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IDEC Resources: Beginners Guide to DEIA

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Terminology & Acronyms

AAPI = Asian American & Pacific Islander
BAIPOC = Black, Asian, Indigenous, & (Other) People of Color
BIPOC = Black, Indigenous, & (Other) People of Color
DEI = Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
DEIA = Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility
DEIAB = Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, & Belonging

JEDIAB = Justice, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, & Belonging
REI = Race, Equity, & Inclusion
 
"People of the Global Majority" is favored by many, rather than referring to People of Color as 'Minorities' or 'Minority Groups'.

The following definitions come from the Racial Equity Tools Glossary

 

Anti-Racism
Anti-Racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts.
SOURCE:  Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Anti-Racist
An anti-racist is someone who is supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing antiracist ideas. This includes the expression of ideas that racial groups are equals and do not need developing, and supporting policies that reduce racial inequity. 
SOURCE:  Ibram X. Kendi, How To Be An Antiracist, Random House, 2019.
Neurodiversity = a recognition that not all brains think or feel the same way, and that these differences are natural variations in the human genome. A group of people are neurodiverse, an individual is not.
Neurodivergent = an individual who has a less typical cognitive variation such as Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia etc.
Neurotypical = individuals of typical development, and intellectual/cognitive functioning.
Neuronormative = when a neurodivergent individual masks their neurodivergent characteristics in order to fit into society’s standards of neurotypical behavior.

 

The above definitions are from the University of Glasgow


DEIA: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility 
Ableism: discrimination and social prejudice which favors able-bodied people, and puts people with disabilities and/or those with a perceived disability at a disadvantage.
Disability Rights: a movement which has historically focused on the rights of White people with disabilities, with an emphasis on White men.
Disability Justice: centers the priorities and approaches of those most historically excluded groups, such as women, people of color, immigrants, and people who identify as LGBTQ+.
Acronyms for DEIAB-related USM offices and groups: 
EICI: The Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Community Impact — the administrative office that leads and links DEIAB efforts at USM. 
IDEC: Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity Council — an action-oriented group of volunteer students, faculty, and staff working on DEIAB efforts at USM. This council falls under the purview of EICI. 
ISA: Intercultural Student Affairs — the student-focused office at USM that works closely with EICI and IDEC to ensure students have an inclusive, equitable, and accessible learning environment.

The Binary Code of Racism

Recommended Reading

Additional Guides