Northwest Diversity Learning Series Resources
ISDI provides the resources on this page for attendees of the NW Diversity Learning Series to continue your learning on the topics of our workshops. We intend for these to help you better understand and solve the DEI challenges and opportunities you encounter.
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2025 NWDLS Workshop Resources
Let’s talk out our differences – Learn to argue Better
Skill-based learning for discussing contentious topics
Set your calendar for the Upcoming Sessions!
Resources
Workshop 1 | Workshop 2 | Workshop 3 | Workshop 4 | Workshop 5
Workshop 5 with Dr. David Campt
“Racism Re-examined: Is it Over or Not?”
In this workshop, we learned the ABC Method for discussing racism—Agree Before Challenge. We were encouraged to share personal stories to form connection rather than try to persuade using data. We also talked about the importance of self-regulating when engaged in difficult conversations.
Digital Resources
- Compassion Transforms Contempt: A Black Dialogue Expert’s Advice for White Progressives on Down-Revving Anger, Creating Connections…and Maybe Changing the World, by Dr. David Campt.
- Equipping Anti-racism Allies: Unitarian Universalist Edition, by Dr. David Campt and Allison Mahaley.
- The White Ally Toolkit Workbook: Using Active Listening, Empathy, and Personal Storytelling to Promote Racial Equity, by Dr. David Campt
Dr. Campt’s Websites
Workshop 4 with Chuck Shelton
“Meritocracy: Who Deserves a Seat at the Table?”
In this workshop, we discussed the pervasiveness of bias in systems that purport to be merit-based and what an Inclusive Meritocracy might look like.
Articles
- Haney, Craig and Aida Hurtado. (1994) “The Jurisprudence of Race and Meritocracy: Standardized Testing and ‘Race-Neutral’ Racism in the Workplace“
- Henderson, Effenus. (Feb 2025) “Meritocracy“
- Shelton, Chuck. “The Merit Mess: Can We Fix Meritocracy Beyond Bias?“
Books
- The American Non-dilemma: Racial Inequality without Racism (2013)
by Nancy DiTamaso
Explores how white Americans’ practices of “opportunity hoarding” through social networks reproduce racial inequality in the post-civil rights era.
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men (2019)
by Caroline Criado Perez
While more focused on gender bias, this book shows how “neutral” systems often embed unrecognized bias, which is very relevant for discussions of fair merit.
- The Meritocracy Paradox: Where Talent Management Strategies Go Wrong and How to Fix Them (2025)
by Emilio J. Castilla
More organizational / applied perspective. It looks at how meritocratic ideals are implemented in companies and institutions, how bias creeps in, and suggests real‑world fixes.
- The Meritocracy Trap: How America’s Foundational Myth Feeds Inequality, Dismantles the Middle Class, and Devours the Elite (2020)
by Daniel Markovits
Argues that meritocracy has not only failed many but also harms even those who “succeed” by its standards. Rich with economic, legal, and social analysis.
- The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? (2020)
by Michael J. Sandel
Philosophical take. Sandel examines the moral and political costs of a merit-based system: how it shapes attitudes toward success and failure, notions of worth, and societal cohesion.
Videos
- Burey, Jodi-Ann. The Myth of Bringing Your Full, Authentic Self to Work, Nov 2020
- Daniel Markovits. “Meritocracy, economic turmoil, and the broken promises of the West” The Institute of Art and Ideas, February 18, 2025
- Daniel Markovits. “Is Meritocracy a Sham?” Amanpour and Company, March 6, 2020
Workshop 3 with Jess Galván
“Immigrants: Do they take jobs away from U.S. citizens?”
In this workshop, we discussed common myths and moved beyond polarized talking points to examine the facts about immigration and the significance of the stories we tell about immigrants.
Resources
- U.S. Immigrant Resource Hub
- World Relief Advocacy Page
- Equipped to Act: Understanding Immigration in Uncertain Times (originally produced as a 2024 election guide, it contains information on immigration policies, common myths, and ways to be an advocate)
Videos
- Ngozi Adichie, Chimamanda (October 7, 2009) The Danger of a Single Story
Research
- Argo, Nicole and Kate Jassen. American Immigration Council (February 18, 2021) Understanding How Deeply We Hold Our Immigration Stances May Matter as Much as What Our Stances Are
- Moslimani, Mohammad and Jeffrey S. Passel. Pew Research (September 7, 2024) What the Data Says About Immigrants in the U.S.
- Passel, Jeffrey S. and Jens Manuel Krogstad. Pew Research (July 22, 2024) What We Know About Unauthorized Immigrants Living in the U.S.
