/ Alumni and Family Engagement

Alumni of Color Advisory Council

In collaboration with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI), the Alumni of Color Advisory Council assists the continuous development of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at Hope College through identifying and organizing opportunities for students and alumni of color.

Alumni of Color Advisory Council 2021

Established in 2020, the Alumni of Color Advisory Council is composed entirely of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) alumni, and advises the college on ways to intentionally empower and strengthen relationships with students and alumni of color. Through bi-monthly meetings, the council plans to develop programming, promote mentorship and advocate for institutional change towards a more equitable and inclusive environment.

Council MEMBERS

VIDEO LIBRARY — Anti-Racism In Action at Hope College

Tools for Tackling Micro-Aggressions in the Workplace | Hope College Connection LIVE


Vanessa Greene talks with LEDA


To Achieve Our Country: Pathways to an Anti-Racist Future


Hope College No Justice, No Peace

Read, Listen, Discuss

We encourage friends of the Alumni of Color Advisory Council to join us in reading, listening and discussing the following titles:

  • “1619”is a New York Times audio series, hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones, that examines the long shadow of American slavery. Listen to the episodes below, or read the transcripts by clicking the icon to the right of the play bar. For more information about the series, visitnytimes.com/1619podcast
  • BlackFatigue by Mary-Frances Winters
    • Racism is killing Black people. But it's not just the atrocities that break into the mainstream news cycle. It's also what award-winning diversity, equity and inclusion expert Mary Frances-Winters calls Black fatigue: the crushing physical and psychological toll of dealing with a constant stream of racist acts and attitudes, from the clueless to the cruel to the criminal.Black Fatiguefaces the disparate outcomes of intergenerational exhaustion that affect the intimate, daily lives of Black people. Winters writes, "I ask white people to read this book not only to be educated on the history of racism but also to be motivated to become an antiracist, an ally and a power broker for systemic change. For Black people, I hope that it will be educational and affirming, and when one of your white colleagues asks you to educate them, you can refer them to this resource, so as not to exacerbate your own fatigue."PurchaseBlack Fatiguefrom LIT | Multicultural Bookshop.
  • Looking for more?Check out more titles, podcasts, movies and more onCDI's Anti-RacismResources page
Anti-Racism Glossary and Resources
  • Anti-Racist— A conscious decision to make frequent, consistent, equitable choices daily. These choices require ongoing self-awareness and self-reflection as we move through life. In the absence of making antiracist choices, we (un)consciously uphold aspects of white supremacy, white-dominant culture, and unequal institutions and society. Being racist or antiracist is not about who you are; it is about what you do. (National Museum of African American History and Culture,Talking about Race).

  • BIPOC— Black, Indigenous, People of Color, the term is used to highlight the unique relationship to whiteness that Indigenous and Black (African American) people have, which shapes the experiences of and relationship to white supremacy for all people of color within a U.S. context. (The BIPOC Movement)

  • CDI— Hope College'sCenter for Diversity and Inclusion
  • DEI— Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Diversity— The range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs.
    • Equity— A measure of fair treatment, opportunities and outcomes across race, gender, class, and other dynamics; differs from equality, which focuses on the equal distribution of resources rather than equal results.
    • Inclusion-指确保一个社区的所有成员都能平等地获得该社区固有的利益,并确保任何个人或群体的繁荣不因优待一个群体而排斥另一个群体的政策或做法而受到世界杯英格兰队vs丹麦队足彩阻碍的故意行为。

  • Decolonization-对殖民列强的积极抵抗,以及权力向政治、经济、教育、文化、精神上的独立和源自殖民国家自身本土文化的权力的转移。This process occurs politically and also applies to personal and societal psychic, cultural, political, agricultural, and educational deconstruction of colonial oppression.

  • Individual Racism— Occurs between individuals. These are public expressions of racism, often involving slurs, biases,or hateful words or actions. (National Museum of African American History and Culture,Talking about Race).

  • Micro-aggression— Brief, commonplace, subtle or blatant daily verbal, behavior or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color. (University of Washington Racial Equity Glossary) Three types of microaggressions:
    • Microassault-与传统上认为的“公开歧视”最为相似。Microassaults can be verbal, nonverbal, or environmental.
    • Microinsult— A comment or action that communicates insensitivity or disregard of a person's identity.
    • Microinvalidation— A comment or action that ignores or dismisses the thoughts, feelings or experiences of a member of an oppressed group. (Fitchburg State University, Anti-Racism Resources)

  • POC— People of Color, often the preferred collective term for referring to non-white racial groups, rather than “minorities.” Racial justice advocates have been using the term “people of color” (not to be confused with the pejorative “colored people”) since the late 1970s as an inclusive and unifying frame across different racial groups that are not white, to address racial inequities.

  • Privilege— Unearned social power accorded by the formal and informal institutions of society toallmembers of a dominant group (e.g., white privilege, male privilege, etc.). Privilege is usually invisible to those who have it because they are taught not to see it, but nevertheless it puts them at an advantage over those who do not have it. (Colours of Resistance Archive, “Privilege”)

  • Racism— Different from racial prejudice, hatred or discrimination. Racism involves one group having the power to carry out systematic discrimination through the institutional policies and practices of the society and by shaping the cultural beliefs and values that support those racist policies and practices.

  • Structural Racism-跨机构和社会的种族偏见制度。这些制度给予白人特权,导致有色人种处于不利地位。主流电影和媒体对有色人种罪犯的刻板印象。(National Museum of African American History and Culture,Talking about Race).

  • White Supremacy— A form of racism centered upon the belief that white people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds and that whites should politically, economically and socially dominate non-whites. While often associated with violence perpetrated by the KKK and other white supremacist groups, it also describes a political ideology and systemic oppression that perpetuates and maintains the social, political, historical, and/or industrial White domination. (Race Forward, "Race Reporting Guide")

To view these definitions and more resources, please visit the following external resources:

Previous Council Members