put this approach into practice in your own organization, use these five steps:

1. Collect data to diagnose specific inequities in your organization.

Use a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, whether survey data, focus groups or interview data, network data, or HR data, with employee demographic data to identify inequities in specific aspects of the employee experience. Seek to understand not only "what" inequities exist, but also "why" and "how" they exist. Qualitative data can be a useful tool to assist.

2. Communicate about initiatives using a systems-focused framing.

Make the case that the status quo is inequitable, pointing at the specific inequities you have identified, but maintain that the things to be "fixed" are specific systems, policies, processes, and practices, rather than the people engaging in them. Avoid blaming or shaming individuals or groups, and actively push back against fears that DEI initiatives will do so.

3. As change-making efforts begin, appeal to "fairness."

"Business case" rhetoric tends to alienate members of marginalized groups. "Multiculturalism" rhetoric that focuses largely on supporting marginalized groups may alienate members of advantaged groups. Instead, focus on " fairness " and stress that DEI efforts both require and will benefit members of all groups.

4. Clearly lay out expectations for change alongside resources and support.

Communicate within the context of every initiative (e.g., building a more inclusive shared language), the initiative's goals (fewer incidents of microaggressions and disrespectful language), and expectations for accountability (by the time of the next yearly survey, an improved belonging score). Highlight primarily the support available to all (learning resources and leadership coaching), while underscoring the importance of achieving the initiative's goals within the expected timeline.

5. Sustain momentum by affirming effort and celebrating wins.

Using DEI-related metrics, regularly identify and celebrate wins and achievements while praising the shared effort of all stakeholder groups. Ensure that these celebrations use a similar framing of fairness, universal benefit, and systems improvement as other steps in the process. Finally, regroup the organization around the next objective to meet, and repeat these steps as needed.

To genuinely address and resolve inequities, leaders must first understand the nuances and obstacles that so frequently stymie the initiatives they undertake. Backlash is no different, and what can appear at first glance to be knee-jerk defensiveness, ignorance, or fragility, under a more compassionate lens becomes our universal desire to be seen as dignified, competent, and inherently good. If leaders can protect these core needs while coming together to make change, they can create DEI initiatives that succeed.

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To Avoid DEI Backlash, Focus on Changing Systems - Not People

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The enemy of well-intentioned DEI initiatives is backlash - and not just from people from privileged groups. Backlash from all directions is often due to DEI initiatives being framed as solutions to individual problems to be fixed rather than to correct for systemic issues at play in an organization.

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Why community matters so much — and how to find yours

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Why community matters so much — and how to find yours

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A simple but useful article discussing some of the ways in which you can begin to find and sustain community

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Sam Zeff had always considered himself a pseudo-runner - a guy who'd go for a jog somewhat consistently but who never signed up for a race. There was always a part of him that was afraid he wouldn't be accepted among other runners. Finally, Zeff, now 31, embraced the fear head-on and joined the Philadelphia chapter of November Project, a community-oriented fitness group. Instead of rejection, Zeff found a supportive group of athletes of all levels whose hard work inspired him to finish his first marathon in 2019.

Since then, Zeff has joined other organizations based on his values: a group for men to discuss their emotions, and a virtual mentorship program where members of all ages from across the world offered insight and advice on how to live more authentically. Not only have these communities empowered him to explore different parts of himself, but he entered into a mutually beneficial relationship with people who celebrated him just as he celebrated them. "I always felt like I was too much and like I was doing things to get attention," Zeff says. "The people in this group have been fanning my flames rather than trying to put them out."

Now, as he plans a move across the country from Philadelphia to San Clemente, California, he's relying on his ability to find community once more. He's reaching out to other members of his groups who've moved to California and also mining his interests, like yoga and meditation, to figure out which classes he should take in his new city. Community, he says, is proof he's an essential gear in a larger social machine. "You're part of a bigger picture that really wants to see everyone succeed," Zeff says.

As social creatures, humans need interpersonal contact to survive. These connections range from your inner circle of family and close friends to the outer rungs of your social network - other pet parents at the dog park, for example - and it's important to have this variety. "To try and count on one person to fill all of your emotional and psychological needs is not a good thing," says Gillian Sandstrom, a senior lecturer in the psychology of kindness at the University of Sussex. "There's research showing that you thrive more when you have lots of people to fill up various emotional needs." Becoming a member of communities helps build this social diversity. However, finding community is much different from just making friends.

