This resource should be used to help chapters prepare for diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations during recruitment. You may also use the information in this resource to fulfill the DEI educational requirement prior to primary recruitment as outlined in the Director of Inclusion position description.

If you have questions or suggestions, please email inclusion@alphadeltapi.com and copy your Recruitment and Marketing Director and Advisor.

Belonging: Desire to form and maintain at least a minimum quantity of lasting, positive, and significant interpersonal relationships where one can be authentic and a part of something bigger than themselves.

Bias: A preference for or prejudice against a person or group of people.

Implicit Bias: Operates on subconscious level; Often runs contrary to your conscious beliefs; Triggered through an automatic mental associations we make between people/idea/objects and the attitudes and stereotypes we hold.

Explicit Bias: Operates conscious level; Often arises as the direct result of a perceived thread; Expression of explicit bias (ex. hate speech, discrimination) occurs as a result of deliberate thought

Halo Bias: Positive impressions about one attribute or accomplishment of a person influences opinions or feelings about that person’s other attributes or overall character.

Cultural Appropriation: The adoption or co-opting, usually without acknowledgment, of cultural identity markers associated with or originating in minority communities by people or communities with a relatively privileged status.

Disenfranchise: To deprive someone of a right or privilege (as in the right to vote), sometimes resulting in feelings of powerlessness.

Diversity: The blending of different identities, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives within an organization/community, all of which impact the way a person is perceived and received by others, as well as how they perceive and receive the world around them.

Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy is a skill that strengthens with practice.

Identity: The collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a person is definitively recognized or known. The set of behavioral or personal characteristics by which an individual is recognizable as a member of a group.

Inclusion: Creating an environment of open participation from all individuals with different ideas and perspectives where everyone feels they have a voice, are valued, and feel validated.

Intent vs. Impact: A concept applied typically when there is a negative outcome or experience. Intent is a crucial aspect of our actions, and it does not negate the impact to ourselves or another whether intentional or unintentional.

Marginalized: Relegated to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group.

Passing: The ability of a person to be regarded as a member of an identity group or category different from their own, which may include racial identity, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender, religion, age and/or disability status. Passing may result in privileges, rewards, or an increase in social acceptance, or be used to cope with stigma.

Prejudice: A judgment or belief that is formed on insufficient grounds before facts are known or in disregard of facts that contradict it. Prejudices are learned and can be unlearned.

Privilege: Unearned access to resources or power only readily available to some people as a result of their group membership. Privilege exists on multiple levels – societal/cultural, institutional, interpersonal, and individual.

Stereotype: A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing.

Tokenism: The practice of doing something only to prevent criticism and give the appearance that people are being treated fairly.

Tone Policing: A conversational tactic that dismisses the ideas being communicated when they are perceived to be delivered in an angry, frustrated, sad, fearful, or otherwise emotionally charged manner.

Values: A way of being or believing that we hold most important.

Vulnerability: The emotion that we experience during times of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure.

Member identity reflection and development.

Explore how your identities have influenced your experience in ADPi. What identities might some PNMs hold that you should also consider when forming your thoughts on the questions below? 

Use inclusive language. 

Become fluent in inclusive language to converse about topics involving identities and experiences including (but not limited to) race, sexual orientation, religion, able-bodiedness, and financial circumstances. 

Be authentic and forthcoming in your responses.

Be transparent and tactful without sugar-coating. It’s okay to not know an answer if you are unfamiliar with what a PNM is referencing. Avoiding these questions or re-directing speaks volumes, particularly if someone’s passion or identities are central to the question.

Become acquainted with the national dialogue around fraternities and sororities and the Abolish Greek Life/IFC and Panhellenic Movements. 

Consider ways to tell your story about positive experiences and improvements to be made.

International Organization#

What is Alpha Delta Pi doing to educate its members on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

Alpha Delta Pi is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive sisterhood that celebrates the identities and lived experiences of our members. We want to ensure we are truly embodying our motto, We Live For Each Other, in our words and actions. Recent actions – part of a much larger, multi-year plan – include:

