DiversityNewsletter12-2017 (3)

CONNECTIONS

The Business of Relationships Diversity and Inclusion

Newsletter

[email protected] Issue 12, December 2017

A Note from the Chair Diversity Committee’s Mission

Welcome back to another exciting school year filled with promise and RCGC wishes to express its
opportunities to promote campus wide diversity and inclusion. The strong commitment to the goal
Diversity Committee and Student Life will be working together to of diversity, respect, civility and
celebrate and highlight multicultural activities throughout the school inclusion on our campus. The
year. Our hope is to increase mutual understanding and respect among promotion and retention of a
the various religious, ethnic and cultural groups on campus. RCGC’s diverse faculty/staff and student
Diversity Committee strives to build upon the diversity of our community body is essential to the success
to establish a more inclusive educational environment. RCGC’s Diversity of our institution as a collective
Committee remains steadfastly committed to upholding equality, body as well as our respective
diversity and inclusion. professional pursuits. Diversity
brings to our campus a broader
The heinous acts of violence against U.S. citizens of various colors, and richer environment, which
cultures, religions, and political groups have reached new levels. Instead produces creative thinking and
of giving in to the powerlessness we may feel to stop racism and solutions. As such, RCGC
opposing political views, every institution must examine its own role in embraces and encourages
perpetuating (inadvertently and advertently) racist thinking and policies. diversity in all aspects of its
We cannot truthfully construct equal opportunities for all until our activities. RCGC is committed to
institutions take specific actions to end that thinking and those policies. creating and maintaining a
Despite the most recent horrific events taking place across our nation, we culture that supports and
must continue to be diligent in our pursuit of true democracy for all. promotes diversity and
inclusion.
Colleges, Universities and other organizations have found that achieving
real and sustained diversity and inclusion programs, initiatives, and Purpose & Intent
committees has been a multifaceted task– one that requires a more
concentrated approach. We will continue to publish “CONNECTIONS” as Diversity Committee: serves as a
an instrument to augment awareness and sensitivity about religious
obligations as well as ethnic and cultural festivities that may affect review advisory and
students, colleagues and neighbors. RCGC strives to build a culture that
values meritocracy, openness, fairness and transparency for its staff and recommending body to the
students.
appropriate Vice President to
If Not Us, Who? If Not Now, When? Everyday acts of love and Courage
point to remarkable promise that every human life is of substantial promote diversity in all RCGC
value.
activities- academic, co-
Best regards,
curricular and administrative.
Ya Vanca Brooks, Chair of Diversity
The Diversity Committee also

provides strategies for infusing

multiculturalism into all aspects

of the campus community and

encourages a respectful

workplace.

[email protected] Issue 12, December 2017

[email protected] Issue 12, December 2017

[email protected] Issue 12, December 2017

[email protected] Issue 12, December 2017

Calendar of Observances – December 2017 The Diversity Committee will be
collaborating with Student Life
1) World AIDS Day – 12/1/17 throughout the Fall and Spring
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Wo semesters to promote diverse and
rld-Aids-Day) inclusive activities. Below is a list of
dates for the fall line-up. Please stop
2) International Day for the Abolition by or join in the activities and tell
of Slavery – 12/2/17
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Int your students. Mondays are
ernational-Day-Abolition-Slavery) dedicated to craft activities.
Thursdays will be movie days.
3) Pearl Harbor Day – 12/7/17 September 28, 2017: “Book of Life”
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Pe
arl-Harbor-Remembrance-Day) October 5, 2017: “Rent”
October 9, 2017: Pride Bracelets
4) Human Rights Day – 12/10/17 October 23, 2017: Letters to the
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Hu
man-Rights-Day) Troops
November 13, 2017: Dream
5) Hanukkah – 12/12/17
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Ha Catchers
nukkah) November 22, 2017 (Wednesday):

6) International Migrants Day – Service Dog Demo
12/18/17 December 14, 2017: “RACE”
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Int
ernational-Migrants-Day) Diversity Website is under college overview
https://www.rcgc.edu/Diversity
7) Winter Solstice – 12/21/17
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Wi Send us your thoughts, comments, publications,
nter-Solstice) planned events, announcements, and your
campus wide Diversity initiatives.
8) Christmas – 12/25/17 CONNECTIONS will be circulated on the 2nd
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Chr Monday of every month. Please make all
istmas)
submissions by the 1st Monday of the month to
9) Kwanzaa – 12/26/17 [email protected]
(https://www.wincalendar.com/Kw
anzaa) Issue 12, December 2017

Diversity and Inclusion Resource Center

 How Diversity Can Drive Innovation
https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-
can-drive-innovation

 How diversity makes teams more
https://www.ted.com/talks/rocio_lorenz
o_want_a_more_innovative_company_h
ire_more_women



[email protected]

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE CORNER “Social Justice is the virtue
which guides us in creating
The Definition of Social Justice those organized human
interactions we institutions.
What is the true definition of Social Justice? The Urban Dictionary In turn, social institution
suggests that ‘Social Justice’ advocates promoting tolerance, when justly organized
freedom, and equality for all people regardless of race, sex, provide us with access to
orientation, national origin, handicap, etc..., but here are some of what is good for the person,
the common definitions: both individually and in our
associations with others.
“A state or doctrine of egalitarianism (Egalitarianism defined as 1: Social justice also imposes on
a belief in human equality especially with respect to social, each of us a personal
political, and economic affairs; 2: a social philosophy advocating responsibility to work with
the removal of inequalities among people)” – Merriam-Webster others to design and
Dictionary continually perfect our
institutions as tools for
“The fair and proper administration of laws conforming to the personal and social
natural law that all persons, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender, development “- Center for
possessions, race, religion, etc., are to be treated equally and Economic and Social Justice
without prejudice. See also civil rights.” – Business Dictionary
Despite the varying
” The distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a definitions of the term ‘Social
society” – Dictionary.Com Justice’ the common thread
that exist among them all are
“…justice exercised within a society, particularly as it is exercised the ideas of: human rights;
by and among the various social glasses of that society. A socially dignity; political, economic,
just society is defined by its advocates and practioners as being social, and other equality;
based on the principles of equality and solidarity; this pedagogy equal distribution personal
also maintains that the socially just society both understands and responsibility; and creating
values human rights, as well as recognizing the dignity of every access to opportunity and
human being.” – Wikipedia chance through action.
Keeping that in mind, it
“Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, becomes apparent why
political and social rights and opportunities.” – National incorporating Social Justice
Association of Social Workers into pedagogical methods
should be a key component
of Education.

[email protected] Issue 12, December 2017

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE CORNER

Race Discrimination

In the Equality Act, race can mean your color, or your nationality
(including your citizenship). It can also mean your ethnic or national
origins, which may not be the same as your current nationality. For
example, you may have Chinese national origins and be living in
Britain with a British passport. Race also covers ethnic and racial
groups. This means a group of people who all share the same
protected characteristic of ethnicity or race.

A racial group can be made up of two or more distinct racial groups,
for example black Britons, British Asians, British Sikhs, British Jews,
Romany Gypsies and Irish Travelers.

You may be discriminated against because of one or more aspects of
your race, for example people born in Britain to Jamaican parents
could be discriminated against because they are British citizens, or
because of their Jamaican national origins.

What is race discrimination?

Different types of race discrimination

Circumstances when being treated differently due to race is lawful

[email protected] Issue 12, December 2017