According to clinical and community psychologist David McMillan, a community is defined by four criteria: membership, influence, integration and fulfillment of needs, and shared emotional connection. To be part of a community, you must feel a sense of belonging (membership), feel like you make a difference to the group and that the group makes a difference to you (influence), feel like your needs will be met by other group members (integration and fulfillment of needs), and feel that you share history, similar experiences, time, and space together (shared emotional connection). High school, college, and retirement communities, McMillan says, are examples of community: "In college, the world is organized around satisfying you," he says. From extracurricular activities to communal living, the entire experience centers around group collaboration and satisfaction. While a community can consist of pairs or small groups of friends - and help foster those connections - community members don't necessarily need to be friends.

In contrast, friendship "is an invested, dedicated, platonic relationship where two people who are friends with each other are committed to the growth, the well-being, the support, the thriving of each other," explains Kat Vellos, a connection coach, speaker, and author of the book We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships.

Fellow community members can lend a hand in unique and surprising ways. A neighbor can lend you the oddly specific pan you need to try a new recipe. An older person in your book club may have valuable insight into how to handle a conflict with your in-laws. You could find the résumé proofreader you've been looking for in another student in your cooking class. "When people talk about a 401(k) or insurance, community is that for your social life," says Adam Smiley Poswolsky, a workplace-belonging speaker and author of Friendship in the Age of Loneliness. Think of it as a group of people who uplift one another and form a safety net for all of life's moments.

Crucially, community is not strictly a collection of people who have a similar affiliation, interest, or shared experience with each other, Vellos says. While fans of certain shows or musicians - or even consumers of specific products, like Peloton - may feel they are members of a community, they are not always invested in other members' lives and well-being. (Fans or followers would be more appropriate terms for many of these groups, Vellos says.) While many communities exist online, there must be an element of reciprocity - all parties contributing information and support equally - for the group to thrive.

Finding and becoming ingrained in a community doesn't need to be an arduous task, but it does require time and self-reflection. Vox spoke with four experts who provided tips on how to identify and find your place in a community.

Prioritize your values and interests

One of the easiest ways to find a group you'd mesh with is to figure out where you wouldn't mind spending a few hours of your time. Consider your talents and interests or a skill you'd like to learn, and seek out places to do those activities. If you love dancing, do some Googling to find dance clubs, studios, or meetup dance groups in your town. Maybe you've always wanted to learn to throw clay; a pottery class will put you in contact with others who value art, working with their hands, or learning a new skill - and you could specifically seek out a studio that hosts social events or otherwise attempts to facilitate wider connections.

Poswolsky suggests seeking out groups that create together; the act of making something as a group facilitates closeness and brings you into contact with people of different ages, backgrounds, and stages of life. Whether it's a performance or a neighborhood coat drive, anything you're creating together "is a beautiful way to build community," Poswolsky says.

Neighborhood associations, religious and spiritual groups, and charitable organizations typically hold frequent meetings you can attend to learn about the group's mission, meet others, and volunteer at future events. Knowing what your values are is crucial to finding a community where you truly fit, Poswolsky says, and that can take work and soul-searching. If you're not religious but have strong political views, joining a political organization can help you find a community where you and others are working to promote change that aligns with your collective values.

While it's easier to join an already established group, you could also start one yourself based on your interests. If you want to build a community around hiking, for example, McMillan suggests posting online (say in a neighborhood Facebook group or retirement community portal) mentioning you'll be hiking in a nearby park on Saturday if anyone would like to join. Others looking to make connections and get outside may take you up on the offer. Start small: Your budding community doesn't have to be hundreds deep. "Real nurturing community starts in small groups," McMillan says. "It doesn't start with 100 people, it happens with a few. Finding those people and cultivating their interests and your interests ... that's harder in a big group." And don't panic if the first people who show up differ from you in terms of age, background, or ability. Part of the beauty of community is its ability to draw people from varying stages of life who can help open your eyes to new points of view and wisdom.

Make it a habit

To forge a true connection with the group - and vice versa - you'll need to continually show up and add value. "You'll develop closeness more quickly if you have that regularity and you don't have to agonize over scheduling," Vellos says. Immediately add the next meeting date to your calendar and make it a point to consistently attend. Coming early with a snack or staying late to stack the chairs shows you're invested in the community.

Humans have more positive feelings toward familiar people, so seeing the same people on a repeated basis helps you both ingratiate with an already established group and with people you see regularly in your day-to-day life. Even if you don't interact with the baristas or other patrons at your neighborhood coffee shop, there is an unspoken sense of camaraderie. "You can feel like you know someone even if you've never talked to them if you've seen them enough times," Sandstrom says. Focusing on your already established routines and the people you encounter while doing them - like walking the dog - can be the basis for community. "If you go at the same time to the same place, you're going to see the same people over and over again," Sandstrom says. Even learning the names of fellow dog walkers and striking up a casual conversation can be enough to improve your mood.

