Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)

As a phrase, “people of color” dates back centuries — it was first cited in The Oxford English Dictionary, with the British spelling “colour,” in 1796 — and is often abbreviated as POC. The other two letters, for black and Indigenous, were included in the acronym to account for the erasure of black people with darker skin and Native American people. 

From: Garcia, S.E. (2020). BIPOC: What does it mean? New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-is-bipoc.html

Colonialism is defined as control by one power over a dependent area or people. It occurs when one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people. By 1914, a large majority of the world's nations had been colonized by Europeans at some point.

From: Blakemore, E. (2019). What is colonization? National Geographic.   https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/colonialism#:~:text=Colonialism%20is%20defined%20as%20%E2%80%9Ccontrol,cultural%20values%20upon%20its%20people

Systemic racism or institutional racism refers to the ways that whiteness and white superiority become embedded in the policies and processes of an institution, resulting in a system that advantages white people and disadvantages People of Color.

Carrett, J. (2020). Explainer: what is systemic racism and institutional racism? The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-systemic-racism-and-institutional-racism-131152