November is Native American Heritage Month
National Native American Heritage Month, which is also referred to as American Indian or Alaska Native Heritage Month, was established in 1990 to recognize the significant contributions of Indigenous people. This originates back to 1915 when Episcopal priest and Native rights activist Rev. Sherman Coolidge, an Arapahoe, called on the country to observe American Indian Day the second Saturday of each May.
Thanksgiving, one of the biggest U.S. holidays of the year, also falls in November and if you downloaded our Diversity Calendar, you'll know that Thanksgiving is called "Day of Mourning" by many Indigenous people.
Below are resources to learn more, including a video shared by the U.S. Courts about the significance of Bear v. Crook, a landmark civil rights case in 1879.
We are just about 2 weeks away from the Hiring & Retaining a Diverse Workforce workshop which will take place on November 16-17. This workshop focuses on looking at hiring practices through an equity lens in advertising, outreach, job announcements, the interview process, interview questions, and retention.
If you're interested in attending, reserve your spot now by clicking on the button below to learn more and register.
We're Hiring!
If you received our last newsletter, you'll know that we are hiring for a Racial Equity Consultant. You can read the full job announcement here and if you know someone or a network that might be interested, please share the announcement with them! Questions? Reach out to Judy at judy.lee@culturesconnecting.com.
2nd Edition of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Book
Our co-founders Ilsa Govan and Caprice Hollins have been hard at work rewriting the 2nd edition of their book, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Strategies for Facilitating Conversations on Race but paused to say hello and send us a picture from their writing retreat last month. If you've taken our Train the Trainer workshop, you'll be familiar with this book because it's served as its foundation.
When the first edition was written, Caprice and Ilsa were only doing
in-person workshops, so a significant amount of new content for the 2nd edition involves strategies for virtual conversations. They share lessons, both technical and adaptive, they've learned from the two years of holding almost all of their workshops online. It also includes reflections about the way the context of our social and political moments come into trainings as a third person to be included. They've also been making notes of stories in workshops and new insights on facilitation since the book was first published in 2015 and will be integrating them in the conversation.
Read our statement on what is happening in the Middle East and pushing past the discomfort of getting it wrong to speak up. We also offer resources and links to ways you can take concrete action.
Caprice was interviewed on Atlanta's NPR show Closer Look to discuss institutional racism, DEIBelonging work and more. Read the synopsis on our blog or listen directly to the interview here.
Judy, our support and projects manager, attended this panel event which was moderated by Ilsa Govan. The panel featured equity educator Erin Jones, Indigenous early childhood educator Nick Terrones, podcast host & parenting coach, Jen Lumanlan, and racial justice consultant Tilman Smith.
Our next Equity Leaders Workshop & Networking Opportunity has been scheduled for February 8-9, 2024 from 8:30-12:00 PST. This online workshop is for those of you leading DEIB efforts and will provide an opportunity for equity leaders to share strategies for organizational change, problem solve some of the challenges they face, and to network.
If you'd like to get a head start, you can visit the Eventbrite page to learn more and reserve your spot.
November Diversity Calendar Dates:
10/31-11/2: Samhain (Neo-Pagan)
01: All Saint's Day (Anglican & Roman Catholic)
01-02: Dia de los Muertos (Mexican)
12: Diwali (Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist)
27: Birthday of Guru Nanak (Sikh)
Upcoming DEIB/Social Justice Events
For details on these and other events, workshops and conferences, visit our Events Calendar. If you have an event you would like us to share, please reach out to us!
11/1: Leveraging Our Role for Racial Justice
11/1: Secrets from the EDI Leader Labs
11/2: Equity in the Center Indian 101
11/2: Celebrating our Anti-Racist Ancestors
11/2: Ayana Mathis Book Launch: Unsettled
11/2: NAMI LGBTQ+ Mental Health Support Group
11/3: Seattle School Connect 2023 Discourse
11/4: Native Knowledge 360 and Teaching for Change Teach-In
11/5: Mississippi Summer by Seattle Jewish Theater Company
11/6: Bridge Conference 2023: Forging Brighter Futures
11/6: Race Forward: Facilitating for Racial Equity
11/7: NAMI BIPOC Support Group
11/8: Disability Etiquette and How to be an Ally
11/10: Harmony Hustle: Fueling Black Business Futures*
11/13: Michael Hines on the Fight for Black History in Schools
11/13: Anti-Racist Giving Plan Workshop by CARW
11/15: Transformational Conversations with Debby Irving
11/15: The Tender Work: Acknowledging White Responsiblity in a Racialized World
...and more!
*Learn about Peace Peloton's annual Fundraiser here!