Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity (SEED 101)

The SEED (Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity) Project is a multifaceted diversity training program that helps participants reflect on their own and others’ experiences while also exploring current theories on topics such as race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, privilege, systems of oppression, etc.  These 2.5 hour long monthly seminars are designed to help participants create, develop and implement strategies that foster respect for all people. SEED 101 strengthens relational trust, interdependence, and collectiveness between stakeholders of the organization.  

P3 Identity

The P3 Identity seminar is a deep dive study of the US caste system, aka race. In this seminar, participants will delve deeper and unpack systems of oppression and explore the intersection of those systems with their personal identities both consciously and subconsciously. Together, we will focus on topics of race and racism, gender, and socioeconomics.

This seminar is designed for organizations that are ready to challenge and rethink their own systems that oppress some while elevating others. This seminar consists of 2.5 hour-long monthly sessions and will help participants design, develop and implement strategies that position them to be social justice advocates. P3 Identity strengthens relational trust, self-awareness, interdependence, and collectiveness between stakeholders of the organization. Completion of SEED 101 is a prerequisite for this seminar.

Diversity Advocacy Team (DAT) formation and support

“DAT” comprises a small, diverse group of faculty, staff, and administrators who are committed to organizing and implementing institutional transformation for the benefit of all members of the community. Members act as advisors in supporting the CEO (and other senior leadership) in meeting diversity initiatives and providing the framework needed to reach planned goals. Essentially, DAT is a staff-led task force that influences institutional change within the organization’s cultural and operational systems.

Diversity Committee Formation and Support

The mission of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is to foster an environment of inclusion in which differences are acknowledged, celebrated, and welcomed. This committee strives to create an inclusive community that brings awareness to and deepens understandings of identities such as race, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economics, learning differences, able-bodiedness, religion, national origin, etc. The work of the committee will focus on assessing and addressing the diversity-related needs of the community and sponsoring events and learning opportunities that allow all constituents to feel supported, secure, validated, and important. The committee will advise and provide counsel to the CEO (and other senior leadership) on issues of equity and the implementation of the strategic goals. Diversity Committee meetings are open to the entire institutional community.

Assessment of Multiculturalism, Inclusion, and Diversity (AMID) Survey

With focus groups and diversity strategic planning:

In many organizations, the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion are viewed as intangibles – good things to have, to do, and to profess, but not necessarily the grounds of structured processes and accountability.

The data from the AMID survey can convert thoughts, ideas, and assumed best practices into benchmarked numbers for real goal setting. This evaluation will help shine a light on topics that include:

• Progress in meeting diversity, equity, and inclusion goals through diversity strategic planning
• Success in existing diversity and multicultural programs and initiatives
• Your organization’s current level of inclusivity as perceived by multiple constituencies
• Areas of need, whether in the curriculum, infrastructure, governance, or services
• Engagement processes that illuminate patterns, multiple perspectives, and opportunities for improvement

Racial Affinity Group Formation and Support

Racial affinity group programming creates an environment where faculty and staff of color can find a safe community to foster solidarity around their experiences within an institution. It allows participants to focus on building intragroup understanding, address their apprehensions about working with another racial/ethnic group, and articulate their needs and why they feel compelled to engage in intergroup work. Racial affinity groups can rejuvenate faculty and staff in a meaningful way that promotes a productive and collaborative spirit around building a community amongst all constituents in an organization. Quarterly meetings are recommended.

DEI Book Club & Study

Facilitated book discussion where participants are led through a series of reflection exercises and assigned tasks to demonstrate new learning and insight from text. Meeting frequency ranges from 4 – 7 bi-weekly sessions depending on the selected text of study.

Reimaging Hiring & Retention Tool Kit

In order to recruit and retain diverse candidates, the organization must ensure that its hiring and retention processes support such efforts. This tool kit includes a multi-step process in which SSI consultants support the development of a hiring team within the organization; evaluate current hiring protocols; make recommendations for the organization; train the team on interviewing; establish a hiring schedule; and guide the organization in developing intentional practices to yield stronger retention of staff of color.