- Roy, Diana. Council on Foreign Relations (October 30, 2024) How Does Immigration Affect the U.S. Economy?
Articles
- Casteñeda, Ernesto. The Conversation (October 24, 2024) “Proof that Immigrants Fuel the U.S. Economy Is Found in the Billions They Send Back Home“
- Chishti, Muzaffar and Kathleen Bush-Joseph, Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh, and Madeleine Greene. Migration Information Source (December 10, 2025) “Biden’s Mixed Immigration Legacy: Border Challenges Overshadowed Modernization Advances“
- Galván, Jess. World Relief Blog (December 16, 2024) “Faith in the Halls of Power: The Transformative Power of Speaking Up“
- Galván, Jess. World Relief Chicagoland (November 15, 2024) Why We Welcome—”The Top 5 Immigration Myths Debunked“
- Gilder, Lucy. BBC Verify (September 29, 2024) “How Many Migrants Have Crossed the U.S. Border Illegally?“
- Lou, Kimberly and Barbara Deane. Diversity Central (April 2018) “Global Diversity Puts New Spin on Loden’s Diversity Wheel“
- Passel, Jeffrey S. and Jens Manuel Krogstad. Pew Research (July 22, 2024) What We Know About Unauthorized Immigrants Living in the U.S.
- Paz, Christian. Vox (July 12, 2024) “3 Theories for America’s Anti-immigrant Shift“
Book
- Gil, Carlos B. Gildeane Group (August 17, 2012) We Became Mexican American: How Our Immigrant Family Survived to Pursue the American Dream
Workshop 2 with ISDI Board Members
“DEI Business Practices: Needed or Not?”
In this workshop, we looked at the history of DEI initiatives and discussed the merits and shortcomings of DEI practices in the workplace.
Tools
- History of Laws and Executive Orders to Address Discrimination
- Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB): Standards for Organizations Around the World
- ISO Human Resource Management Standard on Diversity & Inclusion (ISO 30415:2021)
Articles
- “The Curb-Cut Effect” by Angela Glover Blackwell (Winter 2017)
- “From Affirmative Action to Affirming Diversity” by R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. (Mar-Apr 1990)
- “Disability – A Brief Historical Overview” by Kyle Murphy (July 11, 2024)
- “History of LGBTQ+ Inclusion in the American Workforce” by Worktango
- “The History of Sexual Orientation Discrimination” by Genevieve Carlton, Ph.D
- “Not All Women Gained the Right to Vote in 1920” NPR (July 6 2020)
Video
- Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution written and directed by James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham (2021)
Podcast
- How Did DEI Become Part of a Political Agenda — And a Slur? with Ella Washington and Frank Dobbin (March 5, 2025)
Books
- Women at Work: The Transformation of Work and Life in Lowell, 1826-1860 by Thomas Dublin. New York: Columbia University Press, 1979.
- Disability in the Industrial Revolution: Physical Impairment in British Coalmining, 1780-1880 by Blackie D. Turner. Manchester (UK): Manchester University Press; 2018.
Websites
- Washington Center for Equitable Growth
- Who Got the Right to Vote When?
- She Resisted, Strategies of Suffrage (Interactive, audio-visual)
Directives
- Multi-State Guidance Concerning Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Employment Initiatives, From the Offices of the Attorneys General in 16 States (Feb 13, 2025)
In Honor of Women’s History Month:
Workshop 1 with Michael Reszler
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Let’s Get Into it! Argue, Avoid, or Acquiesce?
Learn the Better Arguments Process
In our first Workshop of 2025, we learned not to shy away from difficult conversations but to be able to discuss divergent points of view without becoming contentious and polarized.
Websites
Videos
- Liu, Eric (May 2024) #DisagreeBetter, Keynote to the National Governors’ Association in Nashville, TN
- Liu, Eric (Sep 2013) Why Ordinary People Need to Understand Power, a TedTalk
Books
- Duhigg, Charles (2024) Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection
- Gentile, Mary C. (2012) Giving Voice to Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What’s Right
- Rosenberg, Marshall B. (2015) Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life
- Warner, C. Terry (2016) Bonds That Make Us Free: Healing Our Relationships, Coming to Ourselves
Articles
- LaMotte, Sandee (2020) “How to Talk Politics with Angry Loved Ones Who Disagree with You.”
- Mayer, Katherine (2024) “Incivility Hits Highest Level This Year—and is Costing Employers Billions.”
- Clifford, Catherine (2020) “This Expert Says You Shouldn’t Keep Politics out of the Office—Here’s the Right Way to Talk about it at Work.”
Report
- American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship (2020) “Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century.”