Put energy into others

Because communities are made up of lots of people with varying opinions and life experiences, being an active member means regularly interacting with others in the group. But don't expect other members to immediately support you in your endeavors, want to do you a favor, or even engage in conversation with you. Forging these connections takes time and effort, and you risk rejection, McMillan notes - but to fully integrate into a community, you can't be a wallflower. "It's my job toput energy into other people and not just wait for them to put energy into me," he says.

When Sandstrom joined a community orchestra, she made a point of talking to a different person each time the group took a break in order to ease her way into the group. She's also a fan of eavesdropping. "It's okay to admit that you overheard people talking," she says. If you catch a few people at yoga class discussing your favorite podcast, take that as an opportunity to jump into the conversation and meet a few people in the process.

Poswolsky suggests identifying one or two community members you're interested in getting to know better and asking if they'd like to have coffee. "Those simple gestures of reaching out create intention, they put out what you're looking for, and they don't overwhelm you," he says. "Suddenly, other people are going to be inviting you to things because you're saying, 'I'm going to take the time to have a conversation with someone.'"

But don't exhaust yourself

You don't need to join a dozen clubs or societies or introduce yourself to every neighbor on the block to have a community. Consider the time you're able to commit and how much energy you're able to bring to each meeting. Maybe becoming the organizer of a weekly canoeing group is too great a responsibility, but a monthly movie club where you can sit back and watch and discuss films is more your speed.

Each new person you meet at your local mutual aid organization might not blossom into a deep friendship - and that's okay. The goal of community building isn't necessarily to make new friends (though that definitely can happen), but to build a network. The people who are a part of that network can remain acquaintances, Sandstrom says.

This is Sam Zeff's approach as he considers his community-building plan in California: focusing his energy toward worthy people and causes. The rest will come naturally. "I'm not married to having to be everyone's friend," he says. "I'm going to be intentional with my time and make sure that the people that I am investing my time with are the individuals that I see as part of my future who can not only help me grow, but people who are willing to be helped as well."

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Why community matters so much - and how to find yours

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Sam Zeff had always considered himself a pseudo-runner - a guy who'd go for a jog somewhat consistently but who never signed up for a race. There was always a part of him that was afraid he wouldn't be accepted among other runners.

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An organization dedicated to helping people get the tools they need to find and build community in their direct neighborhood

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We help you make your neighborhood the best it can be

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A pamphlet with tips and strategies for minimizing the amount of control that Google has over your everyday life.

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Fuck Google : ms-demeanor.tumblr.com : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

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A pamphlet with tips and strategies for minimizing the amount of control that Google has over your everyday life.

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Data Risk Classification and Compliance Operating Standard

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Data Risk Classification and Compliance Operating Standard

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An example of how data you may have access to as an HE professional can be classified and where it is safe to store. Your university likely has its own policy and/or guide

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Data Risk Classification and Compliance Operating Standard

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Data Risk Classification The University of Pittsburgh takes seriously its commitment to protecting the privacy of its students, alumni, faculty, and staff and protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information essential to the University’s academic and research mission. For that reason, we classify our information assets into risk categories to determine who may access the information and what minimum security precautions must be taken to protect it against unauthorized access.

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Basic Tips in Finding People to Be Around

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Basic Tips in Finding People to Be Around

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Finding Opportunities

Facebook, Reddit, and any other moderately popular social media with the ability to make location-specific groups likely has one for meetups, either generally or for a specific hobby/interest

Check Facebook Events, Eventbrite, and other event aggregators for things in your area

Look at your own college / university's event calendar and see if there are any events that seem interesting to you (and are not held by your office / department)

What Feels Doable?

Everyone has different social needs and thresholds. Consider:

Is it more helpful to have a regular commitment, or a one-time event that could lead to more?

Do you feel the need to be useful in a social setting, or a sense of responsibility to someone else in order to motivate you? Contact event / group organizers and offer to help set up, bring snacks, print something, pick people up, etc.

Would setting a timeframe be helpful? I.E. instead of deciding to join the running club and getting upset when you don't stick with it forever, can you do it for two to three weeks?

If you do not like being social for social's sake, look for short-term classes at a community college, art studio, or other organization, something that will last at least a few weeks. This provides you a structured time to meet with others with something else to focus on and bond over

Don't forget that you can be just an attendee or member, you can receive services and utilize resources. You do not need to be the leader / provider in every space

Alternatively, taking on a small leadership role can offer a sense of purpose and place if you struggle with that