Addressing Bias in the Workplace

working at desk with computer

Jessica Garcia

working at desk with computer

Building off the workshops on Implicit Bias and Microaggressions, participants will turn their attention to strategies to address bias in the workplace. Using case studies and through facilitated discussions, participants in this session will:

  • Discuss and apply techniques to combat microaggressions, as a bystander or as a recipient
  • Consider examples of institutional bias and strategies to disrupt them
  • Identify methods to receive feedback

Length: 2 hours

Audience: All LSA staff, faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates currently employed in LSA are welcome to attend.

March 2023 Newsletter

Public Forum on Nonprofit Boards and Communities: Mar. 15


“Community Connections: Forging Equitable Relationships Between Nonprofit Boards and the Communities They Serve”
Wed, Mar 15 @ 5:30-7:30 pm
Blau Hall, B0560


As nonprofit organizations grow, it is easy for board members to become increasingly disconnected from the community members they serve. What actions can boards take to be sure community voices are included, without tokenizing individual community members? How are boards rethinking organizational structures to foster equity and inclusion? We invite the public to join Board Fellowship students and staff for this interactive panel discussion. Panelists include Ken Bluhm of Michigan United Cerebral Palsy, Adam Grant of A Brighter Way, Sarah Hennessy of RE!nstitute, and Loren Townes Jr. of Growing Hope.

Dinner will be served. Please RSVP through Eventbrite.

REGISTER HERE


FROM THE +IMPACT STUDIO:

New +Impact Studio Applebaum Impact Design Fellows Bring Expert Knowledge and Passion to Ventures

The +Impact Studio made incredible strides in 2022. It revived its physical community space and Impact Design Lab following COVID-19, launched the largest and most diverse cohort of founders & Applebaum Impact Design Fellows to date, and propelled financial equity & climate action ventures to success. The Studio continues to surpass all expectation. This momentum continued into 2023 as the +Impact Studio added three new faces to a few of their all-star ventures. After a rigorous application process, the new Fellows selected include Ogochukwu Okoye for finding joi, Rebekah Lim for Grow Together (G2G), and Jonathan Amos for Affirmative. (previously named Lifeboat).

READ THE POST

Studio Alum in the News: Black Queer Heroes in Comic Books and the Classroom

Exciting news for +Impact Studio alum Nathan Alston and his venture, Plucky Comics! Alston was a recent NPR guest, talking with Stateside’s April Baer about his venture’s mission, impact, and latest release – listen here – and featured in the UM news. Formed by Michigan Ross alums Nathan Alston and Daniella Gennaro, Plucky Comics is an activist-led company dedicated to protecting and reimagining Black queer history and finding ways to bring these important, undertold stories into the classroom. Alston & Gennaro were selected as co-Founders in the +Impact Studio’s Founders program, working with the studio team of coaches for over a year.

Studio Venture finding joi Formally Launches!

Congratulations to +Impact Studio founder, Joi James on launching finding joi, LLC! Over the past year, Joi has been working with other fellows, mentors, and investors within the +Impact Studio to build this social venture aimed at creating opportunities for Black womxn and femme-identifying folks to experience joy in their daily lives amidst personal, professional, and academic responsibilities as well as educating employers on how to create psychologically and physically safe spaces. finding joi will be celebrating its launch with a private event showcasing Baddie Brooks, a classically trained musician, writer, and performer based in Detroit. 

Get engaged with finding joi by signing up for their newsletter at findmyjoi.com and check out their founder testimonial here!


Board Fellows Experiences

The 2022-23 Board Fellowship Program will come to its conclusion in April. Students from RossFord, School of Information, School for the Environment and Sustainability, and other programs developed project management and executive skills as board members of nonprofit organizations in Southeast Michigan. In addition to attending all board meetings and serving on a board committee, they worked on a board-level project tackling a complex organizational challenge.

In this article, we check in with five students to get a glimpse into their work and find out what they’ve learned so far!

READ THE ARTICLE

Support our Social Impact Students on Giving BlueDay

Give on:
Wed, Mar. 15

We invite you to give directly to B+I’s Social Impact Internship Fund (313726) on Giving BlueDay March 15! You’ll enable Michigan Ross talent to make an impact in the community by reducing financial barriers to complete a social impact internship. Your gift directly supports summer stipends for undergraduate and  graduate students.

Plan to Donate Here


Summer Impact Internship Funding Application

Apply now!

Each summer, Business+Impact awards competitive grants for summer internships to MBAs and BBA juniors in the Ross School of Business as well as MPP students in the Ford School of Public Policy.
 
The application for these monetary awards has just opened and will be considered on a rolling basis until April 18th. Award decisions will be based on the level of need (taking into account other funding being received), consideration of the position, the organization’s impact, and the quality of the application.

