Registration Opens for “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” Workshops

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Registration is now open for the American Booksellers Association’s “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Addressing Stereotypes and Creating a Welcoming Environment” workshop, which will take place on Thursday, September 14, in New Orleans, and on Wednesday, October 11, in Denver, prior to the start of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance and Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association trade shows, respectively.

The full-day workshop, designed for both owners and managers and for frontline booksellers, will be led by Ilsa Marie Govan, M.A., and Caprice D. Hollins, Psy.D., of Cultures Connecting.

Through video, interactive exercises, and storytelling, Govan and Hollins will illustrate how implicit racial stereotypes can influence attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs about others and create barriers to genuine relationships. The workshop also aims to help booksellers understand the factors that create a sense of welcoming in an independent bookstore, from the inventory to the diversity of staff members, as well as how implicit biases — whether about race, gender, age, or disability status — come into play in creating such an environment for staff and customers.

Through the workshop, participants will:

  • Develop a shared language of cultural competence to serve as a roadmap for creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive bookstores.
  • Learn and practice tools for engaging in courageous conversations about difficult issues with employees and customers.
  • Increase their awareness and knowledge of the impact of stereotypes on our everyday thoughts and actions.
  • Learn strategies for countering implicit bias and stereotype threat in the workplace.
  • Reflect on practical applications of new skills at a personal and organizational level.

The first workshop will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, ahead of the SIBA Discovery Show at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, and will be led by both Govan and Hollins.

The second workshop will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 11, ahead of the MPIBA fall trade show at the Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel in Denver, and will be led by Govan.

Registration is $75 per person. Fall show registration is not required to attend the workshops.

Register now for the “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Addressing Stereotypes and Creating a Welcoming Environment” workshop. A BookWeb username and password are required to register; booksellers who need login information should e-mail [email protected].