Equity 101
The difference between equality and equity is...
Equality = same treatment; Equity = fair treatment based on individual needs.
In the U.S., the Civil Rights Act passed in the year...
1964
Compensating employees who have similar job functions with comparably equal pay, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity or other status is an example of
Pay Equity
Equity always requires treating everyone the same
False. Equity recognizes each person has different needs, meaning different resources must be allocated based on individual needs for all to thrive.
This term refers to when someone is hired to increase diversity but isn’t given real power or support.
What is tokenism?
Where does equity show up in the JEA program?
Open ended, ex: no-cost access to academic and cultural enrichment
This Caribbean country led the only successful slave revolt in modern history, becoming the first Black republic in 1804
Haiti
What type of equity includes ensuring all employees receive fair consideration when seeking promotions, leadership roles, or professional development.
Opportunity Equity
In social and racial justice movements, equality can actually increase inequities in communities
True. Not every group of people needs the same resources or opportunities allocated to them in order to thrive
When leadership creates space to hear about harm, reflect, and change policy or behavior, they’re practicing this type of justice.
What is restorative justice?
This term describes efforts to reverse harm done to marginalized groups, often by redistributing resources.
What are reparations?
The Young Lords, a civil rights group formed in the 1960s, advocated for which community in the United States?
the Puerto Rican community
Where does equity show up in the Caminos program?
Open ended, ex: access to career exploration tailored to individual's interests
Cultural equity means valuing the dominant culture in an organization.
False – It means respecting and uplifting multiple cultural perspectives.
A company offers leadership training only to employees in certain departments, leaving others out. What equity issue does this represent?
What is opportunity equity or access to professional development?
This framework acknowledges how overlapping systems of oppression create unique experiences for individuals based on race, gender, class, and more.
What is intersectionality?
This 2017 protest movement, involving Latine communities across the U.S., opposed immigration policies and called for immigrant rights.
What is the Families Belong Together movement?
Workplace equity initiatives rooted only in culture change, without policy or compensation reform, are often critiqued as this.
performative equity
Procedural Equity includes consistent, ethical policies and transparently handling employee grievances.
True
Beyoncé’s Homecoming celebrated Black culture at Coachella, a historically white-dominated music festival. What kind of equity was she reclaiming and redefining through this performance?
What is cultural equity or representational justice?
This concept goes beyond equality by addressing the root causes of unfairness and working to repair harm.
Justice
Where does equity show up in the work YOU do
open ended
When companies design systems, environments, and tools so that everyone—including people with disabilities—can fully participate, they are practicing this.
accessibility equity
Communities can only achieve justice through legal systems.
Community-led models like mutual aid and restorative justice are also powerful tools.
To support Afro-Latinx and immigrant communities, Boston’s city government has funded initiatives to promote which policy area focused on preserving cultural expression and access to the arts?
What is cultural equity or arts equity policy?