Feb 2021: Dominant Culture & Organizational Culture

Definitions:

February's Lunch & Learn will use words and phrases that can have multiple meanings or definitions. The following words/phrases are being used with the definitions below:

• Dominant Culture: One whose values, language, and ways of behaving are imposed on a subordinate culture or cultures through economic or political power[1].
• Organizational Culture: Consistent, observable patterns of behavior in an organization. This is shaped by incentives, is a process of sense-making, is a social control system, and is dynamic [2].
• White supremacy: (February's Lunch & Learn addresses some of the recent public concern with DSHS regarding the rejection of an abstract for the 2020 HIV/STD Conference that was focused on increasing awareness around white supremacy and how it is imbedded in our institutions and actions. The following definitions are from this presentation, created by Marcus Stanley)
  1. The belief that the white race is inherently superior to other races and that white people should have control over people of other races.
  2. The social, economic, and political systems that collectively enable white people to maintain power over people of other races[3].

Marcus Stanley provided The Body with an interview of his experience and explanation for why this topic is important for everyone to explore. The following link and image are listed to provide context for the overall conversation and to ensure staff are informed on the public conversation specific to the 2020 HIV/STD Conference.

• A Texas HIV Conference Pulled a Presentation on White Supremacy - Why?

The Equality Institute offers a Pyramid to help illustrate the concepts Marcus Stanley shares in his presentation.

Resources

Building a Multi-Ethnic, Inclusive & Antiracist Organization 

This document provides tools and details on how to create an organization that focuses on addressing systemic and institutional racism, increasing diversity, and embracing inclusion. The toolkit contents include characteristics of a highly inclusive organization, qualities of a committed CEO (leader), and qualities of an anti-racist ally.

Building a Racially Just HIV Movement

This document was created by the Racial Justice Framework Group and answers the following questions:

• What could radical leadership look like from an aligned, collaborative group of color under current conditions in HIV community work, and in the HIV movement?
• What becomes possible when organizations begin to share resources, ideas, space, in ways outside the patriarchal model of "keeping what's mine" to which we have been indoctrinated?

This document asserts that any response to the impact of HIV must be rooted in a racial justice framework.