Professional Development/Learning Seminars

• Managing Implicit Bias – creating a new lens to impact decision making and strategic planning.  This workshop unpacks the research that suggests that we all make initial judgments about each other within fractions of seconds of meeting someone new  (or in reading ethnic names), which typically affects how we see that individual. We will review case studies and learn about anecdotal responses from people of color within the educational and organizational systems in various positions (students, faculty, and staff).  We will also study typical cultural norms that can sometimes: 1. distract hiring teams from bringing on qualified candidates of color and 2. create an environment where labeling certain individuals as “not a good fit”  is normalized in practice for their community. Working in groups, participants will build a new toolbox and vocabulary to increase their cultural awareness and responsiveness to members of their community of diverse backgrounds.  

• Politics of Location- finding our personal and professional diversity narratives.  This workshop is the foundation for learning how to establish positive relationships with others.  Using social scientists’ interpretation of cultural value differences, participants will begin to unpack events from their personal lives that influence the way they think, their beliefs, and values. Participants will then use these self-discoveries to understand others’ perspectives and walk and draw commonalities between themselves and others. 

• Blending Cultural Competency with Positive Racial Identity Workshop (6 hours, but can be offered as two 3-hour sessions) – exploring powerful and practical tools to help participants explore their understanding of personal and societal values and how they impact their identities. Participants will learn to understand their own racial identity, navigate daily and past experiences of racism, and examine the ways racism affects all aspects of life. This workshop will shift participants from understanding to action.   

• Values and Beliefs- exploring, aligning, and publishing our values and beliefs as a community.  This workshop provides tools for organizational leaders to either establish or strengthen their organization’s culture and climate.   

• Critical Multicultural Pedagogy – This seminar is specifically designed for teachers, administrators, and curriculum coordinators to explore and evaluate their current curriculum and pedagogical approach to multicultural education.  Participants will revise their current curriculum and develop a multicultural scope and sequence for intentional multicultural planning and execution across all programs and subjects.  
• Portrait of a Community Member – Planning with the end in mind, participants will begin to craft an illustration of the ideal community member, based on characteristics and values that are important to the institution. Together, all constituents will draw conclusions about how they and their departments might contribute to the development of an environment that can act as an incubator for such an individual. Using the methods of design thinking, participants will create a collective roadmap to how the organization might construct programming that will positively impact all community members and build a more inclusive community. 

Customized Workshops

Learning seminars – Throughout the development of our relationship with the organization, we design workshops that cater to the needs of the community. These customized workshops can be designed for any group of stakeholders within the community, such as students, faculty, staff, board members, etc.

Consulting

Have full access to Single Story, Inc. consultants to help organizations talk through and manage diversity issues, explore new diversity initiative ideas, or just get updates on the latest trends in equity and inclusion work. With phone, virtual meetings, and email access to our consultants, you will always feel like you have a team of diversity practitioners at your disposal to problem solve critical situations that impact your community. Consulting is available for administration, staff/teachers, therapists, and board members on the diversity committee.

BIPOC Therapeutics – Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are invited to engage in one-on-one sessions with Single Story, Inc staff in a safe, inclusive, and enriching environment. The goals of our sessions will focus on three areas: 1) Self-care; 2) Developing agency in mostly white spaces and; 3) Leadership development. Participants will find opportunities to unpack their experiences, hear helpful perspectives, and develop useful tactics in how they might preserve themselves, manage relationships, and thrive in their work environment.

Additional Services

• Curriculum and organizational policy audits
• Team retreats (board members, leadership teams, staff, etc.)
• Provision of on-site part-time diversity coordinators
• Leadership and staff mentoring and coaching
• Organizational “Diversity Coffees” Assistance – Prospective Faculty, Staff/Employees, and Administrators of Color