What is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) makes up the shared culture, philosophy and relationship of acknowledging, embracing, supporting and accepting those of all differing gender, racial, religious, sexual and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Diversity recognizes the many ways people are different.
Equity tries to correct the imbalance of an unequal society by creating more opportunities for people who historically have had less access. (Equality expects all people should be treated the same, equity takes into account a person’s individual situation, adapts accordingly so the end result is equal.)
Inclusion puts diversity into practice by respecting, supporting, welcoming and valuing all individuals and groups.
Now, what is the Office of Health Equity? That department goes back to 1999, starting out as Office of Minority Health and renamed in 2016 to the Office of Health Equity (OHE). It falls under the umbrella of NH Dept. of Health and Human Services. They provide coaching, guidance, policy, training and technical assistance throughout the whole Department for ongoing improvement related to diversity, equity and inclusion. OHE assures equal opportunity to the beneficial DHHS programs and services across all populations; ethnic, gender and sexual minorities, language, people with disabilities and racial.
What is the Governor’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
The Council works together with the NH Commission for Human Rights, the Civil Rights Unit of the NH Dept. of Justice, and any other appropriate State entities. The Council was established by Executive Order 2017-09 in Dec. 2017.
-They revisit NH laws, regulations, agency policies and procedures. If necessary, they recommend changes or amendments.
-Identify and recommend ways for the State to support local and community efforts, through educational programs or other sources.
-Identify and recommend revisions to RSA 354-A and the exact duties of the Commission for Human Rights to fight discrimination while advancing diversity and inclusion.
-Identify and recommend ways for the State to partner with non-governmental organizations to fight discrimination while advancing diversity and inclusion.
What is NH’s Dept. of Environmental Services civil rights and environmental justice all about?
According to the Commissioner, NHDES is dedicated to making sure of equal participation in all activities, programs and projects, regardless of federal funding. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, requires that no person shall be discriminated against, denied the benefit of, or excluded from participation in any program due to race, color, or national origin. Additionally, they ensure equal participation regardless of age, citizenship status, disability, gender identity, income, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, status as a veteran, or any other legally prohibited basis. To achieve this goal, NHDES have adopted a Civil Rights and Nondiscrimination Implementation Plan to make sure proper nondiscrimination measures are put into effect and supervised.
Sounds like a good thing, or maybe not to some . . .?
Rep. Mike Belcher (R-Wakefield), Liberty Alliance and Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) member, would like to see all that go away. He has sponsored a bill proposing to close those three departments, claiming that “no positive work” comes from them. Rep. Belcher, opines “. . .these departments entirely fly in the face of historic understanding of the nature of government and improperly provide for a form of partiality based on different characteristics from religion to sex to race.”
Hoo-boy!
Actually, these are guardrails put in place to fight what seems to be a never-ending battle against discrimination aimed at “the other.” Human rights are not a matter of opinion.
Ummm, why the effort to reverse all that?