The AAUW (American Association of University Women) Burlington County Branch held a conversational workshop on the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion at the Burlington County Library earlier this month. The event was moderated by Edwina Sessons and Joanne Mason, board members of the AAUW.
“As an African American woman, my life growing up has been different from Joanne’s life as a white woman,” Sessons said. “We are so thankful to have you (audience members) and this presentation on identifying some of the effects and biases in our lives. We all have biases – Black people, white people – we all have biases. It’s in our brain. We can’t help it.”
Last October Sessons and Mason hosted A Diversity & Equity Conversation at the county library, where they talked about how their lives are different yet the same. This year’s program was the second part to that. The workshop included advice on sharing thoughts, experiences and stories, and identifying some of the effects of biases in our lives which often go unrealized.
” … There is one thing to be said that you are a non-racist,” Mason said. “A non-racist means that you don’t go out there and speak mean things, you don’t support those things, you don’t look at yourself that you’re any better. However, when you become an anti-racist, it takes action. You need to work on it and be able to know that you’re making changes. There is a big difference.”
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a conceptual framework that promotes the fair treatment and full participation of all people, especially populations that have historically been underrepresented or subject to discrimination because of their background, identity, disability, etc., according to the APA (American Psychological Association). The term DEI is not limited to race and encompasses age, ethnicities, culture, religious practices, abilities and disabilities, gender and sexual orientation.
“Implicit or unconscious bias occurs when a person consciously rejects stereotypes but still unconsciously makes evaluations based on stereotypes,” Sessons’s closing remarks read. “When was the last time you did a stereotype on somebody? … We ‘put people in boxes. We assume that this is where they are, this is who they are. We’ve got to stop (that).
