Diversity and Equity – Page 3 – Professional Staff Organization

Jamilah Williams, Sustainable Seattle’s Board Chair and professional staff at UW, answers questions from the Diversity Forum

Last month, the PSO hosted the 4th annual Diversity Forum. This year’s event, attended by over 360 people, focused on “(re)building cultures of diversity, equity, and inclusion through policies, procedures and budgets”. We were thrilled by the conversations and engagement; you can read our overview here. After we formally wrapped up, more questions came through the chat from our community. Panelist , Board Chair of Sustainable Seattle, and Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications at UW鈥檚 College of Built Environments, shared her answers to some of those questions. We are grateful to share her thoughts with professional staff:

Diversity Forum Attendee: Something that I鈥檝e become more passionate about recently is the intersection of mental health and DEI, particularly the ways in which women and BIPOC folks are underserved in that space. I think an area that is going to need more attention is the ways in which our systems do not serve neuro-diverse populations, and I鈥檓 wondering whether this is something the panelists have begun to鈥�

Jamilah Williams: I agree that there is much more work to be done. Personally, I know I have a lot of room to grow in terms of accessibility. At Sustainable Seattle, we鈥檝e also recognized that representation and inclusion of the disability community lacks in the sustainability space and in our organization as well. We鈥檙e working to build those authentic relationships and continuing to learn.

DFA: How do you as BIPOC women survive these organizations? How do you keep pushing for this work? And when do you know when it鈥檚 time to walk away?

JW: Find your people, find your community. Surround yourself with people you trust and who you can go to for advice, to vent, and have your back. Knowing when to walk away is hard, especially as someone committed to EDI work, but you also have to take care of yourself. 聽Walk away when you are giving your all, but not seeing any change or movement.

DFA: We need spaces for BIPOC staff working in a predominantly white institution!

JW: Agree! Having these spaces can help you find those people who you know will have your back. It also shows a commitment on the part of the institution when they are supportive of these types of spaces.

DFA: How can we make sure, when hiring staff, to have reached the most diverse group of candidates? We would like to make sure that the pool is as inclusive as possible and the mainstream channels are not always the best ones.

JW: There are great local job boards and groups. Ask your staff what groups/communities they are part of and have them share the job. One note in regards to job postings, is to include the salary range. Here is some great language ReproJobs on job postings, salaries, and equity:

We know that cis women are paid less than cis men for doing the same job, women of color are paid even less than white women, and disabled people and trans people earn even less than abled and cis people (for example: we know that earn less than $10,000 a year). Refusing to be transparent about salaries and benefits is a huge contributor to these inequities and puts candidates of color and trans candidates at a disadvantage in the negotiating process. Additionally, by basing a salary off of a person鈥檚 previous salaries and not disclosing what your actual budget is, candidates with marginalized identities are unable to earn a living, thriving wage, particularly if it鈥檚 always based on past underpaid wages. Do you really want your organization to be part of perpetuating this problem? By posting the salary, your organization can be part of the solution to ensure all candidates are paid wages that reflects the compensation they deserve.

Listing the salary also puts you and the candidate on more equitable negotiating grounds. If the candidate doesn鈥檛 know what the salary range is, the organization holds all the power. Candidates are left guessing about what salary to ask for, and sometimes they鈥檒l ask for a lower salary because that鈥檚 what they鈥檝e been lowballed previously or because they don鈥檛 know what they should asking for. It鈥檚 also becoming for interviewers to ask a candidate for their salary history. So, don鈥檛 do that either!

Reporting Anti-Asian Hate Activity–resources shared by the Seattle Chapter, Japanese Americans Citizens League (JACL)

FOR IMMEDIATE POSTING鈥擱EPORTING ANTI-ASIAN HATE ACTIVITY

To:聽 Communications Officers of Puget Sound School Districts and Higher Education Institutions

From:聽 Seattle Chapter Japanese Americans Citizens League (JACL)

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has witnessed the rise of racist anti-Asian hate incidents.聽 The incidents have occurred across the country and have ranged from outright violent attacks to various forms of verbal harassment and discriminatory exclusion. Asian students have been cyberbullied during their on-line school experiences. Anecdotal reports indicate some Asian students are apprehensive about returning to in-person learning. Several incidents of anti-Asian hate and bullying have taken place in the local Puget Sound area recently.

