- Author: Elizabeth Moon
Photo of Vice President Glenda Humiston during her presentation, taken by Evett Kilmartin
Reflecting on the inaugural EDI (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Summit, “Creating Transformation,” held from January 31 to February 1, 2024, I'm inspired by a profound sense of hope and renewed determination. The two-day event was a dynamic gathering of 35 ANR colleagues who have shown and continue to commit to steadfast leadership in integrating equitable and inclusive practices and policies in our organization. We spent our time together addressing crucial issues within UCANR, and collaboratively charting a course for a more inclusive future. Throughout the summit, members embarked on a journey of transformative discussions and empowering insights.
Vice President Glenda Humiston's welcome address set the tone, portraying the evolution of EDI within ANR. Drawing from the collaborative effort that culminated in the release of the Principles of Community back in 2016, Glenda highlighted the importance of fostering an environment where every member feels valued. She outlined upcoming initiatives, including focus groups, career advancement for Community Educators, and enhancements to translation services, all aimed at fortifying the EDI landscape. Her vision of the DEI Advisory Council as ambassadors for our Affinity/Employee Resource Groups resonated deeply, igniting a spark of inspiration among attendees.
Our Keynote Speaker, Lady Idos, Chief Diversity Officer at Berkeley Labs, graced us with her invaluable expertise, offering insights into the transformative potential of EDI initiatives within organizational settings. Her guidance on building stronger groups to drive impactful change ignited a sense of purpose among participants.
The summit continued with a reflective journey, celebrating milestones and triumphs in EDI endeavors. Members compiled achievements on a physical time line, serving as a testament to progress and a reminder of the journey toward fostering a culture of inclusion.
Left Image: Elizabeth Moon, Director of Workplace Inclusion & Belonging in front of the time line as she facilitates discussion. Right Image: Esther Mosase, DEI Advisory Council Member & Urban Watershed Resilience Advisor, attaching an achievement to the time line. Photos by Evett Kilmartin.
Keith Nathaniel, DEI Advisory Council Member and LA County Director, led a candid discussion on EDI challenges within the organization addressing issues from budget constraints to issues of safety and collaboration. Over the two days, participants engaged in brainstorming both the originating problems, possible pathways to solutions, and priority setting.
Photo of Keith Nathaniel and Elizabeth Moon as they address the room, taken by Evett Kilmartin.
Keeping the theme of instilling communication throughout the workplace; Ricardo Vela, DEI Advisory Council Chair-Elect and NOS Program Manager, shared insights on establishing robust communication pathways sparking lively discussions on enhancing engagement, emphasizing the need for transparency, engagement, and resource allocation within ;and between our internal groups. The exchange of ideas underscored our collective commitment to fostering open dialogue and collaboration.
Eliot Freutel, DEI Advisory Council Member and Community Education Specialist for the California Environmental Stewards Program, prompted participants to envision ideal communities and the steps needed to realize them. Participants explored the concept of community beyond geographical boundaries, emphasizing the importance of spaces and relationships that foster wellness through a sense of support and belonging.
The summit concluded with a facilitated discussion on setting priorities for the year ahead. Initial collaborative dialogue began to identify themes from the challenges previously shared with a follow-up to be forthcoming.
The vibrant discussions and commitment demonstrated at the summit serves as a beacon of progress. Together, we're poised to continue our journey toward a more inclusive, equitable ANR. Challenges lie ahead, and it is through these collective efforts and unwavering dedication we will continue to propel EDI initiatives forward, ensuring every voice is heard and valued within ANR.
Photo of the Creating Transformation Summit's Handouts, taken by Evett Kilmartin. EDI Summit Logo created by Saoimanu Sope, Staff Assembly Delegate & Communication Specialist.
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- Author: Elizabeth Moon
Nominations are being accepted until Oct. 17 to fill one vacancy on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Council.
Vice President Glenda Humiston convened the DEI Advisory Council to support efforts that UC ANR staff and academics have undertaken to improve quality of life for marginalized populations living in California. Diversity is one of our core values and developing an equitable and inclusive society is one of our public values.
Nominate yourself, a colleague, a direct report or other UC ANR staff or academic member.
