Ventura County Government Center
Hall of Administration Building, Fourth Floor
800 S. Victoria Ave.
Ventura, CA 93009-1940
DEI Resources
DIVERSITY:
Diversity is the state of a variety of identities; a quantitative measure of people and perspectives within a given population.
EQUITY:
Equity is the state of fair and just treatment, access, and opportunity for all people, and includes an effort to eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups.
EQUITY VS. EQUALITY:
Equity involves trying to understand and give people what they need to enjoy full, healthy lives. Equality, in contrast, aims to ensure that everyone gets the same things in order to enjoy full, healthy lives. Like equity, equality aims to promote fairness and justice, but it can only work if everyone starts from the same place and needs the same things. Equality can ignore the realities of historical exclusion and power differentials among different groups.
INCLUSION:
Inclusion is the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. More than diversity and numerical representation, inclusion involves authentic and empowered participation and a true sense of belonging.
RACIAL EQUITY:
Racial equity is the systematic fair treatment of people that eliminates barriers to historically and systemically marginalized communities of color and results in equitable opportunities and outcomes for everyone. All people are able to achieve their full potential in life, regardless of race, ethnicity, or the community in which they live.
RACE:
Race is a socially constructed system of categorizing humans largely based on observable physical features (phenotypes), such as skin color, and on ancestry. There is no scientific basis for or discernible distinction between racial categories. The ideology of race has become embedded in our identities, institutions, and culture and has real-world impacts on individuals and whole groups. It is used as a basis for discrimination.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Learning Resources
Key Terms & Definitions by the DEI Office:
DIVERSITY:
Diversity is the state of a variety of identities; a quantitative measure of people and perspectives within a given population.
EQUITY:
Equity is the state of fair and just treatment, access, and opportunity for all people, and includes an effort to eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups.
EQUITY VS. EQUALITY:
Equity involves trying to understand and give people what they need to enjoy full, healthy lives. Equality, in contrast, aims to ensure that everyone gets the same things in order to enjoy full, healthy lives. Like equity, equality aims to promote fairness and justice, but it can only work if everyone starts from the same place and needs the same things. Equality can ignore the realities of historical exclusion and power differentials among different groups.
INCLUSION:
Inclusion is the action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. More than diversity and numerical representation, inclusion involves authentic and empowered participation and a true sense of belonging.
RACIAL EQUITY:
Racial equity is the systematic fair treatment of people that eliminates barriers to historically and systemically marginalized communities of color and results in equitable opportunities and outcomes for everyone. All people are able to achieve their full potential in life, regardless of race, ethnicity, or the community in which they live.
RACE:
Race is a socially constructed system of categorizing humans largely based on observable physical features (phenotypes), such as skin color, and on ancestry. There is no scientific basis for or discernible distinction between racial categories. The ideology of race has become embedded in our identities, institutions, and culture and has real-world impacts on individuals and whole groups. It is used as a basis for discrimination.
Ventura County Library Diversity & Inclusion Reading List
Have a good Diversity and Inclusion resource to add the current list?
Click here and submit your resource information for consideration: title, author, how to access the resource or a copy of the resource link.
Videos
Practical diversity: taking inclusion from theory to practice | Dawn Bennett-Alexander
We strive to embrace diversity and inclusion in our schools and workplaces, but we often fail to understand what this looks like practically. Dr. Dawn Bennett-Alexander believes that with a little effort, we can move diversity and inclusion from theory to practice.
Inclusion, Exclusion, Illusion and Collusion : Helen Turnbull at TEDxDelrayBeach
CEO of Human Facets, Helen has a 25+ year successful track record in the field of Global Inclusion. She is an internationally recognized Thought Leader on Unconscious Bias, global inclusion and diversity. As creator of “Cognizant” — Unconscious Bias assessment tool and the “ISM Profile” for measuring Inclusion Skills gaps, her work has contributed to clients winning the Catalyst Award for Gender improvements.
The Importance Of Being Inauthentic: Mark Bowden at TEDxToronto
Mark Bowden is an expert in human behavior and body language, and creator of TRUTHPLANE™, a communication training company and unique methodology for anyone who has to communicate to an audience with impact.
Color blind or color brave? | Mellody Hobson TEDTalk
The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it’s a “conversational third rail.” But, she says, that’s exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring — makes for better businesses and a better society.
Political Animals
A Film by Jonah Markowitz and Tracy Wares
Political Animals chronicles the ground-breaking LGBT civil rights victories of the first four openly gay elected California state legislators — all women — who took the fight for equality from the streets and into the halls of government. Documenting the tough struggles they endured, the film highlights their pioneering success and hard-fought political victories that helped pave the way for marriage equality.
Additional Trainings:
- LinkedIn Learning Diversity & Inclusion Playlist, Videos, and Blogs
- Beating the Odds: Leadership Lessons from Senior African-American Women
- Designing a Bias-Free Organization
- Diverse Teams Feel Less Comfortable – and That’s Why They Perform Better
- Diversity & Authenticity
- How to React to Biased Comments at Work
- The Latest Research: Diversity
- Lots of Men Are Gender-Equality Allies in Private. Why Not in Public?
- Why Diversity Programs Fail
- Why Diverse Teams are Smarter
- Why Subtle Bias Is So Often Worse than Blatant Discrimination
*Note that these learning resources are shared as general resources for those interested in DEI topics upon recommendation of staff members. The content of the trainings may not represent the views of the County of Ventura.
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