Police and governmental officials in and other localities have encouraged individuals experiencing or witnessing incidents to report all hate crimes, including verbal harassment, so that an accurate picture of anti-Asian hate activity can be created.聽 Call 911 immediately in order to report instances.

In addition to reporting incidents to local law enforcement, the Seattle JACL has gathered a list of resources for families to access for support:

This office upholds laws that protect you against discriminatory harassment in housing, employment, or public places within Seattle city limits.
This office has authority to handle discrimination complaints only for King County government and for employers, housing providers, and businesses in the unincorporated parts of King County (outside the cities).
Under the law, everyone has the right to be free from discrimination at work, in housing, in a public accommodation, or when seeking credit and insurance. Any individual who believes that he or she has been discriminated against based on protected class status may file a charge of discrimination for employers, housing providers, and businesses.

Non-government/non-police reporting tools and resources are also available. Community members can report the incident to one of the following entities to help educate the public on what鈥檚 happening and shape policy:

At the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the Washington State Commission on Asian-Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA) worked with community leaders and the Attorney General鈥檚 Office to develop a non-governmental reporting tool for victims of hate and bias incidents, as well as a map to track bias incidents reported through the tool.
The Coalition is a community-led initiative to address hate and bias incidents by strengthening and networking communities who experience racist and bigoted treatment and all forms of oppression. The聽聽are also the administrators of the聽聽to collect data from communities affected by hate and bias.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is tracking incidents of bias. By sharing what you experienced or witnessed, you can educate the public, empower others, show service providers where help is needed, and strengthen advocacy efforts for hate crimes response and prevention. Forms available in English, Chinese (traditional & simplified), Korean and Vietnamese.
OCA 鈥� Asian Pacific American Advocates is dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). Submitting hate incidents through this form will help us OCA 鈥� Asian Pacific American Advocates monitor hate towards AAPIs across the country.
Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) and Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) have launched this reporting center to allow community members to report incidents of hate they have experienced. Individual information, including personal identification details, will be kept confidential and will only be shared with permission. In the aggregate, the information will be used for assistance, advocacy and education. Forms available in English, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Khmer, Thai, and Japanese.

Finally,聽being a victim of hate and discrimination can affect mental health as much as physical health. Please encourage victims of anti-Asian hate crimes and harassment to reach out to friends and family for emotional support. The following organizations can assist with emotional/mental health resources:

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) also has a guide for victims of hate crimes:聽.

The Seattle JACL requests that school districts post these resources in a prominent and accessible location on their websites for families, staff and students to refer to if needed.

Questions can also be directed to the Seattle Chapter JACL: 聽info@seattlejacl.org

Dr. Kyle Kinoshita

Board member and Civil Rights Committee Co-Chair

Seattle Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

4th Annual PSO Diversity Forum Event Recap

More than 350 professional staff attended The PSO鈥檚 4th Annual Diversity Forum held on March 3, 2021. The event, presented by the Professional Staff Organization in partnership with the , centered on the theme of (Re)Building Cultures of Equity and Inclusion through Policy, Procedures and Budgets.

The remote venue allowed for an engaging discussion between attendees and panelists, who included leaders from the non-profit, private, and academic sectors:

Annette Anderson, Office of Diversity and Equity, UW-Bothell, and member and ex-officio president of the PSO Board
, Diversity Recruiter, , 91探花
, Global Intern Program Manager, , and former Administrator for Residential Life at UW鈥檚 HFS
, Board Chair of , and Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications at UW鈥檚 College of Built Environments
Moderated by Deci Evans, Harborview Medical Center Trauma, Burn and Surgical Critical Care and longtime PSO Board member and chair of our events committee.

Full bios of the panelists can be found on the event web page, and you can . (Unfortunately we were unable to capture the chat transcript, but have followed up with the panelists and hope to highlight their thoughts to some of the additional questions in a future post.)

