The Community Diversity Group presented its third biannual Community Diversity Conference, “Embracing and Implementing Inclusion,” this summer to a sold-out crowd of 260 people at the Penn Stater. At the conference, CDG honored Dr. Seria Chatters-Smith and Webster’s Bookstore and Café as the inaugural recipients of the Community Diversity Group Diversity & Inclusion Awards for individuals and organizations.
Webster’s Bookstore and Café, the recipient of the Organization Diversity & Inclusion Award, is a small, locally-owned business in downtown State College that sells books and freshly-made food items. As described by the nominator, “In addition, and perhaps more importantly, Webster’s is an inclusive community gathering place for members of the LGBTQA community, People of Color and people of various ethnic backgrounds. Webster’s supports these communities by hosting free events, by sponsoring events hosted by the State College Borough Community Engagement Office, by offering meeting space for community-based organizations and by supporting other community diversity and inclusion activities and events. Webster’s is a place where everyone can feel safe and welcomed.”
As described by her nominator, Chatters, director of equity and inclusion for State College Area School District, “has been doing yeoman’s work leading Equity and Inclusion efforts since her appointment last summer. Changing cultures, raising people’s awareness, nurturing their inner change and implementing systemic change, is neither easy nor quick, and is always met with some resistance. I’m sure SCASD is no exception, being a system with 656 teachers and 6,795 students who are approximately 81 percent white, 96 percent English-fluent, 83 percent not economically disadvantaged and 89 percent not in special education, set in a community that is even more homogeneous. Equity and inclusion, or lack thereof, are not just about race. Dr. Chatters has taken it on in its multiple dimensions, an undertaking of enormous breadth. She is working both on long-term systemic changes and on improving things in the short-term for marginalized people.
“Chatters has conceived of, initiated and leads/facilitates Inclusive Excellence Committee workgroups focused on different dimensions of diversity, equity advocates at the schools, book clubs and book studies for parents and administrators, conversations on race for students, staff and community and events for High School Diversity Week and Sexual Assault Awareness Week, to name a few.
“She has organized and continues to organize professional development events focused on diversity and inclusion, and distributes material to help white educators develop anti-racist identities and practices. She envisioned and organized the June 2019 Social Justice Summer Institute which trained 44 students to be cross-culturally competent peer advocates in the high school and Delta program.”
Elaine Meder-Wilgus, owner of Webster’s Bookstore & Cafe, accepts the Community Diversity Group Diversity & Inclusion Award. Photo by Michael T. Davis Photography
The Community Diversity Group Diversity & Inclusion Awards have been established to honor local individuals and organizations who support and foster diversity and inclusion in the Centre Region.
Nominations for the awards were reviewed by a panel of judges representing a cross-section of business, local government and community members.
The award recipients serve as exemplars of embracing diversity and implementing inclusion in the community. Their creation of welcoming environments for people of all cultures and backgrounds within workspaces, residential environments, public and private businesses, schools and play places benefits the whole community.
These awards seek to recognize and encourage individuals and organizations to improve climate, marketing, hiring practices, employee training and treatment of customers in order to improve community relations and expand our vision for the Centre Region as a vibrant, connected and equitable community.
