glossary of terms

Antiracism - the policy or practice of opposing racism and promoting racial equality.

BIPOC - BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and/or Person of Color is primarily used to describe people who do not racially identify as white. Persons of color include, but are not limited to: African/African Americans, Latinx/Latinx Americans, Asian/Asian Americans, Native Americans, Pacific Islander Americans, Middle Eastern/Middle Eastern Americans, and multiracial Americans.

LGBTQIA+ - this is an evolving acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual

Belonging - the feeling of security, and connectedness when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, identity, and support for a member of a certain group. When an individual can bring their authentic self to their environment as a result of sharing attitudes, interests, and goals as well as providing the same to other members.

Bias - An opinion, feeling, or influence that strongly favors one side in an argument or one item in a group or series. A preconceived negative opinion or attitude about a group of people who possess common physical characteristics or cultural experiences.

Equity -  Equity is the state, quality or ideal of being just, impartial and fair. Equity is achieved when systemic, institutional and historical barriers based on race are dismantled and race no longer predicts socioeconomic, educational and health outcomes. Equity is distinguished from equality: Whereas equality means providing the same to all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances. 

Diversity - The practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc.

Inclusion - The practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized.

Justice - Dismantling barriers to resources and opportunities in society so that all individuals & communities can live a full & dignified life. These barriers are essentially the “isms” in society: racism, classism, sexism, etc. 

Race - 

• Race is a made-up social construct, not an actual biological fact.
• Race designations have changed over time. Some groups that are considered “white” in the United States today were considered “nonwhite” in previous eras. This type of intentional racialization was connected to acts of genocide and discrimination.
• The way in which racial categorizations are enforced (the shape of racism) has also changed overtime. For example, the racial designation of Asian American and Pacific Islander changed four times in the 19th century. In other words, they were defined at times as white and at other times as not white. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, as designated groups, have been used by whites at different times in history to compete with African American labor.
• Definition provided by Cornell University and was adapted from PBS, “Race: The Power of an Illusion”; and Paul Kivel, “Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice

Culture - A system of shared beliefs and values established within an organization or a group of people.

Discrimination - The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of marginalized identities. Unfair treatment or consideration of a person based on their group, class, or identity rather than on individual merit.