• Formed the D&I Advisory Group in 2017, which transitioned to the D&I Committee in 2019. This committee has developed education and resources, facilitated training for chapters and volunteers, provided chapter and alumnae volunteer support, and collaborated with Sorority leadership to support D&I strategic planning.
• Updated membership policy language in 2017 to include membership eligibility to individuals identifying as women, including trans women.
• Launched Talk About It Tuesdays, an educational series consisting of both webinars, educational posts on social media, and an online community, for members to learn and engage with one another on various topics including diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Reviewed our Ritual and made updates to reflect our observance of past practices and our modern priority of equity and inclusivity in sorority life. 
• Created the Director of Inclusion officer position for all collegiate chapters and provided guidance for creating D&I Committees at the chapter level. This includes responsibilities for facilitating mandatory education, ensuring accountability of all members in the DEI space, integrating DEI in all programmatic areas, and more. 
• Convened a Membership Affordability Taskforce to examine our current practices and propose recommendations to improve inclusivity. 
• Developed a bias incident reporting form and support procedures laid out, disseminated, and assessed for continued improvement. 
• Created affinity spaces on Facebook for LGBTQ+ identified members, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) members, and Interfaith discussion. 
• Developed chapter education and assessed chapter performance in the area of creating inclusive spaces. 
• Expanded the Diversity & Inclusion Committee to include collegiate voices, and increased the number of Diversity & Inclusion Liaisons (DILs) serving each District, to better support our collegiate chapters. 
• Convened a Legacy Policy Review Team to study the impact of the Legacy Policy on PNMs, chapter members, and alumnae. This review ultimately resulted in the removal of any requirement for preferential treatment of legacies in our membership selection practice. 

The following action items have been identified for the 2022-2023 year, with several already underway:

• Build out support and resources for already existing Diversity & Inclusion Officers in collegiate chapters, whether at chapter-level or on the campus Panhellenic.
• Design and facilitate team D&I training and education at the International Officer and Strategic Leadership Team level, which would be adapted for advisors and staff.
• Continue developing content for Talk About It Tuesdays Webinar Series in partnership with Director of Education and Programs.
• Continue partnering with the sorority’s Marketing and Communications team to develop resources for chapters, as well as create a media plan that reflects our current diversity and commitment to equity and inclusivity.
• Begin our partnership with the ADPi Foundation to ensure DEI is a priority in all facets of our organization.
• And much more!

I saw Alpha Delta Pi published an article about its history of exclusionary practices. How is the organization talking about this history and moving forward?

Read and be familiar with the article “Owning Our History” published in the summer 2020 Adelphean, and be able to speak to how the international organization is taking steps to recognize and reform exclusionary practices. Additionally, be familiar with the follow-up article published in the Summer 2021 Adelphean.

Chapter#

Chapters should evaluate their historical involvement in D&I, what they’ve accomplished, and what they still have planned. Some chapters began D&I work only recently, in conjunction with the heightened national dialogue on these issues or in tandem with ADPi’s work in this area. Many chapters have been working on D&I issues for longer, bringing energy into this space for many reasons – proactive and reactive, internal and external. And still other chapters have been incorporating D&I issues into their work for many years and have more established structures and practices in place.

What is your chapter doing to promote inclusion? What ways are your members engaging in education around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

Chapters across the country have historically pursued and are continuing to implement a variety of structures and practices that promote D&I. Here are just some examples. Speak to the chapter’s work from the perspective of what has occurred, what’s in progress, and what remains to be done.

• Establishing anti-discrimination, hate and/or bias policies in chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules
• Establishing a Director of Inclusion and/or Committee and integrating their work as part of the Member Development Team
• Developing chapter-specific D&I goals and benchmarks
• Hosting, co-sponsoring, participating in, and promoting D&I education programs or events
• Leading campus or Panhellenic D&I initiatives
• Partnering with multicultural organizations on and off campus
• Engaging with the International Organization to drive change, supported by their D&I Liaison

How do members engage in dialogue around topics of social justice? More specifically, how does the chapter promote constructive discourse?

In other words, how are education and change proposed, received, and acted upon at the chapter? Think of a time when the chapter – maybe Executive Committee, or maybe an individual – has identified a need. Where/how is it suggested? Is it typically met with support? Give some examples (ideally but not necessarily related to D&I) where chapter members have been champions of their own education and improvement?

I saw Alpha Delta Pi published an article about its history of exclusionary practices, how is the chapter talking about this history and moving forward?

Read and be familiar with the article “Owning Our History” published in the summer 2020 Adelphean, and be able to speak to how the international organization is taking steps to recognize and reform exclusionary practices. Additionally, be familiar with the follow-up article published in the Summer 2021 Adelphean.

Do chapter members have a voice at the international level of the organization on D&I issues?

Many Abolish Greek Life/IFC and Panhellenic movements characterize international organizations as unwilling to evolve, even in the face of vocal demand from collegiate members. ADPi established a Collegiate Advisory Committee in 2019 to help ensure that collegians have a voice in the interpretation of our values and execution of associated operations – including those associated with D&I. This committee has an executive sponsor from Grand Council. In addition, collegians were added to the D&I Committee in 2021. Collegiate input is often sought by other committees, teams, and working groups through assessment, chapter officer input, and opportunities for collegians to serve as members of the groups (ex. Nominating Process Review and Legacy Policy Review).

How does your chapter support efforts that promote racial justice?

