As we have said before, “Words Matter.” This is the third and fourth of four word-related items in the LWVTC DEI BLOG page. First is a note from the November 09, 2021 post Ensuring a Seat at the Table by LWVTC member, Kyrian MacMichael Author’s note on the use of terms:  I would like to note the insights shared with me about the use of the terms Hispanic, Latino, and LatinX. I was told that many people in the community prefer to use Latino to signify people who hail from Latin America, and Hispanic to refer to people who have a background connected to a Spanish-speaking country. Some felt ..read more

During November 2021, Native American Heritage Month,  a variety of suggestions, opportunities for participation, and things to read related to Native American Heritage Month were posted on our Confront Racism/Inequity page.  Click here to see the current content of that page.  Read more below to see what was posted during November 2021.     ..read more

LWVTC member Kyrian MacMichael conducted a series of interviews with four women leaders in Thurston County Hispanic/Latino communities. Each of these women serves on the Executive Board at the Centro Integral Educativo Latino de Olympia (CIELO).  These women shared their insights as they responded to a series of question of interest to our League’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee.  The women interviewed:                         Alejandra Esqueda Hunt, Board Chair of CIELO.      &n ..read more

Talking Points: Culturally Inclusive History Curriculum This guidance, published in September 2021, and these talking points are designed to help Leagues navigate discussions and advocacy relating to history education in their communities. We encourage Leagues to join in the conversation around this topic so long as they feel that they have member understanding of League positions around this issue.   Throughout this guidance, we will not use the term “Critical Race Theory,” though the issue has gone by this name in public conversation. This is because Critical Race Theory does ..read more

New post on Linda Q. Lambert “We was all walkin’ on golden clouds…Just like that, we was free.” by LINDA QUINBY LAMBERT --FELIX HAYWOOD, former slave Just when curiosity about a topic beckons, a friend comes along with a timely story. PEGGY SMITH, a member of the League of Women Voters of Thurston County, wrote a column for the League's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee newsletter. Peggy's lived in the Puget Sound area most of her life, except when she pursued her education (BS in chemistry, PhD in Biochemistry) and a career in biochemi ..read more

A standing LWVTC Board Agenda item, for the last couple of years, has been Let' Talk About Race.  This has also been the period of increased attention at all levels of League about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  With encouragement and direction from LWVUS, our League established a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Committee in October 2020. Initial focus for this committee was to include more members and allies in conversations around the aspects of our charge.  Definitions have been provided by LWVUS for the following three terms. Diversity Diversity includes all of ..read more

“Systemic racism entitles one ethnic group to enjoy certain rights and privileges while denying other groups in that society the same rights and privileges. Institutional racism is the racial attitudes held by an ethnic group that are so ingrained they become accepted as facts and normal behavioral practices, thus marginalizing and demonizing another ethnic group"   Thurston League of Women Voters  DEI & Justice Committee  March 19, 2021 STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF AAPI COMMUNITY The Thurston LWV and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Committee embrace the statement ..read more

In preparation for 2020 Native American Heritage Month, the follow was obtained from the National Park Service website.   Words Matter It’s important to use language correctly in our messaging. Native nations were separated from their home lands due to battles, genocide, and western expansion. There are distinctions among various tribes resulting from geographic location, language, and cultural practices. For example, within the Lakota Nation (aka Sioux), there are seven bands and within one band there are three: Hidasta, Arikara, and Mandan. Within the Cheyenne, there are two: Northern a ..read more

Here are terms that often causes confusion:               Written by R Peggy Smith (not proof read)  October 12, 2020 Having a common language helps in any conversation.  As steps are taken to increase the diversity of an organizations, it often becomes clear that terminology and word usage can cause misunderstandings.  What may have been common usage at one time may be problematic for some today.   To get a feeling for this evolution of terminology, I reviewed several books from my library to see how persons who were transported from ..read more