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Leading for Racial Equity Glossary

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Leading for Racial Equity Glossary one needs to be anti-racist, • Awareness of environment, including structurally and inone order needs to pursue to be anti-racist, racial justice, systemically activated benefits and disadvantages; in order to pursue racial • Knowledge, language, strategies, and skills to connect andjustice, achieve and liberation. achieve liberation. with others and cultivate equity in order to realize shared goals and thrive mutually. The terms in this glossary have been adapted The terms in this glossary have been fromadapted several from sources, several and sources, form the and common form Diversity: Difference, not “different.” Fundamentally, language chosen by the Leading for Racial differences are neutral. The value that society ascribes to the common language chosen by the differences is not neutral. Diversity includes the wide range of EquityLeading and for KIPP Racial CARE Equity Teams. and The KIPP work CARE of human characteristics used to make or identify individual and transformational change and social justice group identities. While quantifiable, diversity does not represent Teams. The work of transformational an identity. Moreover, diversity should not represent a proxy beginschange with and the social examination justice begins of self/self- with the for historically marginalized groups (e.g. “we are 28% diverse”). awarenessexamination and of the self/self-awareness adoption of commonly and Diversity does not equal equity nor racial justice. understood and aligned language. the adoption of commonly understood Equity: A condition that balances two dimensions: and aligned language. fairness and inclusion. As a function of fairness, equity implies ensuring people have what they need to participate in school life and to reach their full potential (flourish). As a function of Antiracism: Individual and collective action that consistently inclusion, equity ensures that essential educational programs, challenges systemic racism and racial prejudice, with the goal of services, activities, and technologies are accessible to all. creating racial equity and justice. Equity is not equality; it is the expression of justice, ethics, and the absence of discrimination. Critical Consciousness: Achieving an in-depth understanding Systemic Equity is a complex combination of interrelated of the world (through rigorous academic discourse, experiential elements consciously designed to create, support, and sustain learning, life experiences and content mastery), allowing for the social justice. It is a robust system and dynamic process that perception and exposure of social and political contradictions reinforces and replicates equitable ideas, power, resources, (oppression and injustices). Critical consciousness also strategies, conditions, habits, and outcomes. includes taking action against the oppressive elements in one’s life (and the world around them) that are illuminated by Implicit Bias: Implicit bias refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that understanding. that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. These biases, which encompass Cultural Competency: A developmental process and both favorable and unfavorable assessments, are activated continuum that evolves over time for both individuals involuntarily and without an individual’s awareness or and organizations that includes having the capacity to intentional control. Residing deep in the subconscious, these value the diversity of various cultures, identities and biases are different from known biases that individuals may races; conduct self-assessment; manage and address choose to intentionally conceal. (Source: Kirwan Institute) the dynamics; acquire and apply cultural knowledge; and adapt to the cultural contexts of the communities Imposter Syndrome: Imposter Syndrome is when doubts or in which one lives and works. feeling of inferiority and inadequacy are experienced by People Cultural Competency includes: of Color in White spaces despite accomplishments and success. • Awareness of self, including recognition of own identities, cultural norms, assumptions, and habitual perspectives; Inclusion: A sense of connectedness or belonging to others • Awareness of others, including the visible and invisible and within an organization. Creating conditions where all feel identities, the assumptions and biases through which we accepted, affirmed, safe, empowered, and supported. Inclusion view others, the horizons of our empathy, and the potential expands the sense of community to include all by providing difference between our intention and our impact; equitable voice and power. Being inclusive means ensuring co-ownership and shared responsibility among all members of the school community. It authorizes individuals to carry out their role or roles successfully. Individual/Interpersonal Racism: The beliefs, attitudes, Race: Race is a social and political construct created to and actions of individuals that support or perpetuate racism. categorize individuals based on physical characteristics Individual Racism can occur at both an unconscious and (including, but not limited to, skin color, hair texture, eye conscious level, and it can be both active and passive. color, and bone structures). This categorization was created to These manifest in biases, discrimination, “microaggressions,” give power and access to White people, while simultaneously verbal and physical assault, and overt or subtle marginalization. disempowering and denying access and power to People of Color. (Source: Multiple Sources) Race is not biological and has changed over time. (Source: Multiple Sources) Internalized Racism: The acceptance and affirmation of a racial hierarchy with Whiteness at the top (dominant). This Racial Justice: Racial justice is the proactive creation, manifests through one’s conscious or subconscious thoughts examination and enforcement of policies, practices, attitudes and behaviors. For POC its manifested as internalized racial and actions to promote equitable opportunities, outcomes and oppression - thinking and/or acting as if aspects of one’s own treatment for people of all races. Racial justice is a conscious racial group are inferior, deficient, not-enough, not-deserving act, an individual and institutional responsibility. and/or other. While for White people, it is manifested as, White racial superiority: consciously or subconsciously believing that Racism: A system of social structures that provides access, aspects of Whiteness are superior and/or the norm. safety, resources and power to White people and denies access, (Source: Multiple Sources) safety, resources and power to people of color. Racism is “a system of advantage based on race” in which the White race has Intersectionality: Intersectionality is a term coined by power, privilege, and access over People of Color. This system is Professor Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw to describe the specific reflected in cultural beliefs and messages, institutional policies manifestations of marginalization, disempowerment, and and practices, and individual conscious or unconscious beliefs disenfranchisement experienced by people of color when and actions. racism combines with other forms of oppression (sexism, Racism is the fabric of our culture and is embedded in all the heterosexism, classism, xenophobia, etc.). For example, social institutions, structures and systems in our society. The Black girls are suspended at six times the rate of White girls system of racism is favorable to White people while oppressing because of the combined impacts of racism and sexism. and disadvantaging People of Color. Racism is different that Says Dr. Crenshaw: “Intersectionality is a metaphor for racial prejudice and racial discrimination. understanding the ways multiple forms of inequality and oppression compound themselves and create obstacles that Racial Prejudice + Systemic Power = Racism often are not understood within conventional ways of thinking (Source: Multiple Sources) about anti-racism, or feminism, or whatever social justice advocacy structures we have.” Reverse Racism: A term used to claim that an event or behavior placed a White person at a disadvantage because of their racial Liberation: To free (a group or individual) from social or identity, in a way that is traditionally and often experienced economic constraints or discrimination, especially arising by POC. Reverse racism does not exist because People of Color from traditional role expectations, bias and all forms of historically and presently don’t have access to structural power discrimination. nor institutionalize oppression against White people. Microaggressions: Everyday verbal, nonverbal, and Social Justice: A vision of society in which the distribution of environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional resources and power is equitable and all members are physically or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or and psychologically safe and secure. Social justice involves social negative messages to target persons based solely upon their actors who have a sense of their own agency as well as a sense of marginalized group membership. In many cases, these hidden social responsibility toward and with individuals and society. messages may invalidate the group identity or experiential reality of target persons, demean them on a personal or group level, communicate they are lesser human beings, suggest they Stereotype Threat: Stereotype Threat refers to the risk of do not belong with the majority group, threaten and intimidate, confirming
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