Be prepared to answer questions about how your chapter engages in D&I issues as part of the broader dialogue – not just on campus. This may be a place to highlight something the chapter has done specifically or highlight efforts taken by specific members. If you choose to highlight individual members, remember to consider the optics of those you feature. In other words, do not tokenize sisters of color in their efforts to improve DEI on your campus and beyond.

What is your chapter’s response to the Abolish IFC and Panhellenic movement?

Many campuses have active Abolish Greek Life/IFC and Panhellenic movements. Be familiar with national and campus concerns about IFC fraternities and Panhellenic sororities, and be prepared to speak to the chapter’s response and position.

Be prepared for challenging questions around civic engagement and societal topics. These should not be canned responses as they are individual to you. This list is not exhaustive – think about how D&I issues play out at the global, national, organizational, campus, and chapter level.

What would members with underrepresented identities say about feeling included in your chapter?

How are different religious beliefs tolerated in this chapter?

How are different political beliefs tolerated in this chapter?

How have you found a sense of belonging in the chapter?

Do you think dialogues around social justice have a place in IFC fraternity and Panhellenic sorority life?

What are the consequences for members or chapters that step out of line? Is this a “cancel culture” chapter?

Ask open-ended questions to PNMs to learn more about issues and experiences that are important to your chapter and to you personally. Not all PNMs may choose to answer in terms of D&I, but these prompts may help open the door for meaningful conversations. 

Tell me about your decision to participate in Panhellenic recruitment and what’s important to you in making your decision to join. What are you looking for from this experience?

How has your experience with recruitment been so far? Has there been anything that has surprised you or anything you think could be done better?

(For Preference Round) Do you have questions you’ve been sitting with that you would like to ask? Any hesitations that you have that I can address for you?

This webinar highlights Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) concepts through a recruitment lens. Covering topics ranging from inclusive language and terminology to strategies for navigating hard conversations with PNMs, this workshop is highly recommended for chapters approaching formal recruitment. Attendees will: 

• Understand the important role DEI plays in a successful recruitment and PNM experience.
• Recognize how bias and stereotypes can influence personal perceptions.
• Be able to articulate Alpha Delta Pi’s commitment to DEI at the enterprise and chapter level.
• Receive tangible prompts on further integrating DEI into chapter operations and culture.

Your Learning Journey#

While the organization has significant work to do as we unlearn and dismantle internally oppressive systems, we ask our members to commit to the following call to action: 

• Educate yourself. Participate in the Talk About It Tuesdays webinar series. Read, view, and listen to some of the recommended resources shared by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.  
• Invite others into the conversation with grace. Each individual comes into this discussion at a different place in their learning journey and holding each other accountable to do better is key to growth and change. 
• Be an active bystander. Address acts of racism and oppression. Actively engage your sisters, family, friends, fraternity, and sorority communities in conversations about the need to educate and advocate against racism and oppression, , remembering that empathetic communication is the best way to call others in rather than calling them out. 
• Don’t tokenize others. Be careful not to lean on our sisters of color, especially our Black sisters to educate you about these topics. There is emotional labor in their being the ones to educate while also managing their feelings – it is not their job to educate the whole.  
• Advocate for and amplify the voices of those oppressed. This will look different depending upon our stage of life. It could involve peacefully protesting in support of addressing these issues, holding our sisters, including Sorority leadership, accountable for change, speaking up to ensure there is representation at the decision-making tables of your chapter, campus, or workplace, or inquiring about the diversity and inclusion strategic plan for your campus or workplace. 

Affinity Groups#

Alpha Delta Pi has not always been a space where members with underrepresented identities have felt valued or a sense of belonging in the way that is promised when individuals pursue sorority membership. At times, these experiences may have caused harm and negatively impacted the membership experience. Affinity groups are designed to create a space and network where members can come together with Alpha Delta Pis who have a shared identity or life experience. These groups help cultivate an environment of belonging and promote a supportive and encouraging community. They are a space to process feelings with members holding similar identities and who are better positioned to understand their stories.

Whether you’re engaging in your DEI learning journey individually or with your chapter or alumnae association, this resource can be a starting point with recommendations of books, podcasts, videos, and more to support your learning journey.

Group Discussions#

When coordinating a group discussion around a DEI resource, it’s helpful to have a facilitator with understanding of the topic at hand who can help moderate the conversation. Download the DEI Discussion Guide below to help coordinate your group discussion.

Individual Reflection#

When engaging in learning and reviewing resources related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, consider the following reflections questions:

• What is one thing I learned?
• What do I still have questions about?
• What is a topic/issue I am going to explore even more as a result of this?
• What is one actionable step I am going to take as a result?

These questions can be used as a self-reflection or to help your prepare for a group discussion.

Additional Resources#

This is a working list of resources that will continue to evolve as we engage in this conversation together. If you have a resource suggestion, please email inclusion@alphadeltapi.com. 

