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The Lens - August 2022
City of Iowa City sent this bulletin at 08/29/2022 08:00 AM CDT
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August 2022 |
The Lens is a newsletter to expand conversations on equity, inclusion, belonging, and access.
How to be an Active Bystander
Everyone has had the experience—you’re out living your life when
something happens right in front of you. The man hassling the girl
on the bus. The woman berating the store clerk with racial slurs.
The one relative who can’t seem to get through a family gathering
without being shockingly awful in at least one - and usually multiple
- ways. We’d all like to say or do something, but too often, we don’t
know what. In the moment, we freeze. Fortunately, there are
strategies we can practice to be prepared when we witness
harassment.
First, recognize why it is so hard to respond. Researchers have
documented psychological barriers to speaking out, especially
when others are present. In public, a concept called “diffusion of
responsibility” makes us less likely to help; the more people
witness an event, the more each individual assumes someone else will help. People, especially
women, are also socialized to stay silent. Raised with concepts such as “mind your own business” and
“don’t rock the boat,” we fear speaking out. That is why it is important to have a strategy before
something happens.
The organization Right to Be (formerly Hollaback) has developed a framework called the “Five D’s” to
help people remember ways to respond when confronted with public harassment. These strategies
work in a variety of situations. Remember your own safety while assessing which strategy to use and
be sure not to put yourself in danger. Recently, a man confronted about allegedly “bothering” juveniles
responded by killing one person and seriously injuring four more; it is critical to avoid making the
situation worse.
Right to Be says “Direct” action can be used when you are sure of everyone’s safety. Simply speak up
firmly and clearly, either to the harasser or the victim. The harasser can be addressed with statements
like, “That’s inappropriate. Leave them alone.” The victim can be asked, “Are you okay?” or “Would
you like me to get help? Should we get out of here?”
“Distract” is another option. Distraction is an indirect approach to the situation. While ignoring the
harasser, ask the person being harassed for the time, or directions, or drop something—anything to
create a distraction and disrupt the harassment. This de-escalates the conflict without engaging the
harasser.
“Delegate” if you need to. Ask someone in authority - the store manager, bus driver, security guard,
etc.- to intervene. Or ask the person being harassed if they want you to call police. (Do not call police
without asking unless someone is truly in danger of serious bodily harm; this can make the situation
worse.)
“Document” the harassment if it is safe to do so and if you see someone else is already using
another one of the approaches to assist the victim. Keep a safe distance. Film street signs or other
landmarks to identify location and say the day and time. Always ask the person who was harassed
what they want to do with the footage. Never post it online or use it without permission.
Finally, you can “Delay” until the harassment is over, but still check in with the victim. You can ask if
they are ok, if they would like you to sit with them, or simply ask what they need right now. This shows
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them someone cares. Right to Be offers guides, trainings, and more information on their website. A
guide to bystander intervention with more information on the 5 D’s can be found here.
Tokenism
Sometimes, organizations see DEI as a checklist rather than a real
value. Tokenism is “the practice of doing something (such as hiring
a person of color) only to prevent criticism and give the
appearance that people are being treated fairly” (Merriam
Webster). When efforts to make an organization more diverse,
equitable, and inclusive don’t continue after underrepresented
individuals are hired, they’re usually being used as tokens to
merely hit a goal or “prove” that the company is doing something.
Of course, not all businesses use tokenism; some organizations are only beginning their DEI efforts, or
they have yet to figure out what initiatives work best. The most important component is intent. “You
could be in an organization where there are very few people like you,” Consuela Knox, a Diversity
Recruiting Manager, states, “and in one regard, it could have been that you were hired as a token. In
another regard, it could be a company that’s really, genuinely interested in diversifying, but their efforts
haven’t been fruitful… the intent was good, they just haven’t gotten things lined up well” (Vanderbilt
University).
Ayodele Duyile shares his experience from one of his first post-collegiate positions in an article by
Technical.ly. He worked as a software engineer and received an opportunity to do recruitment on
college campuses with the company’s goal of reaching out to students of color. He met many talented
individuals, but he began noticing the company’s lack of effort to connect with them. None received
any offers or even any interviews. “After months went by, I realized that this was an act of tokenism-
essentially, [the company held the events] just to check a box to say, ‘We were here, and we were
present, we showed up.’ I didn’t realize that I actually had a part in that as well.” Duyile ultimately left
the hiring team and company.
DEI goes much further than simply showing up, hiring, or making a statement; if that’s where an
organization’s progress stops, it is likely tokenism. One way Vanderbilt University says companies can
help preempt tokenism is by ensuring more than one person from each demographic is in the group.
Then, ensure each member has equitable access to resources and opportunities. Value each
individual and their background, stories, and ideas. Without the right intent, there will be no real
change.
Indigenous Solutions to Climate Change Highlighted in
Upcoming Climate Fest Film
As part of Iowa City’s third annual Climate Fest, September 21-
24, 2022, there will be a free public screening of Inhabitants, a
film that follows five Native American Nations across the country
and documents their role in mitigating and adapting to the climate
crisis by restoring their traditional land management practices.
The film will be shown at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22 at FilmScene, 404 E. College St., #100.
Seating is limited to the first 65 participants. Advance tickets are available through the FilmScene
website and highly recommended. Donations to assist Indigenous efforts in Iowa can be made while
reserving tickets.
Native Americans have successfully stewarded and shaped their land for millennia, although centuries
of colonization have disrupted Indigenous communities' ability to maintain these practices. Stories in
the film include sustainable forestry on the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin; controlled burns in
California by the Karuk Tribe; drought-resistant agricultural practices on Hopi land in Arizona; buffalo
herd restoration to the Blackfeet reservation in Montana; and reviving native food forests in Hawaii.
With a rapidly evolving world due to climate change, these traditional practices among Indigenous
communities in North American are becoming increasingly essential.
The film is presented in partnership with FilmScene and Green State Credit Union. A post-screening
discussion will follow the screening.
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