Solidarity with BERG — Point of Action #11: Establish a Diversity Review Panel
To the BERG: Our union sees, recognizes and values the incredible leadership and perseverance of our Black colleagues at OHSU. We stand in solidarity with the BERG. AFSCME Local 328 has been reflecting as a union, and we recognize our ability to do much better.
As stated in our December 2020 letter to the OHSU Black Employee Resource Group, AFSCME Local 328 has committed to stand and bear witness to the BERG’s letter sent to OHSU leadership and the board of directors on August 31, 2020, which called out concerns around OHSU’s racist practices, particularly those impacting Black employees. This month we address the 11th of the BERG’s 14 Points of Action, which is to:
Establish a diversity review panel with Black panel members, to stem the spread of stereotypes in internal or external business documents, creative work, publications and communications of any form and ensure that offensive or culturally insensitive work is never published.
OHSU’s response cites its inclusive-language guide as a resource to the university; the entirety of its response centers around this, not engaging in the BERG's actual point of action about creating a diversity review panel. The creation of an inclusive-language guide was much overdue; while it is welcomed, it does not solve concerns related to culturally insensitive or offensive communications across the university. Outside of those OHSU members who learn about, recognize the importance of and use this guide, it is likely that many OHSUians remain unaware of the inclusive-language guide and the importance of adapting their communications. What requirements are there for all of OHSU's managers, supervisors, employees and students to review the guide and incorporate inclusive language into their day-to-day work? Will training on inclusive communication be mandatory? What are the consequences of using harmful language at OHSU? Did Black OHSU members help create the guide, or was the work limited to a small task force made up of designees assigned by senior leadership?
We believe that the BERG’s request to establish a diversity review panel is crucial to OHSU becoming an anti-racist institution. This panel must also include Black OHSU members from a variety of roles and departments, because we recognize that there are also many diverse experiences with communications — from research to clinics to education to logistics — across our institution. At the end of the response to BERG’s points of action, OHSU mentions that the inclusive-language guide is “just initial steps…from what will be an ongoing effort at our university.” What are OHSU's planned next steps in this area?
AFSCME Local 328 continues to hold the entire OHSU community accountable (including but not limited to members of our bargaining unit, OHSU leadership, students and researchers) to do their part — individually and collectively — in remaking OHSU into an anti-racist institution. In order for this to happen, we must all be accountable and demonstrate transparency. As such, we stand with the BERG and their call for OHSU to establish a diversity review panel, with Black members, to ensure that offensive or culturally insensitive work is never published.
Please read our commenting guidelines here.