Oakland Rotary News

Theresa Weyand quoted Martin Luther King Jr.: "An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee chair Celeste Gordon introduced committee consultant Viva Asmelash. Viva has fifteen years of experience in marketing, leadership training, and development is a first-generation Eritrean-American and an Oakland resident. 

The goals for the meeting were: 1) to hear from the DE&I consultant and committee members on DE&I at the club; 2) increase comfort, tools, and reliance in engaging one another in dialogue; and 3) gain a clearer understanding of key terms and to connect with each other.

Committee member Wil Hobbs read the Rotary International DE&I code of conduct: 

Use respectful language 

Be supportive

Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment

Celebrate diversity

Viva asked members to close their eyes and think of a place where they had the deepest sense of belonging and where they had the least sense of belonging. In discussing why belonging matters to all of us, she shared a quote from Christianne Garofalo:

"Diversity is a fact. Inclusion is a behavior. But belonging is the emotional outcome that people want in their organization."

After reviewing key terms (diversity, equity, inclusion, identity groups, intersectionality), the members were sent to breakout rooms to continue the discussion.

Viva urged members to take the club survey, participate in the upcoming evening group sessions, and to sign up for one-on-one interviews.