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Getting teacher buy-in is the most important step, and laying the groundwork for frank conversations will help administrators start.

The racial reckoning of the last year has caused many schools to reexamine their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and priorities. Often, one of the biggest challenges that schools face in doing this work is getting their entire faculty and staff on board. When there isn't agreement on why these initiatives are needed or what they should try to accomplish, it lessens the possibility of systemic implementation.

For DEI work to be systemic in schools, schools need to establish professional learning communities (PLCs) working together to tackle the most pertinent items in their school context. But this type of work isn't easy. I have personally witnessed faculty meetings erupting in anger around race and privilege when conversations weren't framed respectfully and agreements were not made beforehand by each of the participants. Although it's normal for difficult conversations to create tension and discomfort, I don't believe there's ever a place for us to break collegiality by harming others with our words. It doesn't create healing or get us closer to the purpose of DEI.

Having Difficult Conversations

You'll want to start small because systemic change takes time. Therefore, set realistic goals and focus on small, high-leverage steps that yield tangible shifts in the interpersonal dynamics between the staff. Improved discourse between educators and making faculty meetings intellectually safe spaces are two important goals. This way, teachers and staff won't be afraid to voice their views and get constructive feedback.

An important takeaway here is that the adults collectively need to take the necessary time to create positive change in school-wide climate, culture, policy, routines, and rituals before it can occur with students.

Successful outcomes in school climate and culture will require conversations, resources, and actionable steps both in faculty meetings and classrooms.

Difficult conversations in schools pertinent to DEI vary depending on school context (e.g., population demographics). Some may include, but are not limited to, defining antiracist work, improving inclusion for various groups, managing diversity for making schools safe, carrying out equitable practices, and enabling diverse narratives across the curriculum.

When dealing with topics involving race or others where the adults don't agree (e.g., social justice, emotionally charged current events, systemic racism), it's critical to establish equity of voice, set ground rules for continued discussions, and define microaggressions in order to develop a school-wide culture of inclusivity that is free from harm for all. The term microaggressions often refers to both intentional and unintentional verbal, behavioral, and environmental insults perpetrated against people of color.

It's important to note that microaggressions are not just about race. Dr. Derald Wing Sue wrote in his paper on the subject, "While microaggressions are generally discussed from the perspective of race and racism, any marginalized group in our society may become targets: people of color, women, LGBT persons, those with disabilities, religious minorities, and so on."

Try using circle practice to provide structure for difficult conversations between educators. To make a safe and inclusive environment for staff, these are some of the transformational norms and agreements I encourage school leaders to model and implement with their staffs during circles:

1. Everyone participates. This does not mean that everyone will speak, but it does mean that everyone will look and pay attention to whoever is speaking.

2. Don't require people of color on staff to share their traumatic experiences or lead the work. Instead, provide us the opportunities to contribute according to our comfort levels, and be mindful not to tokenize us. Consider bringing in experts who have checked their own biases and who have valid DEI expertise-regarding research, methodology, and facilitation.

3. Speak from the heart, and be open to feedback. Staff members are encouraged to speak their truth respectfully. They will also need to be open to receiving feedback when their perspective needs to change because it limits students and thus causes harm to them and other colleagues.

4. Listen from the heart. Staff members are encouraged to listen to their colleagues without allowing their personal views to write them off completely. This will be difficult, but the structure and norms will allow for constructive feedback and dialogue to occur over time, which will cause some people to eventually change their limiting beliefs (implicit biases) that harm students.

5. What is shared in the circle stays in the circle. Often staff members do not express themselves for fear of how their words may land, or they lack the confidence to advocate for themselves or others. By everyone agreeing to leave what's shared in the circle, trust is established over time.

Curating Reputable Resources

To keep these conversations going, educators must commit to continuous growth (individually and collectively) and also to working with students. This requires excellent resources along with structure for their use.

These should include videos, how-to blogs, published research, and replicable activities for the classroom and teacher professional development.

Before undertaking this work with students, the adults will need to do their homework. We can't be the lead teachers on DEI issues and learn alongside the kids. We need to be deeply informed about the systemic structures and barriers that have marginalized the folks we are trying to empathize with-along with the effects (data) of the inequities and trauma caused.

A simple structure like the text-based seminar or circle practice, along with tweaks to the abovementioned norms and shared agreements, works well for small and grade-level PLCs doing professional development. Here are readings and resources covering multiple contexts.

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Preparing Staff for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

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Getting teacher buy-in is the most important step, and laying the groundwork for frank conversations will help administrators start.

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Five Tips: Making Equity and Inclusion a Professional Growth Theme - Folio Collaborative

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Define the why and narrow the focus - and hold the organization accountable It's not enough to say, "we're making diversity, equity, and inclusion a professional growth theme this year." Why, specifically, are you making that decision? And why now?

