What do we mean by Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?

Successful DEI efforts can create a culture of belonging in your PTA

From a presentation on Belonging by Courtney Wooten (https://www.suburbiarising.com/) in January 2022:

Think of a time or a place when you felt a sense of belonging. What did that feel like? Why is this important for PTAs to consider? 

Our “default” cultural norms are often exclusionary and don't create a sense of belonging for all families. These norms also uphold existing power dynamics.

Belonging is “the extent to which people feel appreciated, validated,
accepted and treated fairly within an environment.”
(Cobb & Krownapple, 2019)

“Belonging, or being fully human, means more than having access.
Belonging entails being respected at a basic level that includes the right to
both co-create and make demands on society.”
— john a. powell, UCB Othering & Belonging Institute

EXAMINE DYNAMICS OF POWER & PRIVILEGE

In order to be successful in improving your PTA’s DEI efforts, it is important to examine the dynamics of power and privilege in our society. Wheels like this help us visualize this concept. You can see that power is in the center, depicting that individuals whose personal characteristics are closest to the middle have more power and privilege than those on the outside, or the margins.