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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The I-TECH global network is committed to being antiracist, just, equitable, and inclusive. I-TECH embraces diversity and works to engender understanding and appreciation of the differences that characterize our network and programs. These differences include, but are not limited to, race; ethnicity; citizenship; religion; socio-economic status; gender identity; sexual orientation; gender expression; physical appearance; age; sensory, mental, or physical ability; and language. We acknowledge and work to disrupt the power imbalances that exist within our local contexts, in transnational relationships, and consequently in the work of global health. We recognize that colonial legacies continue to negatively affect the health of people and systems. Working with our global colleagues, we are committed to gaining a better understanding of how to mitigate power imbalances and implement antiracist, equitable, and inclusive strategies to address health inequities in our world. We aim to create a safe and respectful work environment in which all members can collaborate, engage in critical thinking, and challenge assumptions that allow us to achieve and sustain equitable work environments and programming.

The I-TECH global network is a culturally rich professional community that includes faculty, global partners, U.S. and international staff and students from broad and historically underrepresented backgrounds, experiences, and opinions. Through this community, we focus on creating a learning environment where exploration of differing ideas, perspectives and opinions is integrated into our organizational culture to improve the excellence of our work. We work in partnership with domestic and global colleagues, ministries of health, and local stakeholders to improve health systems and achieve health equity and to decolonize health programming and challenge practices that have historically disenfranchised community members. I-TECH works to amplify underrepresented voices in communities and promote the use of health programming that reflects the diversity of our network, as well as individuals and communities served.

We carry out these efforts guided by our operating principles, which we apply as a center within the University of Washington (UW) — and across cultural contexts — to adapt programs to meet the needs of the communities we serve. I-TECH aligns its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) approaches with the UW  Department of Global Health’s efforts to promote equity and diverse representation at the university. We apply these approaches to our global partnerships, as well, in pursuit of I-TECH’s organizational vision: a world in which all people have access to high quality, compassionate, and equitable health care.

Resources

Story Corps

 

UW Resources for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Policies and Initiatives
  • Centers and Offices
    • Alene Moris Women’s Center: Center that works to disrupt cycles of oppression and break down gender-based barriers through transformational education programs, leadership development, and advocacy for girls and womxn.
    • Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity (CCDE): The CCDE strives to be a community space for students, faculty, staff, and alumni to gather and promote greater equity. Research collaborations, networking opportunities, action-oriented classes, mentorship programs, and community events that promote dialogue and critical thinking about race and its intersection, to interrupt privilege and challenge power structures are featured.
    • Center for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI): Organization that builds individual and institutional capacity to achieve excellence, foster innovation, and further health equity in our state and region by advancing diversity and inclusiveness through the School of Medicine’s teaching, patient care and research programs.
    • D Center: UW’s Disability and d/Deaf Cultural Center.
    • Diversity Research Centers and Institutes: Describes six research centers and institutes focused on research related to multicultural education, women’s health and gender research, women’s welfare, indigenous wellness, poverty, and oral health disparities.
    • Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity: Works to increase diversity on campus and enrich the collegiate experience of all UW students, faculty, and staff.
    • ­­­Q Center: Group that facilitates and enhances a brave, affirming, liberatory, and celebratory environment for students, faculty, staff and alumni of all sexual and gender orientations, identities and expressions.
    • Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center: UW Center to support students and groups.
    • UW ADVANCE Center: Campus and national resource for best practices in academic leadership development, cultural change and policy transformation, and increasing the advancement and number of women in faculty in STEM fields.
  • Faculty, Staff, and Student Resources
  • Funding Opportunities
Reading Lists

The I-TECH DEI Committee has curated a number of reading lists focused on the decolonization of global health and diversity and racial equity in the United States. We encourage you to peruse the lists and purchase the books that interest you from a local bookstore near you. If you’re located in the US, use the Subway Review map to find the nearest local, black-owned bookstore, find a local Indigenous-Owned bookstore near you, or visit Estelita’s Library, a Justice Focused Community Bookstore and Library to make your purchase.

  • Decolonization of Global Health Reading Lists
  • Diversity and Racial Equity (in USA) Reading Lists
    • Race and Equity Resources compiled by Race & Equity Initiative at UW
    • Diversity Readings Related to First-Year Courses curated by UW Libraries that highlight how issues of race, class, sex and sexuality can arise in traditional first year courses.
    • Healthcare Equity and Anti-Racism Resources includes books, memoirs, essays, podcasts, movies, documentaries, talks, fiction, and resources related to black studies, land and housing, teaching, voting, mass incarceration, white studies, healing and restoration, race and church. There is a parenting section and children’s literature recommendation to help parents integrate anti-racism education, and resources for black mental health.
    • Racial Justice: Race and Diversity in America resources including articles, reports, essays, books, podcasts, videos and films that explore racial justice and diversity in America. Curated by the Chastek Library at Gonzaga University School of Law.
    • Recommended Reads for Equity curated by UW Libraries. Includes books for ALL ages. Includes video book talks, e-books, reading lists, biographies, graphic novels, fiction, young adult fiction, poetry and others!
    • Racial Justice Resources: Keeping Current curated by UW Libraries. Includes readings, podcasts, Ted Talks, Videos, and other resources for students, staff and faculty seeking to better understand issues related to racial justice and racism in America.
    • A Toolkit for Anti-Racism Allies: Seattle Public Libraries tooklit includes books to read in support.t of eradicating racism and impact systemic change. Books illuminate systems of race, privilege and power as well as addressing institutional and systemic change in institutions.
    • Immigration Resources: Resources compiled by UW Libraries that describes resources related to immigration for individuals facing legal difficulties with citizenship and movement in and out of the United States.

 

We acknowledge that the University of Washington is on land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the SuquamishTulalipMuckleshootPuyallup, and Snoqualmie nations. We are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish People past and present.