nuwsletter | february 2023
Volume 2
our nuwsletter / February 2023
Quote of the month:
“Don’t be a pepper on the eyes of people; rather be the salt on their tongue and make a difference that influences their sense of belonging
to the earth.”
nuws:
BX’23 is coming!
Join us for The Black Experience 2023, the holistic celebration of Vermont’s Black lived experience. The free event takes place February 25th, 2023 from 5 pm to 9 pm at The Flynn Theater. In collaboration with The Flynn and the City of Burlington, we’ll feature performances from local artists and speakers, and culminates with a fireside discussion between iconic activist and scholar Dr. Angela Davis, and Dr. Tricia Rose, Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University. The evening also includes a special performance by PHILADANCO! the celebrated Philadelphia dance company that is renowned for its innovation, creativity, and preservation of predominantly African-American traditions in dance. RSVP at blackexperiencevt.com and stay updated using our Instagram (@blackexperiencevt) and Twitter (@blackexpvt).
Headlined by Angela Davis!
nuwave Family Update!
Dr. Kylie King has been appointed as nuwave’s Director of Analytics and Research. This role expands Kylie’s responsibilities and provides greater capabilities to focus on the academic framework and validate the data and research that drives nuwave’s work towards creating more equitable spaces for all. Congratulations, Kylie!
nu-education:
Equity vs. Diversity
As nuwave’s mission is to create equitable spaces for diverse groups of people, sometimes we have to step back and take a look at things from a different perspective to understand how to get our message across to everyone. A look at our own biology can shed light on how we solve real-world issues.
A little refresher: diversity* is the presence of difference in a given space and equity* is the fairness of opportunity, access, and resources, based on the unique needs and circumstances of different or diverse groups. But as humans, it is our natural instinct to
be wary of people or forces that we don’t recognize.
During the Paleolithic period, the human brain developed the limbic system. This portion of the brain is involved in behavioral and emotional responses, including flight or fight responses. The brain had to find a way to detect and assess threats in order to survive.
The limbic system identified new or unrecognized animals, people, or forces as threats. Through repeated occurrences, the brain created an association between outsiders/differences and a threat to survival, making it difficult to accept diversity.
On the other hand, our brains are better at processing and accepting equity and rejecting inequity. The same may also apply to other animals; a study done on two monkeys also found that an inequitable situation evoked an emotionally-charged response. The limbic system is able to detect inequitable situations, which was also developed in the Paleolithic period. The presence of unfairness, in food supply for example, tells the brain that chances of survival are less likely.
In her Ted x Talk, Paloma Medina uses these historical and biological facts to create a foundation for the idea that equity should have a greater role in DEI conversations. If our brains work better with accepting equity rather than diversity, we should work with our biology. We wouldn’t have to work against ourselves to make change and help others. In creating equity for others, diversity and a sense of belonging for all will come naturally.
*Note: Language is constantly changing, and we will continue to educate our-selves and share those learnings.
nu-spotlight:
We’ll be sharing ongoing highlights and updates in this section of the nuwsletter. This month, we are excited to share some of the DEI resources we’ve added or will be adding to our learning journey.
The Social Impact Show - A YouTube channel by Benevity for Corporate Social Responsibility professionals (or anyone!) looking to learn more about social impacts and healthy workspaces
FD Signifier — A YouTube channel breaking down social concepts and phenomena through video essay analyses of Black media and culture
Medical Apartheid — A deep dive into the history of medical experimentation of Black Americans, written by Harriet Washington
The Color of Care - This documentary follows the stories of patients of color and their experiences with neglect, discrimination, and the loss of family members during the COVID-19 pandemic
Don’t forget to check out our previous nuwsletter for other resources in our spotlight section
Download a copy of the nuwsletter here
