The Oregon Caregiver SPRING/SUMMER 2022 www.ohca.com 14 FEATURE » FEATURE, CONT. coworkers to managers to residents, and there are folks who are working alongside of them who don’t want to acknowledge race or deal with it. “What we hear a lot is that anti-racism and anti-oppression work are seen as somehow separate or something that we don’t really have time for because we’ve got all these competing priorities, like staffing shortages and residents getting sick. In reality, they are intertwined, and they are inseparable. There are worker shortages in part because of racism and the experience of folks of color not feeling safe or supported at work. COVID-19 had a disproportionate impact on communities of color, so it’s not, ‘once we get through this, then we can do some anti-racism work;’ it has to be baked into all the pieces,” said Rutledge. After surveying OHCA members through ETC’s consultancy with OHCA, Rutledge and Washington said the biggest barrier they saw in Oregon’s long term care sector was the lack of effort to make DEI a priority. The survey results showed recurring themes, consistent with those found in the general Pacific Northwest. Some of the responses in the survey showed “overt discrimination, bias and racism.” The results revealed racism, sexism, xenophobia, ableism, homophobia, and other oppressions as barriers for some of those served by OHCA. The survey also revealed what level of support is needed to advance DEI in long term care and the appetite the sector has for more training and resources on the topic. When prompted, “I would be more active in advancing equity if…” the top three responses included: • “…I had more training,” translating to more education. • “…I was compensated for additional emotional labor,” translating to more resources. • “…I had more time.” Based on those results, ETC outlined recommendations for OHCA to further support our members. Those recommendations include level set trainings for OHCA internally, as well as trainings at the management and caregiver levels to complete. In their experience, some organizations want to be able to say they did the work but not engage in a way that makes meaningful changes. “A lot of times people in leadership positions within agencies don’t actually want to prioritize what the work is and how it needs to happen,” said Washington. “They don’t actually understand the harm caused by racism and oppressions that go unchecked and unaddressed within their staff, within their framework, within their relationship to community.” More people and companies are opening eyes and having those important conversations. For those who are ready to engage, Washington and Rutledge say examining unconscious biases on an individual basis and asking oneself uncomfortable questions is a great place to start. “You can’t perceive it if you’re in it, so how does someone start to examine it if they haven’t even perceived that it’s a thing they’re connected to? There is so much to learn and unlearn and unpack and engage—for white folks in particular—whether individually, interpersonally, or organizationally that we have to first and foremost be curious about ourselves and our relationship to how we have and haven’t learned things and what we need to do differently,” said Rutledge. “We have to approach the work from curiosity, from humility, and from a willingness to make mistakes and do it incorrectly, but to build the capacity to keep going.” DEI initiatives all have the goal of creating a working culture where employees know their value and feel not only welcomed, but fully included. Long term care leaders have the unique position to drive change within their organizations with simple and critical measures, whether that’s getting external help from experts in the field or resetting organizational missions and structures. Being open to making mistakes and to being challenged will be instrumental to making meaningful changes in our sector. There are no quick fixes or instant results in the DEI space; the work is gradual and part of a lifelong journey of listening, fumbling, and growing. OHCA will continue to walk this journey together with, and in support of, our members. “What we hear a lot is that anti-racism and anti-oppression work is seen as somehow separate or something that we don’t really have time for because we’ve got all these competing priorities, like staffing shortages and residents getting sick. In reality, they are intertwined, and they are inseparable.” – Kasia Rutledge, Co-owner & Facilitator, Engage to Change, LLC
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