Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity Task Force at Marieb College (JEDI)
September 11, 2020 / Susan Baurer
A new Task Force has been instituted at the Marieb College: the Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity Task Force (JEDI). The Dean appointed Dr. Krista Casazza to chair the Task Force with volunteers appointed from the faculty, staff, and student representative membership. The charge to the Task Force is to discover, educate, and support the climate of Marieb College as it affirms with faculty, staff, students, and clinical partners how the richness of diversity among us in the College can be celebrated with the goals of creating inclusivity , culturally competent citizens, and globally-oriented curriculums.
Task Force member, Lirio K Negroni, Ph.D., MSW, from the Department of Social Work shares her view of the importance of this work:
“By creating the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Task Force, MCCHS has taken an important step at embracing diversity. I volunteered for this task force because I support its mission and because I saw this as an opportunity to contribute to a better educational environment. Diversity is such a broad concept. We share differences based on our gender, age, identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, physical and mental abilities, religion, race and ethnicity, culture, and other intersectional dimensions. My vision as a member of the task force is for us to identify MCHHS’s current efforts at supporting and valuing such diversity among our staff, faculty, and students. I look forward for us to increase our awareness of the existing diversity challenges and need and to highlight the gaps and how to address those in such a way that we become more inclusive and equitable. Educational institutions usually reflect society’s value systems and perspectives. In my opinion, this task force is a way by which MCHHS affirms that we abide by the values of inclusion, acceptance, justice, and equity. There are groups in our society that have been historically oppressed and under-represented, and it is our responsibility to expand their presence in our educational communities. I see this task force coming up with recommendations to promote that presence and to enhance our critical awareness and participation in initiatives and changes that will make MCHHS a more diversified community.”
JEDI Task Force Members include: Dr. Krista Casazza, chair; Theresa Aguiar, Dr. Annemarie Connor, Tina Pollock, Dr Rob Sillevis, Dr. Molli Mercer, Dr. Renee McFarland, Dr. Lirio Negroni, Dr. Virginia Londahl-Ramsey, Emily Nanna, Tina Mullins, Waneka McFarlane.
Stay tuned for more news from the JEDI in the coming months!