Glossary
Ableism - discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities
African American - an American of African and especially Black African descent
Ageism - prejudice or discrimination against a particular age-group an especially the elderly
Antiracism - opposed to racism
Asian American - an American of Asian descent
Black - of or relating to any various population groups of especially African ancestry often considered as having dark pigmentation of the skin but in fact having a wide range of skin colors and of relating to Black people and often especially to African American people or their culture
Campus Climate – the experience of individual and groups on a campus and the quality and extent of the interaction between those various groups and individuals (NEIU.edu)
Critical Race Theory - a group of concepts (such as the idea that race) is a sociological rather than biological designation, and that racism pervades society and is fostered and perpetuated by the legal system) used for examining the relationship between race and the laws and legal institutions of a country and especially the US
Culture – beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time and a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization
Cultural Competency - set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations (https://npin.cdc.gov/pages/cultural-competence)
Cultural Humility - process of self-reflection and discovery in order to build honest and trustworthy relationships (Yeager, K. A., & Bauer-Wu, S. (2013). Cultural humility: essential foundation for clinical researchers. Applied nursing research : ANR, 26(4), 251–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2013.06.008)
Diversity - the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc. And the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization
Ethnicity - ethnic quality or affiliation and a particular ethnic affiliation or group
Equity - fairness or justice in the way people are treated
Gender - sex sense and the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex
Hispanic - of, relating to, or being a person of Latin American descent and especially of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin living in the US and of or relating to the people, speech, or culture of Spain
Identity - who someone is, the name of a person and the qualities, beliefs, etc., that make a particular person or group different from others and the distinguishing character or personality of an individual
Inclusion - the act of including or being included
Intercultural - occurring between or involving two or more cultures
International - involving two or more countries and made up of people or groups from different countries and active or known in many countries
Latino - a person of Latin American descent, especially a man or boy
Latina - a person of Latin American descent, especially a woman or girl
Latinx - a person of Latin American descent, gender-neutral or nonbinary alternative
Microaggression - a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority) and behavior or speech that is characterized by such comments or actions
Multiracial – composed of, involving, or representing various races and having parents or ancestors of different races
Oppression - unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power and something oppresses especially in being an unjust or excessive exercise of power and a sense of being weighed down in body or mind
Power - possession of control, authority, or influence over others
Privilege - a right or benefit that is given to some people and not to others and a special opportunity to something that makes you proud and the advantage that wealthy and powerful people over other people in society
Racism - a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial difference produce an inherent superiority of a particular race and behavior or attitudes that reflect and foster this belief: racial discrimination or prejudice and a systemic oppression or a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another and a political or social system founded on racism and designed to execute its principles
Race - any one of the groups that humans are often divided into based on physical traits regarded as common among people of shared ancestry and the fact of dividing people, or of people being divided into such groups and a group of living things considered as a category
Two or more races - people who chose more than one of the six race categories on the census (Census.gov)
We recognize that this list is not complete and is an ongoing assessment. Words may become outdated as well. To add to the list, contact Rebecca Huntley, DEI Committee Member