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EJBC is excited to announce that Kamaria Kassim-Grigsby has accepted the the role of Executive Sponsor. It is with great pleasure we introduce her to you.
Human Resources Director – Kamaria Kassim-Grigsby is an experienced HR Executive with expertise in human resource management, diversity, equity, and inclusion, leadership, and organizational development. Her work has included transforming people, strategy, and processes through an equity lens. She leverages partnerships to drive organizational transformation and success.
Kamaria came to DHS from the Department of Commerce, where she has served as their Human Resources Director for nearly 3 years. Prior to that, she was a supervisor with the MN Department of Human Rights and has over 10 years of private sector HR leadership experience.
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EJBC wants to thank Ellena Schoop for her service to Minnesota, ERGs, and for her willingness to mentor and teach all of us. This is not goodbye, because we have your phone number and cannot hide from us. This is a "We are so proud of you, so happy for you, and super excited for your new adventure". You will crush it.
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Farewell from Ellena:
As I begin to write this, I realized, I didn’t know where to start. So, I will start at the beginning and leap forward, as this has been an amazing journey for me.
Shortly after the death of George Floyd, and the state was in lock down, due to Covid-19, I felt isolated. I couldn’t walk down the hall in the office, have lunch with anyone – share what I was feeling. I had the walls in my house and the workstation I set up at home. How do I reach and connect was my question? If I’m feeling this, I’m sure others are as well.
I met up with Maurice, my Co-chair and “Mama Elizabeth” and we founded the EJBC. Immediately the response was profound. So many of you connected, we shared, we laughed, we cried. We built a community. I quickly realized; this was much bigger than me.
From there, it grew exponentially as we were all in isolation and really needed a way to connect with each other.
Maurice, you’ve taken this and made it more than even I imagined. Your fire for justice is a force to be reckoned with. Taking on Conversations on Race, Funky Town Friday and Black History Month. Elizabeth, your gentle yet fierce guidance is so appreciated. Moi, stepping into the role of Co-chair, gentle giant- helping to steer the ship and at times during turbulent storms. I thank you.
Others, like Galen, Cat, Mary, Alex, James, Rhianon and so many others – you have been such a supporting force in this work, I thank you.
As I leave state service and start a new chapter back in the private sector, I will miss each of you. I know I’m leaving the EJBC In good hands – I’ve seen our leadership advocate for our work and will truly miss this. While I’m excited to begin this new chapter, I am also saddened that my work on the EJBC is coming to a close.
I’ve added a link for you to add comments -. Farewell to Ellena should you feel inspired to do so.
With Much Mad Love, and humility
Ellena
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EJBC wants to give a BIG SHOUTOUT to Julie Rapacki, Galen Sjostrom and Cat Tamminga Flores for accepting the nominations and appointments to the Chairs of the Data and Research Group. There is a link to a survey that they would love for you to fill out. Please do!!!!! The more information we gather the better we can represent everyone.
EJBC Leadership has requested Julie Rapacki, Galen Sjostrom and Cat Tamminga Flores facilitate a new Data and Research group for EJBC. If you have thoughts about data and research and/or are interested in joining this important work, please complete the survey here. You do not need to sign up for participation to give your feedback. All answers are optional, and you will be anonymous unless you opt to share your name and email at the end. Thank you!
EJBC is looking for Champions - The Champion (Director Role) shall have a commitment to the purpose of Statewide ERGs and to advance the
goals of employee recruitment and retention. They shall ensure that the goals of the Statewide ERG are carried out effectively and preside at and/or arrange meetings, lead business planning, as well as oversee all business done by the Statewide ERG. The Champion shall also be the main point of contact for the Statewide ERG Executive Sponsor.
If you are interested, please reach out to us via email below.
EJBC ERG is looking to add new subcommittees and subgroups to our ERG. With that means also new leadership opportunities for each Subgroup/Committees. We are looking for ways to better serve our ERG members in supporting, retaining, and hiring. We highly encourage you to volunteer to be a leader of a subgroup/subcommittee.
Here are a few of the ideas we are thinking of adding:
- Retain, Hiring
- Book Clubs
- Healing/Wellness
- Bible Study/Religion
- In Person/Virtual Events Planning
- Professional Development
- Resume Editors/Writers/Helpers
- Newsletter
- Policies Agencies/Statewide
If there is something not on the list reach out to us.
MDE EDI Center present MLK Jr. Lunch and Leard
Join us Wednesday, January 11th from 11:30am - 1:00pm!
In celebration and early observation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the EDI Center is excited to host Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. as our keynote speaker. Our theme “Beyond ‘I have a dream’” embraces and honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy as a leader and fighter for racial and social justice. We are moving beyond the narrow narrative that only acknowledges and celebrates what makes us feel comfortable. Dr. King was a profound civil and human rights leader fighting against what he called the “triple evils [of] racism, economic exploitation, and militarism”.
We are thrilled to have Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. lead us through the lessons of Dr. King while elevating the “paradox of education for our Black and Brown children”. Dr. Glaude is one of the nation’s most prominent scholars. He is an author, political commentator, public intellectual and passionate educator who examines the complex dynamics of the American experience. His writings, including Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul, In a Shade of Blue: Pragmatism and the Politics of Black America, and his most recent, the New York Times bestseller, Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for our Own, takes a wide look at Black communities, the difficulties of race in the United States and the challenges we face as a democracy. Dr. Glaude is an American critic in the tradition of James Baldwin and Ralph Waldo Emerson, confronting history and bringing our nation’s complexities, vulnerabilities and hope into full view.