Apply now!

ALSO: Our friends at the School of Social Work offer Social Justice Internship Funding through their Community Action Social Change Center. The CASC Summer Social Justice Internship Fund provides up to $2000 (depending on the length of the summer internship) for students seeking an internship, field, or volunteer opportunities in community settings with a social justice emphasis. Apply by March 30th.

Apply now!

Ross Event Highlights:


(Ross) Michigan Fintech Conference

Thurs, Mar. 9 @ 5-8:30 pm
Robertson Auditorium


(CPO) The War for Kindness

Thurs, Mar. 23 @ 2-3 pm
Online


(Weiser Center) Albert Berriz

Wed, Mar. 15 @ 3-4:30 pm
Blau Colloquium


(CPO) Accelerate Your Purpose

Thurs, Apr. 6 @ 4-5:30 pm
at Ross

Image of Impact Gateway homepage.

A Searchable Platform for All Things Impact at Ross and Across Campus


The Business+Impact Gateway provides you with a single location for all things impact. Here you’ll find all of the activities, people and key partners working to use their learning to make a real impact in the world. 

IMPACT GATEWAY

SPOTLIGHT:

Neesha Modi (MBA/MS ’12)

Neesha Modi is the Director of Programs and Social Investment Operations at the Kresge Foundation, a Detroit-based philanthropic organization dedicated to promoting human progress.Through her guidance as the connective tissue between the foundation’s operations and the mission, Ms. Modi forwards Kresge’s goals of building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, and seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. We connected with her via video link to learn about her time at Michigan Ross, her impact journey and learnings along the way.

READ MORE

At the University:

UM SCHOOL OF INFORMATION

SDG Action & Awareness Week


Mar. 6 – 10
UMSI Engagement Center


The UMSI Engaged Learning Office (ELO) is hosting and cross-promoting a series of events for the University Global Coalition Sustainable Development Goals Action and Awareness Week from Monday, March 6 to Friday, March 10. These events will explore different ways the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being addressed in an information context.

More Info


LSA

The Egalitarian Metropolis


Symposium Dates
Mar. 7-8 & Mar. 16-18
@ Taubman College, Rackham Auditorium, and UM Detroit Center


The Great Black Migration to Detroit occurred at the height of the city’s industrial dominance, and yet the result was a deeply divided metropolis where almost all the benefits of subsequent industrial restructuring flowed to white suburbanites and almost all the costs were borne by Black city residents. The culmination of the Michigan-Mellon Project on the Egalitarian Metropolis, this symposium brings together University of Michigan researchers and Detroit community leaders who are working daily to make the city’s recovery equitable and inclusive.

More Info

 


HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTH EQUITY

Breaking the Cycle


​”Creating Opportunities to Succeed for Families Experiencing Homelessness in Detroit”
Fri, Mar. 10 @ Noon – 1 pm
Virtual


This event will focus on describing common elements of family trajectories into family homelessness and housing instability, including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), intergenerational trauma and poverty, and institutional and structural barriers to recovery from housing instability. Partners from COTS will share their current innovative approaches to supporting families to break the cycle of instability.

Learn more


SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

James A. Kelly Learning Levers Prize


Proposals Due
Sun, Mar. 12, 2023


Bring your passion and make an impact on pre-K–12 Education. The James A. Kelly Learning Levers Prize is a student pitch competition that supports scalable, research-based ideas that promote learning in pre-K–12 education. All U-M undergraduate and graduate students from the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, or Flint campuses can enter as individuals or teams.

Learn more


CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS

Wege Lecture: Mary Robinson


“Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience & the Fight for a Sustainable Future”
Mon, Mar. 13 @ 6 pm
Rackham Auditorium

Join Robinson as she shares her passion for climate justice, human dignity, gender equality and women’s participation in peace-building. She will highlight the urgent need for climate change action and how local, community-based action can grow into a global effort to build a sustainable future.

More Info


U-M DEI

Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want


Tues, Mar. 14 @ Noon
Rogel Ballroom, Michigan Union


In collaboration with partners across U-M, the SPH DEI Office is bringing Dr. Ruha Benjamin to campus for a talk and community conversation on March 14, 2023. Trained as a sociologist, Dr. Benjamin’s research sits at the intersection of science, technology, and medicine and resonates deeply with the field of Public Health. Dr. Benjamin will deliver a lecture on her new book, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want.  Dr. Benjamin will deliver a lecture and then participate in a conversation/Q&A facilitated by Leseliey Welch.

