Overview

An Integrative Transformational Framework (ITF) has been developed to help conceptualize, enact, align, and amplify Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) work at Sonoma State University and in the broader region. This ITF may be used as both an internal tool and an external tool that perceives and situates DEI work within four interrelated domains: mindset, behavior, culture, and systems.

As DEI work across the country has continued to evolve – from its earlier development in era of the civil rights movement to its current expansion as a result of the pandemic and widespread social unrest – those who lead DEI efforts have sought to center them in the interdependent racialized and gendered forms of privilege, bias, and discrimination that must be transformed if true equality is to be achieved. Similarly, this ITF aims to identify and work with those interdependent personal mindsets and beliefs, personal behavior and health, culture, and systems that ought to be engaged as part of a comprehensive approach to DEI priorities and programming at both SSU and in the university’s broader community.

The Four Domains

1. Engaging Personal Mindsets and Beliefs
   Change can begin with the individual mindset – whether that of an individual holding conscious or unconscious prejudice or bias, or that of an individual who has internalized racism or oppression. Among other examples, this change can be initiated by an educator or mentor; by new developments in life conditions, like that of our current pandemic; or by a commitment to “doing one’s work” as an emerging anti-racism ally. 
2. Engaging Personal Behavior and Health
   Change can begin with individual behavior – including choosing to stop perpetuating micro-aggressions, choosing to adopt more inclusive and respectful body language, and choosing to engage in more inclusive and respectful spoken and written communication. This change also can be positively self-directed as actions informed by “being the change I want to see in the world.” Among other examples, health and behavioral change can be initiated through education or structured policies and procedures.​
3. Engaging Culture
   Change can begin with a shift in our culture and collective consciousness – whether that of a shift to include new voices, stories, and perspectives in cultural spaces like art and films; re-shifting dominant cultural beliefs and narratives, such as “justice is colorblind”; and re-shifting campus culture to be more respectful and inclusive of all campus community members. Among other examples, this change can be initiated by cultural workers such as storytellers and influencers, by community figures such as educational leaders and religious/spiritual leaders, and even by social media, which has further amplified #blacklivesmatter and #metoo personal stories, resulting in subsequent shifts in dominant cultural perspectives. 
4. Engaging Systems
   Change can begin with action that shifts policies, procedures, and the accessibility and allocation of collective resources in community, institutional, or societal systems – including, among many other examples, ensuring equal access to technology, determining that leadership truly reflects the diversity of the community it represents, and implementing relevant new education policies, such as the new CSU-wide ethnic studies requirement. This change can be initiated in any number of ways, from court decisions to collective action generated by widespread protest movements.

Adaptability and ITF Potential for DEI Work at SSU

Engaging mindsets, behavior, culture, and systems is an ongoing effort that requires the adaptable strategic framework this ITF provides. It weaves together existing SSU events and programs with ones that are still in development – such as the Brave Voices Virtual Forum and Restorative Justice Program – and will be able to accommodate new methods and programming offerings as DEI work on campus progresses.

Adaptability is especially key in the context of academic engagement with DEI content, ideas, and research. In some disciplines, academic engagement might approach DEI work from theoretical and methodological systems that privilege objective, quantitative data; in others, self-reporting or reflection methods drive data collection. The benefit of this ITF is that it is trans-disciplinary; it can fit a range of academic fields, methodologies, and theories.

Making sure that all of Sonoma State’s work, including our academic work, is fully integrated with our DEI work underscores the importance of this ITF – and will help us achieve true equality on campus and in our broader region.

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Adapted from a conceptual framework developed by Mark (Rako) Fabionar, former Director of the HUB Cultural Center.