Videos, Films, and TV Shows#

• Alpha Delta Pi Talk About It Tuesdays webinar series
• YouTube series: What Not to Say (BBC Three)
• Microaggressions in Everyday Life (4 minutes): Derald Wing Sue, professor of psychology and education at Columbia Teachers College, talks about and provides examples of racial and gender microaggressions, including techniques for addressing them.
• What Is the Biggest Misconception About Racism? Available here.
• 13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
• American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix
• Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 — Available to rent or from your local library
• Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix
• Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent or from your local library
• If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu
• Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent or from your local library
• Love, Simon (Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger) – Available to rent or from your local library
• See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) — Netflix
• Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent or from your local library
• The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution — Available to rent or from your local library
• The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax
• When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

Articles#

• Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership: Thriving in a Diverse New World by Deloitte University available here.
• Racist is a Tough Little Word: The Definition has Grown Over Time by John McWhorter available here.
• The Moment of Microaggression: The Experience of Acts of Oppression, Dehumanization, and Exploitation by Michael Dover available here.
• What Privilege Really Means (And Doesn’t Mean) – To Clear Up Your Doubts Once and For All by Maisha Z. Johnson available here.
• What is Social Oppression? By Ashley Crossman available here.
• What Is Tokenism, and Why Does It Matter in the Workplace? by Kara Sherrer available here.
• How to Respond to Microaggressions by Hahna Yoon available here.
• Seemingly Harmless Racial Communications Are Not So Harmless: Racial Microaggressions Lead to Suicidal Ideation by Way of Depression Symptoms by VM O’Keefe, LR Wingate, AB Cole, DW Hollingsworth, and RP Tucker available here.
• Critical race theory, racial microaggressions, and campus racial climate for Latina/o undergraduates by T. J. Yosso, W.A. Smith, M. Ceja, and D.G. Solórzano available here.
• I’m a Sorority Woman, but I’m not Straight by Tara Fuller available here.
• Hierarchical Microaggressions in Higher Education by K. Young, M. Anderson, and S. Stewart available here.
• Active Ways to Help Make Fraternity/Sorority Life More Inclusive by A. Hillard available here.
• New Survey Highlights Racial Disparities In The Coronavirus Pandemic by Hannah Hagemann available here.
• Who’s Hit Hardest By COVID-19? Why Obesity, Stress And Race All Matter available here.
• Health Concerns From COVID-19 Much Higher Among Hispanics and Blacks Than Whites by the Pew Research Center available here.
• Asian Americans Feel The Bite Of Prejudice During The COVID-19 Pandemic available here.
• Hate Symbols Database – “1488”; “14/88”; “8814”; and/or “88/14” available here.
• “Microaggression: More Than Just Race” by Derald Wing Sue, Ph.D. available here.
• Ten Counterproductive Behaviors of Well-Intentioned People by Cody Charles available here.

Books#

• Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
• Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji
• Micro-trauma: A Psychoanalytic Understanding of Cumulative Psychic Injury by Margaret Crastnopol
• 35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say: Surprising Things We Say That Widen the Diversity Gap by Maura Cullen
• Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
• White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo
• Secret Sisters: Stories of Being Lesbian and Bisexual in a College Sorority by Pamela Freeman and Shane Windmeyer
• How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
• Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on America’s Campuses by Lawrence Ross
• Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Podcasts#

• Podcast: 1619
• With Friends Like These, hosted by Ana Marie Cox, who is a self-professed “well-meaning white woman” who explores all sorts of topics, not the least of which is white privilege and racism
• A specific episode that people might want to get into is from August 23, 2019 and titled: Stage Four Metastic Racism https://crooked.com/podcast/stage-four-metastatic-racism-with-arjun-sethi-and-ibram-x-kendi/
• Podcast: All My Relations, with Matika Wilbur and Adrienne Keene; Episode: “Can Our Ancestors Hear Us?”
• Podcast: Still Processing, with Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham (New York Times); Episode: “Apology”; “M.J.”
• Podcast: The Sporkful with Dan Pashman; Episode: “When White People Say Plantation”
• Podcast: Dear White Women Podcast, with Sara and Misasha; Episode: Interview with Crystal Echohawk; “Hate in America Part 1″ and “Hate in America Part 2”; “Domestic Terrorism, Then and Now,” a three-part series
• Podcast: Yo, Is This Racist? by Andrew Ti and Tawny Newsome; Episode: All

Activities and Actions#

• Learn about the history of your community or campus as it related to DEI, civic engagement, civil rights, and related issues.
• Visit cultural heritage museums and historic sites near you to learn more about history.
• Support local businesses owned by individuals with underrepresented identities like Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); LGBTQ+; and women-owned businesses, especially when planning chapter, association, or community events.