Re: Diversity scholarship: Identifying under-represented groups

Thanks Deborah. If you have time, could you share some of the research 
into the way name-checking specific groups actually helps? I think that 
would be useful.

Léonie.


On 02/01/2019 15:40, deborah.kaplan@suberic.net wrote:
> I am not a fan of this proposal. Even though it makes people 
> uncomfortable, and increases the odds of external pushback, the fact 
> remains that naming specific groups has evidence-based results. I can 
> seek out the research on this if people want to see it, but basically, 
> respondents from underrepresented groups are far more likely to apply 
> when their groups are specifically named.
> 
> I'm comfortable with saying that the diversity scholarship might be open 
> to people from groups which are not specifically named, but which are 
> underrepresented, and that they can choose to apply as well giving 
> information about why they should be considered. But it is very 
> important for a scholarship like this to name the specific groups whose 
> applications are being actively solicited.
> 
> The reality is that the groups of people who are *most* 
> under-represented are already facing a large hurdle to think they're 
> welcome at the W3C, and name-checking those groups makes an active 
> difference, and there is research that shows this.
> 
> (From my personal experience, here's an example: I'm a member of three 
> groups which would usually come under "underrepresented" labels. For two 
> of them, I know for a fact that the W3C wants more representation. For 
> the third, I honestly have no idea. I have not the foggiest idea about 
> how well that group is represented in the W3C across membership or 
> management, and I'm not actually even sure if it would have that much of 
> an influence on our work. If that were the only 
> traditionally-underrepresented group of which I were a member, I would 
> have absolutely no idea whether or not this scholarship would be 
> intended for me, and so there is no way I would apply for it. And, 
> honestly, because I'm also in three of the W3C's most *over* represented 
> groups, I'm not even sure if I should. So seeing a specific list of who 
> is being solicited is incredibly helpful.)
> 
> Deborah

-- 
@LeonieWatson tink.uk Carpe diem

Received on Wednesday, 2 January 2019 15:54:27 UTC