More Info


CENTER FOR RACIAL JUSTICE

Twink Frey Visiting Social Activist Program


Application Due
Wed, Mar. 15


Each year the Twink Frey Visiting Social Activist (TFVSA) Program brings to CEW+ a social justice activist whose work affects women and recognizes gender equity issues.   If selected, the applicant is invited to reside near campus for up to one month or make intermittent visits to Ann Arbor and work remotely. The 2024 residency will take place during the winter semester with a presentation of their project the following fall semester at the CEW+ Annual Advocacy Symposium.

More Info


NET IMPACT AT ROSS

Community Development: Finance’s Role in Sustainable Economic Progress


Wed, Mar. 15 @ 7-8 pm
Ross R0320


Net Impact @ Ross presents its annual social impact symposium for all members of this Ross club and their friends!

Register here


INNOVATION IN ACTION

10th Annual Innovation in Action Final Showcase


Fri, Mar. 17 @ 4 pm
Tauber Colloquium, Michigan Ross


Student teams from across the University of Michigan worked for several months to develop solutions to a real-world challenge they are passionate about. Join us to learn more about these incredible teams and hear the announcement of the winners! This program is cosponsored by Business+Impact.

More Info


UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

On-Campus Paid Fellowship & Internship Opportunities


What follows is a list of paid fellowships and internships offered through the University of Michigan this coming summer.

DNEP +Impact Studio for Local Business Internship
(Extended!) Apply by Fri, Mar. 10


Poverty Solutions Internship
Apply by Wed, Mar 15


UM Campus Farm Internships
Apply by Wed, Mar. 15


Ginsberg Graduate Consultant Program
Apply by Fri, Mar. 31


Engelhardt Social Justice Fellowship
Apply by Thurs, Aug. 31


SCHOOL OF ANTHROPOLOGY

The Roy A. Rappaport Lectures
with Michael Lempert


“From Small Talk to Microagression: A History of Scale”
Fri, Mar. 17 @ 3-5 pm
Rackham Assembly Hall


Since the mid-twentieth century, US social scientists studying face-to-face interaction have been by turns fascinated and frustrated by the “small” scale of their object and the scrutiny it seemed to demand.  How did the “interpersonal” relate to the “institutional,” “micropolitics” to “mass” politics? Mr. Lempert   is currently leading a team-based ethnography of “liberal listening,” funded by The Wenner-Gren Foundation.

More Info


SANGER LEADERSHIP CENTER

Emerging Leaders Summit


Thurs, Mar. 23 @ 11 am – 3:45 pm
Michigan Ross


This summit is offered as part of Women in Leadership, a program sponsored by General Motors (GM) and open to all. We seek to provide space to increase agency, amplify women’s voices, and work with women and allies to overcome barriers. Speakers include Chris Willams, Sue Ashford, and Shellie Seyfarth.

More Info


WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE

WDI Case Writing Competitions


Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Competition
Due, Fri, Mar. 31


Energy Innovation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Due Fri, Mar. 31

You are invited to enter our competitions and support and strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) skills and knowledge for today’s students, who will become tomorrow’s global business leaders. WDI Publishing and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business are proud to present the annual Global Case Writing Competition.


MICHIGAN ROSS DEI

Virtual Allyship Workshop


Thurs, Mar. 30 @ 7:30 pm
Register by Thurs, Mar. 16
Virtual


Please join us for an interactive virtual workshop that will provide foundational educational knowledge and tools. This program is open to all students, staff, and faculty, and will take place on March 30, 2023 from 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm ET on Zoom. Pre-work will be assigned and sent two weeks before the program to maximize our time together, and will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete. Please register by 3/16/23. A zoom link will be sent after completing the registration form.

Register Here


PLANET BLUE

Sustainability Honors Cord


Applications due
Mon, Apr. 3


The Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord program is designed to recognize students who went above and beyond to advance their knowledge, skills, and practice of sustainability ethics while studying at U-M.The acceptance to the Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord program will allow students to receive an Excellence in Sustainability Honors Cord for graduation, join an exclusive alumni LinkedIn Network, and the opportunity to be part of a sustainability spotlight series.


Apply Now


SANGER LEADERSHIP CENTER

Leadership Dialogues: Kofi Bruce


Mon, Apr. 10 @ 4:30-5:30 pm
Tauber Colloquium, Michigan Ross


The Sanger Leadership Center‘s next event will feature Kofi Bruce, CFO of General Mills, with Associate Dean for Engaged Learning & Professional Development, Gretchen Spreitzer. The in-person session is open to the entire University of Michigan community, including students, staff, faculty and alumni.A recording of the conversation will be posted on Sanger’s Youtube channel after the event. A virtual livestream feed will be NOT be available for this event. 


