1. NCBI Team Meeting January 28, 2016
Principles in Action
NCBI Team Meeting
January 28, 2016

2. Understand that can principles inform daily practices
Objectives
Understand that can principles inform daily practices
Recognize the attitudes and behaviors
Apply principles to life situations

3. Key Principles
Welcoming diversity means every person and every issue counts
Diversity leadership requires reclaiming courage
One on one relationship building is at the heart of effective intergroup coalitions
We don’t change people's minds, we change their hearts with personal stories of discrimination
A trusted leader admits and corrects mistakes

4. Attitudes and Behaviors of Principles
Small Group brainstorm attitudes and behaviors that are demonstrated if you are living this principle.

5. Welcoming diversity means every person and every issue counts
No one’s story or comment is dumb. Allowing space to share, not shut people out
Allow a person to feel safe to share (accent, etc.)
Starts with initial greeting, dictates where conversation will go
Using inclusive vocabulary-- “I” statements vs. we statements. Partner, vs. husband/wife, use they/theirs/them; use the word queer if that’s their identity
Body language-- facial expression, eye contact, watch/be aware of your body language.
Sit with something that bothers you-- take a second to reflect before addressing someone
Asking a colleague to lunch who is of a different background than you and try to find commonalities
Saying “Thank You”, letting them know that you are grateful for them sharing
Admit it when you experience discomfort (Be ‘real’/ be willing to be vulnerable)
Be intentional-- about behavior, creating inclusive, welcoming environments-- intentionally saying Good Morning to people who don’t look or act like you

6. Diversity leadership requires reclaiming courage
Courage is the antithesis of fear
Seize the moment
Speak with openness
Be transparent (also be aware of others’ contexts from which their behavior might come)
Be OK with self and the group
Speak to the issue
Be a role model, stepping outside (literally and figuratively) of the/your group to address issues. (Empower others to do the work)
Be willing to have one on one conversations
Utilize your power for good
Being willing to take risks, make mistakes and say “I’m sorry”
Be real
Give people space to have integrity
Be prepared to ‘step in it’ and also recognize perceptions

7. One on one relationship building is at the heart of effective intergroup coalitions
Find your connection (even if it’s very small)
Have active listening skills, but to show genuine interest
Don’t break trust with the information that is shared with you.
Be willing to be open and receptive to people in general
Within a group, it’s hard to rebuild the entire group unless everyone is bought in and is trusting
Be vulnerable
Learn how to apologize with grace and be willing to do it

8. We don’t change people's minds, we change their hearts with personal stories of discrimination
Build relationships (must be able to trust you)
Create a safe environment
Keep lines of communication open in both directions, be supportive
Be patient, it may take more than one story.
Acknowledge sharing, it’s tough for some people to open up
Each story has value-- oppression has all forms, don’t take anything lightly. Each story is a gift.
Avoid the oppression Olympics (don’t try to trump someone else’s story)
You may only be planting a seed-- trust that it will grow
Sometimes it’s hard, when you’re really passionate, not to get frustrated/judgemental/condescending
Be respectful
We must be open to emotion (wide ranging)

9. A trusted leader admits and corrects mistakes
Get to know people, and adapt responses to each individual, based on the knowledge of what works for that person.
Create a culture of forgiveness for everyone in the environment, so that the leader has space to admit mistakes. This includes forgiveness for yourself.
Create the space to ask the question and then actually ask it. “Did I just offend you?”
Be open to feedback.
Engage in self examination of one’s own responses and where those responses come from.
Reflect on all environments of one’s life. (Am I making this mistake in other contexts?)
Use all mistakes for a learning and growing opportunity to move to the next level.

10. Scenario 1
You are in a staff meeting discussing campus programming that your office is planning to coordinate. One of the staff members shares a concern about the date proposed for an event because it is scheduled on Yom Kippur. Another staff members says “who cares, how many people will that impact” What do you do? What principles would help in this situation? What attitudes and/or behaviors would you display?

11. Scenario 2
You are the president of your homeowners association. At the meeting, you discuss a grant opportunity to add sidewalks to your neighborhood. In order to write the grant you must identify the name for the requesting neighborhood. In city documents your neighborhood is titled the same as a nearby housing project. Individuals in the meeting protest using the name in the grant application to refer to their neighborhood. What do you do? What principles would help in this situation? What attitudes and/or behaviors would you display?

12. Campus Scenarios
Our university’s health plan has a clause specifically excluding “transsexual surgery or any treatment leading to or in connection with transsexual surgery.” The campus health center is using this clause to deny hormones to transsexual students, some of whom are protesting the policy as an act of anti-transgender discrimination. What principles could our NCBI team use to address this issue? What attitudes and/or behaviors could we display?

13. Campus Scenarios
Early this morning, a noose was discovered hanging from a tree on campus. It was outside of the office of multicultural student affairs. Campus safety officers were called, but no suspect has been named. What principles could guide the NCBI team’s actions/reactions? What attitudes or behaviors might we display to back this up?

14. Campus Scenarios
Recently, a book of women’s phone numbers and ‘statistics’ (height, weight, etc.) and rating in terms of attractiveness as well as notes on sexual prowess was posted on Facebook by a pledge from a campus fraternity, with a note indicating that these notes were compiled over the past 5 years from various members of the fraternity. What principles could guide the NCBI team’s reaction? What attitudes or behaviors might we show?

15. Campus Scenarios
Several women who are attempting to join the dance team who were larger average were found off campus highly intoxicated and in their underwear (after a dance team party) with body shaming words written on them in Sharpie. On a campus where eating disorders (especially within the Greek community) are particularly prevalent, how should we respond? What behaviors and attitudes can the NCBI community show? What principles will inform our reaction?

16. Personal Situations