Prior to completing the nomination, please confirm the nominee's interest in participating in the council. Review member expectations and the Council's Mission Statement and Vision at https://ucanr.edu/sites/PSU/files/358281.pdf.
Membership criteria:
- Experience and/or interest in advocating for change and moving DEI work forward.
- Experience and/or interest in navigating/negotiating for organizational change in UC ANR.
- Membership aims to represent the diversity of the UC ANR community and state of California, specifically including representation of marginalized racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and ability groups.
- Membership includes a mix of staff and academics, represents a cross-section of UC ANR offices and programs and geographical distribution (north/south, urban/rural).
All nominations need to be submitted via email to deiadvcouncil@ucanr.edu with the subject line, “Nomination for DEI Advisory Council.”
For more information, contact Keith Nathaniel at kcnathaniel@ucanr.edu or Jairo Diaz at jdiazr@ucanr.edu.
DEI Advisory Council is working for you
Our DEI Advisory Council celebrates the impact we have had since the finalization of our charter in September 2021. With the charge from Vice President Glenda Humiston, our council set out to prioritize where we could have the greatest impact on improving the working environments within UC ANR based on the feedback from many members within our community.
The council met numerous times to solidify a list of priorities focused on the hiring process – from job announcements and job descriptions to the actual process of hiring, including support and learning for hiring committees. Working closely with ANR's Human Resources team, many of these recommendations have already been implemented on both the staff and academic sides, leading to gains in mitigating bias, expanding the diversity of our applicants, and creating committees that are more aware and conscious of the perceptions they bring to the process.
This past spring, we were successful in bringing on board the inaugural Workplace Inclusion and Belonging Director. Working closely with Elizabeth Moon, the council is ramping up council recruitment as some members have moved on from UC ANR. A call for nominations is now open and we hope you consider submitting yourself or a colleague.
Looking forward, we are committed to collaborating with our Employee Resource Groups, Program Teams and others throughout UC ANR to identify key priorities to support UC ANR's vision statement of contributing to a California that is equitable and inclusive and appreciates and celebrates all our diversity. To do this, we are developing a process that will allow us to engage the ANR community in a meaningful and effective way.
We have created a mailbox as a resource for streamlining opportunities to connect with all members of the council. If you have any questions, you can now email deiadvcouncil@ucanr.edu .
As always, your DEI Advisory Council members are available to reach individually.
Current members:
Keith Nathaniel, kcnathaniel@ucanr.edu
Jairo Diaz, jdiazr@ucanr.edu
Fadzayi Mashiri, fmashiri@ucanr.edu
Esther Mosase, enmosase@ucanr.edu
Joji Muramoto, jmuramoto@ucanr.edu
Katherine Soule, kesoule@ucanr.edu
Rosa Vargas, rivargas@ucanr.edu
Jaki Hsieh Wojan, jhsiehw@ucanr.edu
Mohammad Yaghmour, mayaghmour@ucanr.edu
Ricardo Vela, rvela@ucanr.edu
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Nominations are being accepted until noon on July 11 to fill two vacancies on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Council.
Earlier this year, Vice President Glenda Humiston convened the DEI Advisory Council to support efforts that UC ANR staff and academics have undertaken to improve quality of life for marginalized populations living in California. Diversity is one of our core values and developing an equitable and inclusive society is one of our public values.
Nominate yourself, a colleague, a direct report or other UC ANR staff or academic member.
Prior to completing the nomination, please confirm the nominee's interest in participating in the Council. Review member expectations and the Council's Mission Statement and Vision at https://ucanr.edu/sites/PSU/files/358281.pdf.
Membership criteria:
- Experience and/or interest in advocating for change and moving forward DEI work.
- Experience and/or interest in navigating/negotiating for organizational change in UC ANR.
- Membership aims to represent the diversity of the UC ANR community and state of California, specifically including representation of marginalized racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and ability groups.
- Membership includes a mix of staff and academics, represents a cross-section of UC ANR offices and programs, and geographical distribution (north/south, urban/rural).
For more information, contact Keith Nathaniel at kcnathaniel@ucanr.edu or Jairo Diaz at jdiazr@ucanr.edu.