More Info


EISENBERG INSTITUTE FOR HISTORICAL STUDIES

Race, Politics, and the Modern Metropolis


Thurs, Apr. 13 @ 6-8 pm
Anderson Room, Michigan Union

Come join Thomas J. Sugrue in conversation with U-M historians Angela D. Dillard and Matthew D. Lassiter as they discuss the historical roots of the current challenges facing American cities. Topics include politics, urban history, civil rights, faith, the carceral state, and police violence.


Info & Registration


In the Impact Community:

2023 American Express NGen Fellowship


Applications due
Mon, Mar. 27 @ 11:59 PT


The American Express NGen Fellows program provides 12 changemakers, 40 and under, a dynamic leadership development opportunity. This program will strengthen their leadership capacity and grow their personal and professional network. You can apply yourself or nominate another person with a vision for racial equity, adaptive leadership, system change, and peer learning.

Apply Here


Public Allies

Apply Now

Public Allies Metro Detroit is a program of the U of M-Dearborn, and a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. The program is made possible through funding of the Corporation for National and the Community Service and Michigan Community Service Commission. Apply now for fall opportunities.

Application Info


Skoll World Forum


Apr. 12-14
Virtual /Free

Joining the Forum online is free and open to everyone on Hopin, a virtual event platform where you can watch Oxford plenaries and sessions and connect with other virtual attendees. Please contact registration@skoll.org with any questions. The registration deadline is April 10.


Info & Registration

The Microaggression Session

We're better when we're united

We're better when we're unitedMicroaggressions are verbal, behavioral, or environmental slights. They can be overt, subtle or unintentional, and lead to significant consequences.

In this session, participants will:

Learn about “microaggressions” and other concepts relevant to this topic
Obtain an understanding of the social and psychological impacts of microaggressions
Engage in activities and dialogue to unveil microaggressions within the workplace
Validate experiences with microaggressions
Identify and discuss techniques to combat microaggressions, as a bystander or as a recipient

Audience:

This session is open to all LSA employees. It is recommended that participants complete a course on Implicit Bias before taking this session. External guests may request to join as space allows.

Registration link

The Microaggression Session

We're better when we're united

We're better when we're unitedMicroaggressions are verbal, behavioral, or environmental slights. They can be overt, subtle or unintentional, and lead to significant consequences.

In this session, participants will:

Learn about “microaggressions” and other concepts relevant to this topic
Obtain an understanding of the social and psychological impacts of microaggressions
Engage in activities and dialogue to unveil microaggressions within the workplace
Validate experiences with microaggressions
Identify and discuss techniques to combat microaggressions, as a bystander or as a recipient

Audience:

This session is open to all LSA employees. It is recommended that participants complete a course on Implicit Bias before taking this session. External guests may request to join as space allows.

Registration link

LSA DEI Workshop: Implicit Bias

This program has been modified to deliver in a remote setting and updated to include content directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For questions or requests for accommodation, please contact our Administrative Coordinator, Mikalia Dennis (mikaliad@umich.edu) as soon as possible.

In this session, participants will learn to:

– Examine your own background and identities and how these identities shape our experiences and perspectives
– Discuss how the brain functions, and relate how unconscious bias is a natural function of the human mind
– Identify patterns of unconscious bias that influence decision-making processes
– Confront internal biases and practice conscious awareness
– Review strategies to create transformational change in the workplace

You will benefit by:

– Raising self-awareness, sparking conversation with others and initiating new actions
– Enhancing your professional and personal effectiveness on and off the job
– Positively influencing personal and organizational decisions
– Creating stronger and more positive work relationships with others

Audience:

This session is open to all LSA employees. It is recommended that participants complete this course before enrolling in the Microaggression Session. External guests may request to join as space allows.

Registration Link

LSA DEI Workshop: Implicit Bias

This program has been modified to deliver in a remote setting and updated to include content directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For questions or requests for accommodation, please contact our Administrative Coordinator, Mikalia Dennis (mikaliad@umich.edu) as soon as possible.

In this session, participants will learn to:

– Examine your own background and identities and how these identities shape our experiences and perspectives
– Discuss how the brain functions, and relate how unconscious bias is a natural function of the human mind
– Identify patterns of unconscious bias that influence decision-making processes
– Confront internal biases and practice conscious awareness
– Review strategies to create transformational change in the workplace

You will benefit by:

– Raising self-awareness, sparking conversation with others and initiating new actions
– Enhancing your professional and personal effectiveness on and off the job
– Positively influencing personal and organizational decisions
– Creating stronger and more positive work relationships with others

Audience:

This session is open to all LSA employees. It is recommended that participants complete this course before enrolling in the Microaggression Session. External guests may request to join as space allows.

Registration Link