An equity, diversity and
inclusiveness Gratitude List
By Kim Harris, M.Ed.
Distinctive Voice Consulting
www.DistinctiveVoiceConsulting.com
In honor of the
new year, I’d like to take a break from calling out bigotry and inequity to discuss strides
in equity and inclusiveness for 2022. Below are some things that came to my
mind but I would like to see this list grow. To that end, I am asking
that you help me grow this list by adding to this list in the
comments section of this blog.
2022 Equity,
Diversity and Inclusivity Gratitude List
1. The Justice40 Initiative to ensure
that federal agencies deliver 40% of the overall benefits of climate, clean
energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean waters and other investments
to underserved communities.
2. An executive order was signed to
improve public safety and criminal justices for Native Americans, and address
the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people.
3. The DOJ restricted the use of
chokeholds and carotid restraints by federal law enforcement offices, placed
some restrictions on the use of no-knock warrants and required the use of body
cameras.
4. Justice has finally been served for
Atatiana Jefferson, an un-armed African-American woman who was murdered in 2019
by a Fort Worth Texas police officer, responding to a wellness check call.
5. The President signed Executive Orders
to advance educational equity for Black, Hispanic and Native-American students.
6. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act was
signed into law which aims to stop the increase in violence against Asian
American communities.
7. The first African-American woman was
sworn in as a Supreme Court justice.
8. In Washington State, Seattle’s
Chinatown International District (CID) community organized protests to stop the
expansion of a Sound Transit station in their neighborhood. Expansion opponents
claimed that the CID bore an unfair amount of burden for this project.
9. In Whatcom County, Washington, the county
council passed a resolution to establish the Whatcom Racial Equity Commission
on November 22, 2022. The commission aims “to gather, review, and evaluate data
and to make recommendations on eliminating racial inequities, in all its forms
throughout Whatcom County.”
Your
EDI Gratitude entry here… (Please add below in the comments)
