TechPoint Path to Equity in Indiana Tech: Intersectionality

Event Description

Please join session two of this free, interactive, virtual series focused on finding and implementing solutions to racial inequity in our tech community.

SESSION 2: Intersectionality
Wednesday, November 11, 2020, 8:30-9:45am

Featuring:

• Demetria-Miles McDonald, Founder and CEO of Decide Diversity

In 1989, Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term Intersectionality to describe how Black women experienced both racism and sexism at work and in the legal system. Up until that point, people at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities were not protected from discrimination. This is representative of how many organizations operate resulting in all intersectional employees feeling left behind at some point in their career, stagnating our overall diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Rarely do we identify with just one aspect of our identity. We are encouraged to bring our entire self to every situation, but how much do our organizational policies, programs, and norms support this sentiment?

Intersectionality is best viewed as an ‘upleveling’ or ‘continuation’ of your current diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Your organization probably has a diversity, equity, and inclusion statement; vision; and goals, but are you seeing the results you desire? If your organization’s leadership team already believes in the business case for DEI and has made steps towards creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture, you are ready to talk about intersectionality.

We must think about intersectionality in 2 ways: (1) by recognizing the disproportionate disadvantage people experience when they identify with multiple marginalized identities; and (2) by exploring how to create policies, programs, and initiatives with an intersectional focus.

Participants will walk away from the workshop with:

• An understanding of the concept and history of intersectionality and how it fills the gap some diversity, equity, and inclusion programs create
• The ability to recognize and examine your own intersectional identities and how to utilize that uniqueness in the workplace
• An analysis of popular social movements and corporate policies that deepen the identity divide and how to bridge that divide
• Resources for incorporating intersectionality into your diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

Participants can expect to leave this event series with inspiration, resources to turn to going forward and tangible tools to continue on their anti-racist journey as an individual and an organization.

Admission

FREE