Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Addressing Stereotypes and Creating a Welcoming Environment

The workshop, for both owners/managers and frontline booksellers, will be led by Ilsa Marie Govan, M.A., and Caprice D. Hollins, Psy.D., of Cultures Connecting. It will be presented two times in the fall: 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.

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.

Thursday, September 14, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm
Ahead of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Discovery Show
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans
Led by both Ilsa Govan and Caprice D. Hollins

Wednesday, October 11, 10 am to 4 pm
Ahead of the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association fall trade show
Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel in Denver
Led by Ilsa Govan