October 11 Workshop to Address “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”
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On October 11, just ahead of the Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association trade show, the American Booksellers Association will present the fall workshop “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Addressing Stereotypes and Creating a Welcoming Environment.” The workshop, led by Ilsa Govan, M.A., of Cultures Connecting, will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Denver Stapleton Hotel in Denver.
Jamie Fiocco, ABA Vice President and owner of Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, attended Govan’s September 14 workshop in New Orleans. The full-day event was “very helpful in regard to staff and customer interactions,” said Fiocco, and offered “some great ideas on how to hire a more diverse staff and reach out to people of many demographics.”
Through video, interactive exercises, and storytelling, Govan will illustrate to participants 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.
Booksellers can learn more about implicit bias and stereotypes through the New York Times video series “Who, Me? Biased?”
Register for the “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Addressing Stereotypes and Creating a Welcoming Environment” workshop now. Registration is $75 per person; booksellers can register in advance, but walk-ins are also welcome. Fall show registration is not required to attend the workshop, and the workshop is open to all ABA members, regardless of regional association membership.