Highlighting Staff Initiatives Related to IIDEA

Natalie Moore-Bembry’s Dissemination Efforts

Dr. Natalie Moore-Bembry is an assistant professor of teaching and director of student affairs at Rutgers School of Social Work. Her scholarly and dissemination work is focused on cultural humility, micro-aggressions, racial trauma, eliminating racial discrimination, and related DEI issues. She is a very active presenter in local, state, and national venues and has been asked to provide training and technical assistance to many organizations, including the School of Social Work and other Rutgers schools and divisions. Dr. Moore-Bembry gives a glimpse into some of the work relating to IIDEA that she’s recently conducted. To read more about her research related to IIDEA, click on this link.

To read more about faculty research related to IIDEA, click a research newsletter below.

September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021

February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022

In accordance with the School of Social Work strategic plan, a Staff Council was created to bring recommendations to the Dean and Associate Dean for Administration and Finance. This year was the second year of the Council’s term, which allowed for a more structured training schedule and increased programming.

The Council continues to use data derived from the staff forum as well as direct and anonymous feedback from the staff community as a baseline for creating action items in Academic Year 2021-2022.

Members: Sheribel Aguilar, Elizbeth Binstein (Jul. ‘21 – Mar. ‘22), Ciji Carr, Kathleen Gilbert, Bijal Jobanputra, Samantha Michaele (Chair), Nicole Oceanak, and Jennifer Waddell

• Action item #1: Secured continued approval for our fully anonymous suggestion box, which gives staff a safe and confidential venue to provide anonymous feedback/comments/suggestion to the Council and allows the Council to respond to the comments anonymously. The feedback received is provided to SSW senior leadership on a quarterly basis. • Action Item #2: Our DEI Subgroup worked with the Council and SSW Leadership to establish a Training Series for all staff. This series is the result of collaborating with SSW

Faculty and SSW Staff Trainers, who identified four areas to be included in the series—

Cultural Humility (Natalie Moore-Bembry, MSW, MA, Ed.D., Assistant Professor of

Teaching and Director of Student Affairs, Rutgers School of Social Work), What are

Microaggressions (Kaylin Padovano, LMSW, Staff and Faculty Training Coordinator –

Enhancing Victim Services, Center for Research on Ending Violence), ICARE (in partnership with the Institute for Families—Elizabeth Salerno, MSW, LSW, Training

Coordinator and David Rosen, BS, MSW, DBH, Clinical Director of Programs, Hudson

Pride Connections Center), and a training by the Transgender Training Institute. • Action Item #3: Created monthly “Lunch and Learn” sessions designed to bring an expert to discuss a specific topic or just gather a group of staff members together for an open forum. Topics include human resources, transparency around policy and process, staff benefits, team tips and tricks, and more. • Action Item #4: Established quarterly Coffee with Council sessions to provide an open forum for all staff to communicate concerns and hear updates from the Council. • Action Item #5: Developed a pre- and post-training survey tool that the Council uses at all trainings and events to gauge effectiveness of content and gather feedback for future sessions. • Action Item #6: Continued a monthly Staff Council bulletin to highlight not only

University and School-level news, but also to spotlight staff members of the month and other relevant information for staff. • Action Item #7: Re-released the SSW staff recognition form on our website to provide colleagues, managers, faculty, and staff the opportunity to recognize a staff member who provided exceptional service and dedication to the SSW and our mission. • Action Item #8: Introduced a standing in solidarity communication that has been infused into a Teams channel available to all staff. This communication will include anniversaries such as George Floyd Remembrance Day, Orlando Pulse Shooting,

Juneteenth, current events, and thoughts and notes of support from our staff community. We recognize that words may not be enough, but we want to have a space to acknowledge injustices that impact our community, provide educational resources, and opportunities for staff to provide support. • Action Item #9: Planned and implemented an SSW all staff meeting this Spring 2022 that held a DEI-focused working session to bring feedback to senior leadership about Dr.

Hardy’s focus groups. • Action Item #10: Checking in regularly with research centers and staff to make sure their DEI activities are aligned with those of the Staff Council and are not duplicated. All activities are coordinated by the Council. • Action Item #11: Working with Associate Dean Sharon Fortin, we are continuing to focus on all DEI-related issues with a concentration on staff.

Institute for Families DEI Efforts

DEI Workgroup Charge: To facilitate change for people of color and persons who experience discrimination because of their identity by affirming, educating, and enlightening individual experiences and responsibilities, encouraging dialogue in a professional, safe, understanding, open environment, and building protocols to ensure a more just, equitable work environment free of bias, racism, and discrimination.

Members: Ciji Carr-McManus (DEI Team Leader), LaToya Dawkins, Amy Esposito, Yolanda Glover, Sonia Gonzalez, Marlene Hooper-Perkins, Gabrielle Kissi, Ronda Marrimon, Spencer Nitkey, Liz Salerno, Pamela Simone, Amanda Suskin-Santarelli, Cathy Thompson-Fix (DEI Team Leader & IIDEA Staff Representative), Angela Watson

Subcommittee Focus:  Training and Education Subcommittee: Identifying opportunities to empower with knowledge and greater awareness.  Staff Engagement & Outreach Subcommittee: Assessing how our communication and culture as an Institute community improves DEI efforts.  Integration & Alignment Subcommittee: Aligning the workgroup with SSW and University DEI initiatives.

Accomplishments: • Created a Teams channel for regular communication of updates, materials, articles, and topics of interest, etc. • Hosted a DEI training titled “Power Hour: Exploring Personal Experiences of Racism" using a fishbowl format. • Started planning for the development of professional workshops based on the 4 As of the Liberatory Consciousness Framework.

The Center for Research on Ending Violence (REV): DEI Efforts

REV DEI Committee Members: Rachel Connor-Hunt, Rupa Khetarpal, Kaylin Padovano, and Simone Snyder

Beginning formally in 2021, The Center for Research on Ending Violence’s (REV) DEI Committee began working to intentionally move the Center, formerly The Center on Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC), toward providing a holistic educational, professional and inclusive experience. This Committee aims to develop, strengthen, and promote strategies and best practices within the realms of racial, social, sexual, and gender diversity. One of the first accomplishments was formerly changing the Center’s name to not only reflect the diverse communities with which we work but to demonstrate our commitment to addressing a wider range of violence. We have also created an inclusive language guide for REV. Our onboarding process was revised to support a climate were all REV members feel welcomed and supported and our Culture Club provides opportunities for intentional and inclusive community building. Through quarterly meetings the Committee has worked on recruitment, a DEI newsletter, and developing a strategic plan highlighting DEI initiatives.

Our ongoing goals include: • Expanding research projects to incorporate intersectional identities and experiences of harm, oppression and violence as well as recognizing resilience. • Administration of staff/faculty survey to ask about experiences related to diversity, equity and inclusion at REV.