Panelists shared their experiences and offered valuable insights as to how necessary it is for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work to be explicitly included in discussions of institutional policies, procedures, and budgeting. Some of the takeaways that the PSO Board left with include the following ideas:

Representation is important, and it does not mean just offering a seat at the table if the table was designed to exclude you: it means creating a new table.
Bring an equity lens to all budgeting–because DEI work needs to be funded/paid work and not 鈥渟tuff we expect people to do for free in addition to their regular job鈥�
Collaboration and working together is often at odds with the dominant white culture value of the individual. Doing independent work without including other people can be exclusionary, and it leads to a lack of accountability where folks can agree to do something then never show up. Additionally, groups of people who are super focused on getting work done at the exclusion of making connections often don’t look good (or safe). On the other hand, groups of people who work well together, with respect, look inviting; moreover, they are able to develop more robust and inclusive policies and solutions.
Institutions need mechanisms for sharing DEI resources across the organization. One of the great places this is happening at 91探花is on the , an effort co-led by Deci, our panel moderator. Relatedly, during the event, the PSO made a request to UW-IT to add a DEI event tag to their cross-campus Trumba calendar platform, for more effective sharing of such events. We hope this change happens and will follow up accordingly!
We must all work to be antiracist and to work toward justice, regardless of our job descriptions or areas of expertise – this is not just the purview of folks working in DEI offices.

The event was a huge success – the panelists were generous with their time and stayed beyond the scheduled hour to answer additional questions and share their thoughts. A huge thank you to the panelists, the attendees, and Whole U. We are so glad to have been able to be in conversation with you all. And we鈥檇 love to hear your thoughts – please let us know what aspects of the event resonated with you!

Based on the level of engagement both in the chat and via email after the event, it鈥檚 apparent to the PSO Board that many professional staff as well as others across the 91探花are eager to continue this conversation. We are already planning the next one! We invite you to participate in continuing this conversation – reach out to the PSO Diversity Equity and Inclusion committee to get involved.

Additionally, we invite you to tell us about DEI work that is taking place across campus – each month, we highlight DEI activities from book clubs to discussion groups to campus initiatives in our PSO member newsletter, and we鈥檇 love to amplify your work. Email psoboard@uw.edu!

UW-HR shares DEI trainings, support for teams

The PSO and 91探花Human Resources were both pleased to see that Executive Order 13950 Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping that limited DEI-related trainings was rescinded by President Biden on January 20, 2021. UW-HR shared the following:

If your department paused DEI-related training efforts, please consider advancing the conversation on diversity, equity and inclusion in your department by working with POD on customized training or encouraging staff to explore POD鈥檚 affordable courses that explore the many dimensions associated with race, building a sense of belonging and creating inclusive workplaces and communities.

Upcoming DEI-focused online offerings

听听*听听 Working across Generations<> (Feb 3): Learn about the characteristic values, behaviors and assumptions of the multiple and varied generations in today’s workforce, and how to work together for optimal performance and satisfaction.

听听*听听 Exploring Cultural Competence<> (Feb 24 & Feb 26): In a nonjudgmental setting, explore methods for addressing the interpersonal issues that can arise from differences in age, gender and ethnicity among people at the UW.

听听*听听 The Erosion of Empathy<> (March 2 & 4): Measure your own Empathy Quotient, and develop your ability to confront and redirect behavior, attitudes and actions that reflect an absence of empathy.

听听*听听 Exploration of Race in the Workplace: A Guide for Self-Study<> (on demand): Through text, videos and interactive components, explore bias, empathy, inequity and workplace transformation.

UWHR鈥檚 leadership team has been working through the Exploration of Race in the Workplace<> course over the last few months, blending the engaging self-paced portions with reflective group conversations. While we are still on the journey of completing the course, it has brought fresh insights and deepened our internal conversation as HR leaders seeking to foster a workplace culture in which all understand policies and resources and contribute to an inclusive working environment.

If you are interested in developing a cost-effective training plan for your team, please contact alliance@uw.edu<mailto:alliance@uw.edu>.