Dr. Glaude is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor and Chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton and he is on the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. He frequently appears in the media, as a columnist for TIME Magazine and as an MSNBC contributor on programs like Morning Joe and Deadline Whitehouse with Nicolle Wallace. He regularly appears on Meet the Press on Sundays and hosts Princeton’s AAS podcast, a conversation around the field of African American Studies and the Black experience in the 21st century.
Please mark your calendar for Wednesday, January 11th from 11:30am - 1:00pm and join us for this very special Lunch and Learn session in celebration and remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We guarantee that you will leave inspired and ready to make moves that centers equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in all that you do to support our students, families and communities.
Click here to register for our MLK Jr. Lunch & Learn!
Working Title: Civil Rights Operations Manager
Job Class: State Program Administrator Manager Senior
Agency: Transportation Dept Job ID 61871
This position is located at Central Office in St. Paul, Minnesota. This position will have the option to telework; the employee will be required to complete a telework agreement
As the Civil Rights Operations Manager, provide executive leadership, guidance and strategic planning services to the Office of Civil Rights and in the administration of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) civil rights programs statewide. Assist the Office Director in coordinating and supervising work in the Office of Civil Rights; assume the duties of the Office Director in case of absence; coordinate with internal MnDOT offices regarding state and federal civil rights programs and construction program delivery; provide training to MnDOT districts and Central Office staff on state and federal civil rights programs in transportation; collaborate with MnDOT State Aid, local cities and counties on the administration of civil rights programs; and work with external stakeholder groups statewide to develop and implement program initiatives regarding MnDOT’s civil rights programs. The position also manages the agency’s civil rights compliance and enforcement activities, develops and reviews program initiatives, and directs the work of employees that administer civil rights programs.
Working Title: Director of American Indian Health
Job Class: Health Program Manager Senior
Agency: Health Department Job ID60835
As the Office of American Indian Health (OAIH) Director, you will lead the division to create and implement a strategic plan for the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to improve its capacity to advance American Indian Health without infringing upon tribal sovereignty. This is a newly created position, reporting to the MDH’s Assistant Commissioner of Health Equity Bureau, and works in partnership with Minnesota’s American Indian Tribes, MDH’s Tribal Liaison, and MDH division directors.
Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:
- Develop and implement new strategies and activities to advance American Indian health and wellbeing, including securing funding for those activities (e.g., through grants and state budget proposals).
- Influence and facilitate decision-making processes through policy writing, intentional goal setting, and internal capacity building, to advance American Indian Health.
- Coordinate intra-agency activities to advance American Indian health across MDH bureaus such as Health Improvement, Health Protection, and Health Systems.
- Collaborate in the planning and execution of cross-cutting Bureau efforts to improve health outcomes for all Minnesotans disproportionately impacted by heath inequities.
- Ensure ongoing MDH staff development around American Indian Health and health disparities.
- Expand and improve the depth of partnerships with Minnesota state enterprise leaders, tribes, and other community partners.
The long-standing and systemic nature of the problems, with which this position is concerned, requires deep appreciation for American Indian health disparities, including the effects of settler colonialism on health outcomes.
Working Title: Diversity Equity & Inclusion Director
Job Class: Health Program Manager Senior
Agency: Health Department Job ID 60949
As a key contributor to the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) mission, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Director will contribute to an agency wide strategic initiative of reducing public health disparities and help better reflect those we serve.
The DEI Director will be responsible for providing the leadership, planning, organizing, coordinating, implementation and evaluation of activities for MDH on diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging, which include:
- Create and implement MDH’s internal DEI strategic plan, working as an advisor and subject matter expert
- Influencing and facilitating decision making processes such as policy writing, intentional goal setting, and internal capacity building, that support an inclusive culture of belonging
- Ensuring ongoing staff development around diversity, equity, inclusion and belong
- Advising MDH leadership on key DEI metrics and their measurement to create greater and more transparent accountability
- Improve workplace experience of groups that have been historically marginalized/under-represented
- Partner with Minnesota state enterprise DEI leaders and other community stakeholders
This new position works under the direction MDH’s Assistant Commissioner of Health Equity, and in close partnership with Human Resources, other Workforce Planning positions within the department, and with other directors in the Bureau of Health Equity and across the agency.
The long-standing and systematic nature of diversity, equity and inclusion issues in the workplace requires deep appreciation for historical legacies of racism and discrimination and the ways in which those histories inform contemporary organizational culture, functioning, and workplace experience.
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Here is the much anticipated EJBC Resource List. I would like to say thank you to Cat Tamminga, Julie Rapacki, and Elizabeth Stephens for collecting this information and putting it all together.
appreciated.
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Conversation About Race, Ethnicity, Culture, and More. For real change, there needs to be real conversation. Every other Wednesday, we host an open and honest conversation about race, ethnicity, culture, and more. Each session features a short video or guest speaker to start a discussion. We encourage everyone to participate; you must be respectful and follow the rules. Our goal is to create awareness of history and challenges, and to spark dialogue. Add these sessions to your calendar.
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Funky Town Fridays. Music brings us together, no matter how apart we are. Join us every Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. We’ll broadcast a mix of tunes as you wrap up your week and help you get your weekend off to a fun and funky start. Add these sessions to your calendar. |
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