Workshop | Acts of Othering and Belonging
Leaders, managers, and employees often engage in unintentional acts of othering, also known as microaggressions. Acts of othering contribute to feelings of exclusion for employees from underrepresented groups because of their race, ethnicity, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or age. While some acts of othering might not necessarily violate an administrative rule, they create toxic work environments that impact performance, team building, and retention. In this workshop, we will explore the institutional and personal accountability systems to address acts of othering and research practices to build a culture of belonging, and how to use restorative practices to repair harm when it occurs.
Handout(s):
Jamila Osman
Equity Training Manager at the City of Portland
She/Her
Jamila Osman is a writer, former public school educator, and community organizer with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of equity, education, and grassroots people's movements. Prior to coming to the City of Portland, she was a restorative justice trainer and equity informed mediator. She brings this framework of care, repair, and deep transformation to her role as the Equity Training Manager. She has worked with city governments, nonprofits, schools, and businesses to train them in building resources, skills, and capacity to transform dominant workplace culture into one that is more relational and just.
Judith Mowry
Deputy Director of the Office of Equity at the City of Portland
She/Her
Judith Mowry has over 30 years’ experience in conflict resolution, organization development, policy facilitation and racial justice activism. Before coming to the Office of Equity, Judith had worked as a consultant as a founding partner of Full Circle Consulting, director of mediation services for a non-profit providing a wide variety of mediation programing, including restorative justice programs, and for the Office of Neighborhood Involvement as the Effective Engagement specialist.
Judith is also the co-founder of the Restorative Justice Project on Gentrification and partnered in developing the Community Residential Siting Program for the City of Portland.
Judith is closely involved with many Office of Equity programs, working with bureau staff and leadership on implementing equity and on developing policy to institutionalize effective equity practices.