Road to Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity

RIDE Resources

Committee Charter

Microaggressions Workshop Session II (Virtual)

July 26, 2022 | 1:00 p.m.

RIDE intends to create a work environment where microaggressions are minimal and if present, are recognized and addressed. RIDE is proud to continue sessions II with Dr. Shernita Lee.

Session II will be 100% virtual for one hour. Dr. Lee will continue to build upon basic practices to prevent microaggressions, educate on types of microaggressions, and more. Like the last session, RIDE encourages all to attend, participate, keep an open mind, and remember that we are all at different levels in our knowledge of this subject and can learn a lot from this workshop.

Dr. Lee is the director of the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion at Virginia Tech. Dr. Lee holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Alabama State University and a doctorate from VT in genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology. Her research concentrations include the student mentoring experience, factors influencing a student's experience and success, and the development of interactive activities to promote STEM exposure to K-12 populations. Dr. Lee is passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive environment for graduate students, improving graduate student retention, aiding in the navigation of challenges they encounter, and directing students to university/departmental resources and advocates to help them successfully complete their degrees. Dr. Lee agreed to provide a workshop on microaggressions to provide education, intervention techniques, and more.

RIDE encourages all to attend, participate, keep an open mind, and remember that we are all at different levels in the knowledge of this subject and can learn a lot from this workshop.

Although this session is for an hour, Dr. Lee will stay for the 30-minute to allow time to debrief and answer any questions.

Watch the Recording of Microaggression Session II*

* - Link only accessible to VTTI employees. For more information, contact the chair or co-chair.

Juneteenth Event - VT Special Collections and University Archives

June 23, 2022 | 1:00 p.m.

In honor of Juneteenth, the RIDE committee has partnered with the VT library to create a unique opportunity to learn and touch history. The newly awarded federal holiday Juneteenth marks the date in 1865 when a Union general arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved people of their freedom and the Civil War's end. That day became an annual celebration for many people, especially formerly enslaved people and their descendants. After slavery was abolished in America, there would still be (and still are) many obstacles for African Americans to achieve true equity and equality.

Marc Brodsky has agreed to share some articles, letters, bills of sale, and more from the Civil War era. This is a great opportunity to learn from these documents and see how life was during that time. The presentation will also include a brief introduction to Special Collections and University Archives. We hope this will be impactful and allow us to understand the importance of June 19th, 1865.

Mr. Brodsky is Associate Professor and Public Services and Reference Archivist at Special Collections for Virginia Tech. He also serves as Interim University Archivist. He has a Master's of Science in Library Science (MSLS) from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Hampshire College. He also did graduate work in Modern European Intellectual History at Cornell University. He has published and presented at national and regional conferences on topics related to teaching with primary sources. The state of Appalachian regional collections in hard economic times, reference practice, and the emerging field of Veterans studies have also been the subject of his work. He is currently on the editorial board of The Smithfield Review and the Appalachian Curator. As a member of the Society of American Archivists, he has served on the Committee on Ethics and Professional Conduct. More recently, he was a principal contributor to Celebrating Virginia Tech: A Chronology of 150 Years, an exhibit currently on display in Newman Library.

The event will be held at the Special Collections and University Archives on the first floor of Newman Library on June 23, 2022, from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. RIDE can provide some transportation to the library. Please contact Eric Glenn for details. This event will be in-person only.

For more information about Juneteenth, please this article.

Takeway from the Event (Marc Brodsky)

Microaggression Workshop Session 1

June 29, 2022 | 2:00 p.m.

RIDE intends to create a work environment where microaggressions are minimal and if present, are recognized and addressed. RIDE is proud to announce that Dr. Shernita Lee has agreed to help us achieve this goal.

Dr. Lee is the director of the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion at Virginia Tech. Dr. Lee holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Alabama State University and a doctorate from VT in genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology. Her research concentrations include the student mentoring experience, factors influencing a student's experience and success, and the development of interactive activities to promote STEM exposure to K-12 populations. Dr. Lee is passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive environment for graduate students, improving graduate student retention, aiding in the navigation of challenges graduate students encounter, and directing students to university/departmental resources and advocates to help them successfully complete their degrees. Dr. Lee agreed to provide a workshop on microaggressions to provide education, intervention techniques, and more.

This workshop will be tailored for in-person due to the complexity of the subject. It is important that attendees come in person to get the full experience. The workshop will be recorded and you may observe it virtually. RIDE encourages all to attend, participate, keep an open mind, and remember that we are all at different levels in our knowledge of this subject and can learn a lot from this workshop.