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Native Governance Center co-hosted an Indigenous land acknowledgment event with the Lower Phalen Creek Project on Indigenous Peoples' Day 2019 (October 14). The event featured the following talented panelists: Dr. Kate Beane (Flandreau Santee Dakota and Muskogee Creek), Mary Lyons (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe), Rose Whipple (Isanti Dakota and Ho-Chunk), Rhiana Yazzie (Diné), and Cantemaza (Neil) McKay (Spirit Lake Dakota). We've created this handy guide to Indigenous land acknowledgment based on our panelists' responses.

Why is Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Important?

"It is important to understand the longstanding history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation."
- Northwestern University

"When we talk about land, land is part of who we are. It's a mixture of our blood, our past, our current, and our future. We carry our ancestors in us, and they're around us. As you all do."
- Mary Lyons (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe)

Tips for Creating an Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Statement

Key components:

Start with self-reflection. Before starting work on your land acknowledgment statement, reflect on the process:

Why am I doing this land acknowledgment? (If you're hoping to inspire others to take action to support Indigenous communities, you're on the right track. If you're delivering a land acknowledgment out of guilt or because everyone else is doing it, more self-reflection is in order.)

What is my end goal? (What do you hope listeners will do after hearing the acknowledgment?)

When will I have the largest impact? (Think about your timing and audience, specifically.)

Do your homework. Put in the time necessary to research the following topics:

The Indigenous people to whom the land belongs.

The history of the land and any related treaties.

Names of living Indigenous people from these communities. If you're presenting on behalf of your work in a certain field, highlight Indigenous people who currently work in that field.
Indigenous place names and language.

Correct pronunciation for the names of the Tribes, places, and individuals that you're including.

Use appropriate language. Don't sugarcoat the past. Use terms like genocide, ethnic cleansing, stolen land, and forced removal to reflect actions taken by colonizers.

Use past, present, and future tenses. Indigenous people are still here, and they're thriving. Don't treat them as a relic of the past.

Land acknowledgments shouldn't be grim. They should function as living celebrations of Indigenous communities. Ask yourself, "How am I leaving Indigenous people in a stronger, more empowered place because of this land acknowledgment?" Focus on the positivity of who Indigenous people are today.

Additional factors to consider:

Don't ask an Indigenous person to deliver a "welcome" statement for your organization. Cantemaza McKay (Spirit Lake Nation) explains this very clearly. Check out our land acknowledgment event livestream, and hear his comments at the 27-minute mark.

Build real, authentic relationships with Indigenous people. In addition to normal employment and family obligations, Indigenous people are working to heal their traumas, learn their languages, and support their nations. If you reach out for help, lead the conversation by asking an Indigenous person what you can do for them. Chances are, they're likely overworked and could use your help.

Compensate Indigenous people for their emotional labor. If you do plan to reach out to an Indigenous person or community for help, compensate them fairly. Too often, Indigenous people are asked to perform emotional labor for free.

Understand displacement and how that plays into land acknowledgment. Land acknowledgment is complicated. Remember that the United States government displaced many Tribes from land before treaties were signed.

There are many types of land acknowledgments. Don't expect to find a specific formula or template. Land acknowledgments that come from Indigenous people vs. non-Indigenous people look different, too.

Take action:

Land acknowledgment alone is not enough. It's merely a starting point. Ask yourself: how do I plan to take action to support Indigenous communities? Some examples of ways to take action:

Support Indigenous organizations by donating your time and/or money.

Support Indigenous-led grassroots change movements and campaigns. Encourage others to do so.

Commit to returning land. Local, state, and federal governments around the world are currently returning land to Indigenous people. Individuals are returning their land, too. Research your options to return your land.

At the end of the day, remember:

Starting somewhere is better than not trying at all. We need to share in Indigenous peoples' discomfort. They've been uncomfortable for a long time. Dr. Kate Beane (Flandreau Santee Dakota and Muskogee Creek) says, "We have to try. Starting out with good intentions and a good heart is what matters most."

Visit our resources page for more helpful land acknowledgment tools! And read our own land acknowledgment statement: The Land We're On.

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A guide to Indigenous land acknowledgment

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After hosting an Indigenous land acknowledgment event, we put together this written guide to based on our panelists' responses.

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Winner, 2020 World Fantasy AwardsFinalist, Creative Nonfiction IGNYTE Award, given by FIYACON for BIPOC+ in Speculative FictionReveals the diversity crisis i...

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Book Details

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It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity

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It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity [Thorn, Theresa, Grigni, Noah] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity

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Letters from the Artistic Director - Archive 

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Letters from the Artistic Director - Archive 

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Peruse our archive of letters from Artistic Director Sarah Bellamy.

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LETTER FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

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A Letter from Sarah Bellamy | Breonna Taylor, Say Her Name Greetings Dear Community, I write today, on the heels of an exciting announcement from Penumbra, to address the work ahead and the why of it. Last night was another night of gut-sickness and heart-brokenness and rage for black folks in Ameri…