Nominate staff for the Together We Will Awards

The were created to celebrate outstanding staff contributions made during the extraordinary challenges of 2020. The awards will serve as a temporary replacement for the Distinguished Staff Award program, which will be back in Oct. 2021. Please help recognize your amazing colleagues, by nominating them for this prestigious honor.

Consider:

Essential staff and front-line workers who kept our patients as well as students living in campus housing safe.
Staff who made the quick pivot to online learning and remote work possible.
Staff in research and patient care roles who are rightfully called our healthcare heroes.
Staff participating in anti-racism efforts to ensure the UW鈥檚 programs are inclusive and equitable.
Staff who have gone above and beyond in ways big and small to support their colleagues and our greater community.

with a written statement or by submitting a video nomination between November 1 and December 31, 2020.

Nominees will be celebrated online and will receive a copy of their nomination materials. All nominations will be reviewed by a selection committee that will award up to 20 $1,500 awards.

Election stress: UWHR resources

No matter where you stand on candidates and issues, it is important to acknowledge how many may feel due to the election. Stress and anxiety can affect our health, our work, and our relationships and interactions with others. Please review and share UWHR鈥檚 resources to help employees and managers over the next few weeks:

FOR MANAGERS

听听*听听 : Election stress is real, and at this moment in time leaders are managing unprecedented levels of anxiety and distress among their teams. Join POD鈥檚 experienced consultants to ask questions, discuss organizational and interpersonal challenges, and get help with managing during this difficult time. The Nov. 2 session will focus on addressing anxiety and sharing best practices for preparing your team, and the Nov. 9 session will focus on moving your team forward and helping people become 鈥渦nstuck.鈥� Register for the Monday, Nov. 2 and/or the Monday, Nov. 9 session from 2:00 鈥� 3:00 p.m.

FOR ALL EMPLOYEES

听听*听听 : Participants will receive an e-mail from The Whole U every work day between Monday, October 26 and Friday, November 13 that includes concrete, 5鈥�15 minute action steps to support resilience, compassion for others and self-care.

听听*听听 : Find relaxation and build resilience this election season through practicing mindfulness. Join Catherine Bachy and Jeff Leinaweaver for a 10-minute guided meditation session at noon starting October 26 and continuing daily through November 6. This meditation session will have you calm, focused, and empowered for the rest of the day.

听听*听听聽聽: Watch 91探花CareLink鈥檚 on-demand webinar to learn about healthy media consumption habits that don鈥檛 damage your mental and physical wellbeing.

听听*听听 Helpful tips are also available in Work-Life Director Kathleen Farrell鈥檚 and in 91探花CareLink鈥檚 .

聽 *聽聽聽 Dealing with Harassment: In the upcoming season we may see an increase in online harassment. SafeCampus continues to be available if you or someone you know is targeted. There are many kinds of online harassment, from the annoying (rude comments made by online trolls), to the invasive (doxing), to the potentially dangerous and traumatic (cyberstalking, threats of violence, hate speech and beyond). 91探花staff, faculty and students may be targeted because of a belief they share in a classroom, a political position they hold or because of their area of research. You do not have to deal with the situation alone, reach out to SafeCampus for caring consultation and resources at 206-685-7233 or visit their online harassment resources at: uw.edu/safecampus/harassment-and-sexual-harassment/

Resources to Get Out The Vote

From our friends at :

Get Out The Vote Resources

Huskies Vote

Find a collection of resources and events to help voters get registered, get informed, and get to the polls. Your voice matters 鈥� make sure you use it!
More on Huskies Vote

Candidate Survey

Prior to every Washington State legislative election, 91探花Impact conducts a short, non-partisan candidate survey to see聽how candidates would prioritize public higher education issues.聽Have your candidates responded? Find out!

Presidential Debate Previews

Hosted along with KUOW and the 91探花Alumni Association, join 91探花Impact for virtual conversations with local experts and journalists ahead of each presidential debate. RSVP today!

Husky Caucus Directory

More than 30 91探花alumni serve in the Washington State Legislature, and they help enact key legislation that affects the University community and beyond. Check out the Husky Caucus Directory to learn who they are, what they studied, where they serve, and more!

