The Culture Corner is a chance for us to focus on and highlight a specific piece of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work. It is a monthly publication from the DEI Department to facilitate difficult conversations surrounding racism, bias and discrimination with your teams.
“Race is a culturally structured systematic definition of a way of
looking at, perceiving and interpreting reality.”
– Professor Audrey Smedley
Talking About Race
WEEK 1: Common Term(s) & Understanding of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
Race - a social construct used to group people. Race was constructed as a hierarchal human-grouping system, generating racial classifications to identify, distinguish and marginalize some groups across nations, regions and the world. Race divides human populations into groups often based on physical appearance, social factors and cultural backgrounds.
Race is a political and social construct that is fluid. Racial categorization can change over time, place and context. Race has been used historically to establish a social hierarchy, whereby individuals are treated differently, resulting in racism.
Source: Genome.gov, https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Race
WEEK 2: Watch "Intergroup Anxiety: Can You Try Too Hard to Be Fair?" (5 minutes)
WEEK 3: Read "Beyond the training: How to host meaningful DE&I conversations at your company" (6 minutes)
WEEK 4: Watch Ted Talk "Is My Skin Brown Because I Drank Chocolate Milk" by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum (12 minutes)
Questions for discussion:
- Are you comfortable engaging in a conversation about race with those who are the same race as you?
- What about a conversation about race with someone who is a different race?
- How often have you been in a social setting where the majority of individuals have been of a different race or ethnicity?
- How often does a conversation about race turn a room silent, or create divisions among friends, family, and colleagues?
If you are in need of additional support for Culture Corner, please contact the DEI Department by using the DEI Request Form.
Additional Resources