DIVERSITY MATTERS EVEN MORE ... ONLINE
What does a workshop facilitator do when a global pandemic shuts down in-person learning?
Well, she first makes sure her kiddos are okay. Then she watches the news until her eyeballs can take no more. Then she attempts to find toilet paper, Clorox, and hand sanitizer. Then she walks the dogs about a dozen times a day. Then, she realizes, “What do I do next?”
Sound familiar? Yes? No?
I admit. In those first few weeks of the pandemic, I thought, “Oh, gosh. No one is going to need diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops. Right now, everyone is just thinking about how to make it. Everyone is trying to figure out how to get learning up and running; how to feed children who relied on school meals for the bulk of their nutrition; and how work from home. No one is going to be looking for diversity workshops.”
Well, I needed you.
So, in a matter of days, I took a number of my favorite workshops, figured out how to use Zoom, and put them online. Over 200 people signed up for the series, and we had built an online community of friends and colleagues. To my surprise, moving online made these workshops — typically reserved for those who could invite me in a limited engagement — much more accessible. People from all over the country and in many different sectors signed up, and suddenly our physical distancing brought us all socially closer.
Together, we explored activism, Asian American identity, inclusive hiring practices, white women as allies, intersectional feminism, self-care during the time of crisis, and even creative and memoir writing. Student Leadership Organizations who had planned to do leadership training workshops in-person moved these online through both recorded and live sessions. And, conferences who continued their sessions even hosted keynotes and workshops online.
The first wave of responses to the crisis happened quickly and, for the most part, effectively. Yet, as the weeks progressed, new information about the uptick in anti-Asian violence, bullying and harassment began to surface. And, schools quickly asked me to put together affinity group meetings and workshops for adults about how to best support Asian American youth. In partnership with Black allies, I was fortunate to be in conversation about Black and Asian solidarity during the pandemic. I was a panelist on a national webinar exploring anti-Asian sentiments and COVID-19.
As the weeks continued, we began to realize exactly how much we had missed key elements of diversity, equity, and inclusion. More specifically, in our rush to move online and respond to the crisis, the gross inequities in our schools and organizations were amplified. For schools, this inequity meant (in)access to technology; (in)equities in home environments; and (in)securities around housing. In organizations, this meant working parents had to also figure out how to keep up with school schedules; how to adjust to work/home boundaries (note: those disappeared); and how to actually get work done during a global pandemic. Schools hosted workshops on self-care, creating healthy boundaries between work and home, and reframing definitions of productivity and success. .
But, it’s not easy. Six weeks later, we began to see articles about teachers reaching their breaking point. We read about Zoom exhaustion and the psychological stress of being online. And, by the time it got to the articles, you know people had been suffering for much longer prior to that.
While we were in crisis mode and taking care of our most basic needs, this time really showed up as one of the most important times to center diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the rush to get things done, so many of our schools and organizations missed this. We knew inequities existed; and the crisis highlighted just how unprepared we were.
Many of us are about to round the corner into the last few weeks of school. As we sprint towards the finish line, we must remember two things: 1) that these last few weeks before our students leave us formally, we have to center equity and make sure they are okay heading into the end of one of the strangest school years they will ever have and 2) we can’t just hope equity issues will go away - we have to address them.
We will likely be in this new way of being for much longer than we’d like. Therefore, I recommend that folks start thinking about how to engage virtually — and how to continue learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion online. The global crisis really highlighted how many gaps exist to access and equity in our schools and organizations. Let’s make sure those don’t continue to worsen.
What can you do? How can I help you?
Set up a post-closure workshop to reflect on and address some of the inequities that surfaced during the pandemic
Host focus groups with faculty or co-workers to find out how they felt during the pandemic and what decisions and actions impacted them most
Schedule a series of online learning workshops related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the time of COVID-19 so that teachers and colleagues can do a “look back” and “look ahead”
Provide space for affinity groups so people can process in identity and experiences
Address inequities that emerged during COVID-19 and the shift to at-home work by creating space for dialogue and discussions in a facilitated workshop
“Hope is not a strategy.” But, my gosh, it’s part of your responsibility to build one.
I can help you. Set up some time to chat about how to intentionally support your community and move this work forward!
Peace and love,
Liza