Voting for American 91探花alums abroad

Voting abroad or know someone who is? Access non-partisan resources to help navigate voter registration, ballot requests, and the task of mailing ballots from abroad from 91探花alum, Elyse Hope ’16.

What else can you do?

Ensure you and your friends and loved ones are registered to vote with updated information.
Look for updates from 91探花Impact on social media (find them on and ).
!

Annual Letter to Professional Staff from the PSO Board

Hello, 91探花community of professional staff! On behalf of the PSO Board of Directors, we are excited to reach out to you as we begin our year together. In this moment it鈥檚 more important than ever to stay connected and be there for each other. The PSO is working to understand, amplify, and address the needs of professional staff–that鈥檚 *you*, and over 10,000 others on our Seattle, Tacoma, Bothell, and Harborview campuses.

The all-volunteer PSO Board works to highlight the essential role of, enriches the experience of, and serves as a resource for professional staff at the 91探花–the mission of this 30-year-old 501c(5). Through our values of Advocacy, Communication, Education, Professional Development, and Representation, we develop events, programs, scholarships, partnerships, and other resources to ensure that professional staff are seen, heard and appreciated for the immense value you all bring to our campuses.

Last year, some of the ways in which we served this community included:

3rd annual Diversity Forum, featuring speakers on allyship and accomplice-ment
Spring Celebration, with speaker President Ana Mari Cauce
Professional Staff Awards, where peers nominate each other for their outstanding contributions to the UW
Over $3,000 in scholarships to pro-staff for professional development
Successful advocacy to avoid increases in the cost of U-PASSes
Advocacy for professional staff of color and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Regular welcoming of new 91探花professional staff, in partnership with UW-HR, at orientation events

This wouldn鈥檛 be possible without the support of PSO members. Each year the majority of the contributions you give are funneled back into the professional staff community. Thank you for making our work possible!

The 2020-1 PSO Board held its retreat in August 2020.

During our annual board retreat, we discussed the primary ways we plan to support professional staff in the coming year, under the themes of Equity, Advocacy, and Engagement. We plan to reach out to adjacent communities and 91探花leaders to listen and share resources and ideas; we plan to increase the number of conversations we host about how to support BIPOC professional staff; and we plan to stabilize and grow our scholarships program so that the efforts of pro-staff to improve their professional skills are celebrated and rewarded. Importantly, the upcoming legislative session looks to be a difficult one for 91探花and higher education. The PSO Legislative Committee is working to make sure your voices are heard in Olympia. Legislators need to hear from 91探花staff that funding 91探花and higher education is vital for the economy and future of this State.

We want to hear from you! How can we advocate for your needs, to 91探花leadership, state legislature and beyond? We hope to hear more about your experiences during the pandemic and the uprisings due in response to continued injustices toward Black and brown bodies, and intend to reach out specifically later in the quarter.

Finally, if you鈥檇 like to get more involved with the PSO, we welcome you to volunteer at our events or join any of our committees. Or just reach out–we would be happy to hear from you.

Best wishes for a meaningful and productive start to our academic year,

Leyla Salmassi, President, and Jen Davison, Vice President, on behalf of the PSO Board

Upcoming Discussion – Disarming & defunding 91探花police: what does that look like?

DISARMING & DEFUNDING 91探花POLICE: WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? A Conversation for the 91探花 Community

AUGUST 7, 2020, 12:00 PM 鈥� 1:30 PM (PST)

Hosted by the Faculty Council on Multicultural Affairs

Please use the following link to join the webinar on Zoom:聽.

笔补苍别濒颈蝉迟蝉:听Gautham Reddy, Professor, Radiology;聽Brenda Williams, Senior Lecturer, School of Law;聽Thomas Locke, Graduate Student, Political Science;聽Angelica Chazaro, Assistant Professor, School of Law;聽Alexes Harris, Professor, Sociology;聽Leyla Salmassi, Professional Staff Organization;聽Edwin Lindo,聽Lecturer, School of Medicine

To contextualize the discussion, consider viewing the 2018 91探花forum聽聽hosted by the 91探花Department of Global Health, an event marking the one-year anniversary of the police killing of Charleena Lyles in her Sand Point apartment.