Regina Tillman, 3rd Vice President for DEI
Crystal Joseph, DEI Task Force Co-Chair
It is indeed a pleasure that we are welcoming you to yet another DEI education piece that was developed by an NYS League in conjunction with a local partner.
Beginning on June 1st, if you want to learn a little more about the challenges facing refugees around the world, you are invited to register for the LWV Buffalo/Niagara’s 21-Day Challenge entitled, “Seeking Safety, Seeking Welcome: A 21-Day Challenge About Refugees and Their Journeys”.
It is presented by the League of Women Voters of Buffalo-Niagara and Journey’s End Refugee Services. It is timed well to allow us to “walk in someone else’s shoes” considering the concerns of late tied to refugees being bussed around the country to various destinations without explanation, and into New York State in particular.
This Challenge is open to all, so we ask you to broadcast its availability widely – to members and to the public – at your local level as the latest DEI education effort. It introduces participants to local, national, and international aspects of the global refugee crisis, a major humanitarian and national security issue of our time.
Following that, we have a scheduled ABA (American Bar Association) 21-Day Disability Equity Habit Building Challenge © which was developed in honor of Disability Pride Month. The month of July was designated as a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions of people with disabilities in society.
It is a month to also raise awareness about the challenges and barriers that people with disabilities face, while also promoting acceptance, inclusion, and respect.
Disability Pride Month was first celebrated in 1990 and coincided with the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. To ensure we are aiding in that mission, our DEI education includes this opportunity for all members, and the public as well, to participate in this Challenge.
Registration info will be forthcoming shortly but please mark your calendars. The challenge will begin on July 9th for those that pre-register so that the daily suggestions for materials can be received via email. And look for another DEI Virtual Drop-In Session to be scheduled thereafter so we can talk about these Challenges you just undertook.
Solicitation for the Task Force: If a local League wishes to have a representative on the State-wide DEI Task Force, please contact me asap: rmt370@gmail.com. We will be planning a more formalized on-boarding for 2023 than we have had previously, thus, I would like all who are new on the Task Force, or requiring a refresher, to be accounted for soon!
If you have had any participation in our DEI educational events, you know that there is so very much to learn and to share, beyond DEI definitions, to help the League become a more diverse and equitable organization.
And our team hopes to see you at the NYS Convention and at our workshop, “Successes, Missteps, and Next Steps in Our DEI Journey”, to be held on Saturday, June 3rd at 10:00 am.
If you register by May 31st, you will receive a daily email for 21 days as of June 1st, with links to videos and readings to explore at your own pace. Register here –> https://lnkd.in/eKvRNWCf
