Equity and Inclusion

Statement

As a white male in a space historically and currently dominated by the same, I have an obligation to be both informed and an activisit for change. I’m dedicated to creating a space in physics and astronomy for marginalized identities. Working towards equity is a non-linear process, and change is a fundamental aspect of this work. Feel free to reach out with comments, concerns, or suggestions.

Equity work can take many forms. Below I’ve divided resources (artificially) into three categories: ways to educate yourself, ways to give, and ways to act.

Learn

While learning about equity does not in and of itself create change, the first step towards making a difference is education. To that end, what follows are resources that I’ve found useful as I begin my journey in equity and inclusion.

Articles

Credit to Rachel McClure for the consolidation of the majority of these articles.

• Land acknowledgments meant to honor Indigenous people too often do the opposite
• Anti-Black racism in academia and what you can do about it
• Identifying and Disrupting Deficit Thinking
• Diversity is a Dangerous Set-up
• A Native Hawaiian-led summary of the current impact of constructing the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea
• ‘Underrepresented Minority’ Considered Harmful, Racist Language
• Demographics of physics education research
• Astronomers May Not Like It but Astronomy and Colonialism Have a Shared History
• How well-intentioned white male physicists maintain ignorance of inequity and justify inaction.

Books

• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Podcasts

• Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw and members of the African American Policy Forum
• abolition is for everybody hosted by Initiate Justice

Give

There are multiple ways to give. Two of the most common include donating your money and your time.

Donate Money

I will match donations to the charities below up to $100 per month. Fill out this Google form telling me which charity you’ve donated to and how much, and I’ll follow up letting you know if your donation has been matched. If you don’t hear from me, that means I’ve reached my maximum donation for the month–not a bad thing! Thank you for giving. NB: I’ve sorted the charities into their primary aspiration, but have selected intersectional organizations when possible. The division is primarily so that, in a given month, if you’ve committed to giving to a certain cause, you’re able to do that. Additionally, when possible, these organizations are local to Madison, WI.

Anti-Racism Funds

• Urban Triage is an organization that works to “foster, develop, and strengthen Black economic power, Black families’ self-sufficiency, community leadership, advocacy, and family success through transformative education, psychoeducation, community engagement, trauma response, healing, and cultural heritage.”
• The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness provides “education, advocacy, support, and powerful partnerships” for Black women.

Anti-Gender Discrimination Funds

• Black Girl’s Movement provides STEM curricula donated to Black women and girls.
• Women’s Medical Fund is an organization that provides abortions.

Anti-Queer Discrimination Funds

• Black Trans Advocacy Coalition Mission provides healthcare, housing, and employment support for Black trans people.
• LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin works to create support groups and advocacy networks.
• Fair Wisconsin has a political action committee that fights for queer rights in courts.

Prison Abolition Funds

• Abolitionist Law Center is a law firm working to abolish mass incarceration.

Indigenous Rights Funds

• Sogorea Te’ Land Trust is a Bay-area based indigenous women-led organization that works to return stolen land to the tribes from which it was stolen.
• Native American Rights Fund is a legal organization providing representation to Indigenous tribes and people.

Donate Time

I have found the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wisconsin to be a fantastic volunteer experience. If you’re free on Saturday mornings, come say hi!

Act

One of the most effective ways to create change is to engage politically. The first step in this process is registering to vote. The second is to write to your elected officials. This website will help you find who those officials are, and this page from YWCA Madison gives tips for how to effectively write to those people in several ways.

Current Work (at UW-Madison)

I participated in an effort led by Melissa Morris and Miriam Marino to create a gender-neutral bathroom in the astronomy building at UW-Madison. This was ultimately successful!

Previous Work (at Pitt)

Equity and Inclusion Committee: I served as the undergraduate representative on the Pitt physics department’s E&I committee and help to analyze departmental conditions and assist in faculty hiring.

Ultra-ViOLETS: I was an active member of Ultra-ViOLETS (Ultra VIsibile Out LGBTQ+ Experimentalists, Theorists, and Staff), Pitt’s physics LGBTQ+ club.

Society of Physics Students: As a member of Pitt’s SPS chapter, I helped to mentor underclass undergraduates and provide materials necessary to succeed in physics and astronomy. In 2020, this took the form of creating a “Physics Survival Guide” that included email templates to help new students inquire about research and introductory Python and Jupyter materials.

Women and Minorities in Physics: WMP is a dedicated safe space for those who identify as as marginalized to discuss and propose changes within the department. As business manager of this club, I helped to supervise finances and communicate with governing bodies. I’m also an architect of their website.