Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

At the May branch meeting members had an opportunity to participate in table discussions and writing activities providing ideas for the 2025-2026 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion activities.  If you were unable to attend but would like to submit ideas, you can email your submission to kpdudley2002@yahoo.com.

Books were displayed for review for our GWA READS DEI sessions.  They will be available at the June meeting as well.  This year, the state board read the book The Four Pivots by Shawn A. Ginwright, PhD.  The focus of the April 26 AAUW California Annual Event was on content from the book.  All members are being encouraged to read this book in the coming year.  You will hear more about this in September.

The GWA READS DEI selection will be Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad.  It is a guided journaling experience that can be found as a pdf workbook that parallels the book.  Our GWA Reads sessions will provide an opportunity to discuss the concepts presented in each section, followed by group and/or independent writing.

Something new for 2025-2026:  There are many excellent fiction books that have one or more diversity, equity, and inclusion themes embedded in the story.  Some recent examples read by our book sections include: James by Percival Everett, The Women by Kristin Hannah, and The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride.  Next year, one of our DEI branch meeting activities will be a panel and table discussions of DEI books centered around a DEI theme.  Everyone can be involved in this event.  We are a branch of avid readers.  One way to prepare for this branch activity is for the book sections to select at least one book with a DEI theme and present a summary of the book on the panel.  Most book summaries online will list themes of a book to guide you in selecting an appropriate title. Book groups that have read the titles in this article could include those books for the panel presentation.  All members can contribute to the table discussions from their personal reading.  As you read, answer the questions:  What role did (DEI theme) play in the narration?  How did it impact the story, the characters? More information will be in the September newsletter, but start now as you select your summer reading choices.

Two books displayed at the meeting that might interest our book sections or as an individual reading selection:  The God of the Woods by Liz Moore and The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew– Three Women Search for Understanding by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner.  The God of the Woods provides insight into the haves and have-nots (privilege) in a town when a camper goes missing.  The Faith Club is a true narration of three women: a Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew; searching for understanding, and provides a path for interfaith conversations.  If you know of a book with a DEI theme, send titles to me to include in newsletters to give members choices of books to read.

Pat Dudley

DEI Coordinator

NOTE FROM WEBSITE MANAGER:

THE NEWSLETTER CONTAINED A STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION FROM AAUW OF CALIFORNIA.  GO TO THE NEWSLETTER PAGE, PRESS JUNE 2025, AND YOU CAN FIND THE STATEMENT ON PAGE 10.

Sharon Heck