Microaggression Workshop Resources*

* - Link only accessible to VTTI employees. For more information, contact the chair or co-chair.

Gender Inclusive Language and Practices for Everyday Use

March 25, 2022 | 3:00 p.m.

"I think it's important for folks to see queer inclusivity as integral the success of a department's success. Also, when we degender and decolonize our language, we make room for folks to show up more authentically which will feed into the quality of work they do!"

— Dr. Ashleigh Bingham

Dr. Ashleigh “Bing” Bingham (she/they) joined the Virginia Tech and Cultural and Community Center staff during the fall of 2019 and serves as the Director for the LGBTQ+ Resource Center and advisor of Halkieriidae. She will be working to support the mental, emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Hokies by creating space and providing resources for marginalized individuals within the queer community and by facilitating learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Bing received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology, her Master's degree in Social Psychology, and her Doctorate degree in Higher Education from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Previously, Dr. Bing worked with Ball State University's Women's & Gender Studies program teaching classes and overseeing their marketing, promotion, and recruitment efforts.

Alongside her work in academia, Dr. Bing created and ran the gender non-conforming fashion and lifestyle blog “I Dream of Dapper” that has been featured by Autostraddle, Buzzfeed, Dapper Q, Hudson Jeans, Love Inc. Magazine, Qwearfashion, and Madrid-based magazine S Moda.

Dr. Bing lives in Roanoke, VA with her partner and their two Maine Coon cats.

Watch a Recording of the Workshop*

* - Video only accessible to VTTI employees. For more information, contact the chair or co-chair.

Virginia Tech Principles of Community Join RIDE

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion graphic — DEI in Transportation Definitions

Diversity in Transportation

Diversity in transportation refers to considering the distinguishable and indistinguishable differences between individuals based on their ethnicity, social-economic status, sex/gender, age, disabilities, religion, etc., as well as the ways in which they experience systemic disadvantages or advantages and the obstacles to transportation opportunities and resources, including the transportation workforce. A better understanding of these issues will aid in providing better transportation services and better work environments for these groups.

Equity in Transportation

It has been over 60 years since the Montgomery bus boycott acted as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement and the changes it fought for, including equity in transportation. However, far too many cities and rural communities in our nation still suffer from inequities in transportation due to lack of resources, historical redlining, and other factors. Many disparities in transportation are still experienced by people of color and low-income individuals. Equity in transportation refers to evaluating the inequitable conditions that exist in public and private transportation services. This evaluation needs to result in actionable best practices that eliminate the unfair treatment of historically underrepresented groups who have not had access to equitable transportation. In addition, it is imperative that available resources are reallocated to ensure that everyone receives fair treatment and has equal access to essential transportation services.

Inclusion in Transportation

Inclusion in transportation refers to valuing the perspectives, amplifying the voices, and creating a safe and thriving environment for historically underrepresented groups who experience transportation roadblocks based on their ethnicity, social-economic status, sex/gender, age, disabilities, religion, or other characteristics. Determining the obstacles that are impeding individuals from adding their input into transportation planning decisions that directly affect them—such as the development of new transit routes—is important in bridging the gap to provide inclusion for all.

It's important to remember that these definitions can and will evolve as the world of transportation continues to grow.

Our Purpose

VTTI's Road to Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (RIDE) is intended to create and foster a safe, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all personnel at VTTI. RIDE will:1) open channels of communication with senior leadership; 2) educate VTTI employees on the importance and means of achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion; and 3) strategically execute realistic goals developed based on the needs of students, staff, and faculty.

Talking and staying transparent in what we do.
Through approved modules, activities, inviting speakers, etc.
Collect information on issues through existing data and surveys. Then set the goals and achieve them!

Inclusion means the recognition, appreciation, and use of the talents and skills of employees of all backgrounds.

Diversity means the practice of including the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures, and beliefs found in the United States, including underserved communities.

Equity means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment.

Accessibility means the design, construction, development, and maintenance of facilities, information and communication technology, programs, and services so that all people, including people with disabilities, can fully and independently use them. Accessibility includes the provision of accommodations and modifications to ensure equal access to employment and participation in activities for people with disabilities, the reduction or elimination of physical and attitudinal barriers to equitable opportunities, a commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities can independently access every outward-facing and internal activity or electronic space, and the pursuit of best practices such as universal design.

Biden, J. R. (2021, June 25). Executive order on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the federal workforce. The White House. Retrieved November 18, 2021, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/25/executive-order-on-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce/.