Thank you to everyone who attended our May 5 meeting!
Special thanks to guest facilitator and DC alumni, Maria Chavez-Haroldson, who led our conversation and helped introduce the concept of Intersectionality.

What is Intersectionality?
Our homework videos and case studies from OSU Institutional Diversity explored this concept from different angles. Takeaways from the team conversation included the following:

• Appreciating the intersectionality of an individual, idea, or situation requires us to consciously shift from System 1 to System 2 Thinking. This slower, more deliberate thinking improves our self-awareness, and allows us to consider what may be beyond the surface.
  • This resource provides an overview of System 1 & 2 Thinking: Kahneman: Fast And Slow Thinking Explained
• The group identified the value of naming an issue to make it more visible and help address it. Many of us had considered intersectionality before without having a specific term for it.
• Even when we make the shift to System 2 Thinking, there may be obstacles that keep us from addressing intersecting truths or identities. These include the fear of saying the wrong thing/offending, feeling like we already need to have all the answers, or not knowing how to start a conversation or engage in the first place.
  When it comes to courageous conversations, the pursuit of “perfection” can be a powerful enemy of progress.
• Maria shared examples of Appreciative Inquiry approaches that can help us move through discomfort and work towards meaningful engagement.
• We were reminded that the temporary awkwardness we feel stepping out of our comfort zones pales in comparison to the experience of being excluded based on a part (or assumed part) of your identity.

What’s Next? June 2 meeting
Join us next month to continue the conversation about Intersectionality and appreciating the complexity of identity! More information about the session will be provided in the coming weeks.

Homework
Before our June 2 meeting, please

• Watch this webinar recording: Responding to Racial Bias and Microaggressions in Online Environments
• Read Chapter 7: The Third Condition: Engaging Multiple Racial Perspectives

Additional Resources
Thank you to everyone who shared resources during and after Tuesday’s meeting! To keep sharing and learning, be sure to check out the Diversity Champions channel on Teams, and read the Diversity Highlights section each week in ConnEXTions.

• Intersectionality Matters Podcast
• OWN Conversation: Unpacking Myths About COVID-19
• Under the Blacklight Series: Webinar recordings (and the live conversation continues each Wednesday!)
• OID Case Study Library

As a reminder, you are always encouraged to reach out to our office if you need any support. Thank you again for your engagement and the work you do for our communities. We look forward to seeing everyone again next month!

In partnership,

Your DEI team