The following are a list of resources addressing diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice (DEIJ) for current and future ISHA members. Given the complexity of appropriately understanding and responding to the dimensions of diversity in professional and personal interactions, it is important to recognize that approaching these issues is a lifelong process as opposed to a quantifiable number of interactions with an end product.
We recognize that evidence-based practice and research is constantly changing. We will update these resources with time. If you have any questions or suggestions on additional resources, please contact ISHA directly at admin@islha.org
“Cultural humility is defined as a learning culture based on lifelong dedication, evaluation, and the critique of self. Dedication to lifelong learning of these two skills is a more appropriate goal for our professions as opposed to the concept of mastering cultural competence- and should be considered the gold standard for communication sciences and disorders.” (Gregory, 2020)
Source: Moving Forward as a Profession in a Time of Uncertainty
To learn more about cultural humility, check out the following resources:
There are multiple ways to define ableism, here are a few examples:
Ableism: discrimination and oppression of disabled people; societal belief that being abled is “normal” and is preferred.
Ableism: A system of oppression that favors being able bodied/able minded at any cost, frequently at the expense of people with disabilities.
(University of Arizona Disability Resource Center, 2022)
To learn more about ableism, check out the following resources:
Anti-Racism- “Anti-racism is a process of actively identifying and opposing racism. The goal of anti-racism is to challenge racism and actively change the policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions.” (Cherry, K., 2021)
“Being antiracist is different for white people than it is for people of color. For white people, being antiracist evolves with their racial identity development. They must acknowledge and understand their privilege, work to change their internalized racism, and interrupt racism when they see it. For people of color, it means recognizing how race and racism have been internalized, and whether it has been applied to other people of color.” (Being AntiRacist, n.d.)
To learn more about Anti-Racism, check out the following resources:
“Racial equity is a process of eliminating racial disparities and improving outcomes for everyone. It is the intentional and continual practice of changing policies, practices, systems, and structures by prioritizing measurable change in the lives of people of color.” (What is Racial Equity?,n.d.)
To learn more about Anti-Racism, check out the following resources:
“Intersectionality is the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2021)
To learn more about Intersectionality, check out the following resources:
“Implicit bias refers to attitudes or stereotypes that unconsciously affect our understanding, actions and decisions. These biases may not align with the beliefs we declare ourselves to hold. We may believe we act objectively, but we are actually influenced by biases—toward people of particular races, genders, linguistic or socioeconomic backgrounds—that pervade our society” (Arora, 2017)
To learn more about implicit bias, check out the following resources:
“Microaggressions are defined as the everyday, subtle, intentional — and oftentimes unintentional — interactions or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias toward historically marginalized groups. The difference between microaggressions and overt discrimination or macroaggressions, is that people who commit microagressions might not even be aware of them.” (Limbong, 2020)
To learn more about microaggressions, check out the following resource:
Micro-Course series (through ASHA) https://www.asha.org/practice/multicultural/microaggressions-micro-course-series/
“Classism is differential treatment based on social class or perceived social class. Classism is the systematic oppression of subordinated class groups to advantage and strengthen the dominant class groups. It’s the systematic assignment of characteristics of worth and ability based on social class.” (What Is Classism, n.d.)
To learn more about classism, check out the following resources:
“Ageism refers to the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age. . . .Ageism affects everyone. Children as young as 4 years old become aware of their culture’s age stereotypes. From that age onwards they internalize and use these stereotypes to guide their feelings and behavior towards people of different ages. They also draw on culture’s age stereotypes to perceive and understand themselves, which can result in self-directed ageism at any age. Ageism intersects and exacerbates other forms of disadvantage including those related to sex, race and disability.” (Ageing: Ageism, 2021)
“ Inclusive language acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equitable opportunities. All work should be free from words, phrases, or tones that demean, insult, or exclude people based on their membership within a certain group or because of a particular attribute. . . .Language is fluid. The meaning and connotations of words can change rapidly. It is more important to apply inclusive language principles rather than learning specific appropriate phrases, as these may change in meaning over time.” (Inclusive Language, n.d.)
To learn more about inclusive language, check out the following resources:
Ten Strategies for Creating Inclusive Health Care Environments for LGBTQIA+ People (2021)
As a provider in a health center or other health care organization, becoming familiar with terms used by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) communities can help you provide these patients with the highest quality care. In this glossary, you will find some of the terms most relevant to the health care of LGBT people.
“In recent years, gender bias in healthcare has become more apparent. It has always been prevalent, but studies are now showing how damaging it is to overall health outcomes. Many researchers are asking the question, “How does gender affect healthcare?” They’re finding it has a large effect.” (Exploring Gender Bias in Healthcare, 2019)
To learn more about gender bias in healthcare, check out the following resources:
“Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.” (Health Disparities Among Youth, n.d.)
To learn more about health disparities in our fields, check out the following resource:
Dr. Shameka Stanford’s article Casualties of Misunderstanding: Communication Disorders and Juvenile Injustice highlights critical issues about adolescents with communication disorders and sheds light on the increased risk of being misjudged and detained by the juvenile justice system. Dr. Stanford makes excellent points on the critical advocacy role speech-language pathologists play to help avoid the misunderstanding of adolescents with communication disorders. Thank you, Dr. Stanford for paving the way with social justice issues in our profession.
Link to the article and other related resources can be found here:
Code-switching occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the context of a single conversation or situation.
To learn more about code-switching, check out the following resources:
