Glossary
AAE
African American English (also called African American Vernacular English, AAVE), AAE is a fully rule-bound dialect of English, just like British English or any other dialect one can be fluent in, born in the American South as a result of slavery. Largely misunderstood as “bad English” or “bad grammar,” AAE can be used independently of a person’s level of education or literacy, and many people who do speak AAE are very adept at code-switching between Standard American English and AAE. (92)
Ableism/Ableist
The normalization of able-bodied persons resulting in the privilege of “normal ability” as well as the oppression and exclusion of people with disabilities at many levels in society. Ableism involves both exclusive attitudes of able-bodied persons and denying access to people with disabilities. (27)
Accessibility
The quality of being able to have access to someone or something. Especially for the Disabled community, this can include any of the following needs: physical and community access, as well as access to communication, employment, and/or education. (28)
Accessories of Influence
Term coined by the BIPOC Living Document describing individuals who knowingly or unknowingly perpetuate standards of White Supremacy inside, outside, and around the institution.
Roles include: Creative Staff / Team (Stage Management, Technicians, Designers), Community Engagement Staff, Teaching Artists, Volunteers, Donors, Actors, Patrons. (29)
Accountability
The ways in which individuals and communities hold themselves to their goals and actions, and acknowledge the values and groups to which they are responsible. Accountability requires visibility, transparency, commitment, and a sense of urgency. Accountability is not always doing it right. Sometimes it’s really about what happens after it’s done wrong. (30) (31)
Affinity group
A group of people having a common interest or goal or acting together for a specific purpose. In the workplace, you may also refer to an affinity group by its more common corporate synonym, "employee resource group." (7)
AFROCENTRICITY
Afrocentricity is a paradigm based on the idea that African people should re-assert a sense of agency in order to achieve sanity. One of the key assumptions of the Afrocentrist is that all relationships are based on centers, margins, and the distances from either the center or the margin. When Black people view themselves as centered and central in their own history, then they see themselves as agents, actors, and participants rather than as marginals on the periphery of political or economic experience. (94)
Ally
A person of one social identity group who stands up in support of members of another group; typically a member of a dominant group standing beside member(s) of a group being discriminated against or treated unjustly. Regardless of identity, everyone benefits when any of us take steps toward eliminating prejudice and discrimination in our society.
Anti-Blackness
Politically incorrect comments and covert structural and systemic racism that predetermine the socioeconomic status of Black people. Anti-Blackness is held in place by anti-Black policies, institutions, and ideologies that strip Blackness of value, dehumanize Black people, and systematically marginalize Black people. Anti-Blackness is also the disregard for Black institutions and policies. This disregard is the product of class, race, and/or gender privilege that certain individuals experience due to anti-Black institutions and policies. (17)
Anti-Indigenousness
Politically incorrect comments and covert structural and systemic racism that predetermine the socioeconomic status of Indigenous people. Anti-Indigenousness is held in place by anti-Indigenous policies, institutions, and ideologies that strip Indigenousness of value, dehumanize Indigenous people, and systematically marginalize Indigenous people. Anti-Indigenousness is also the disregard for Indigenous institutions and policies. This disregard is the product of class, race, and/or gender privilege that certain individuals experience due to anti-Indigenous institutions and policies. (17)
Antiracism
A powerful collection of antiracist policies that lead to racial equity and are validated by antiracist ideas.
Antiracist
Someone who is supporting policies that oppose racial inequity through specific daily actions or expressions of ideas that all racial groups are equal and that none need developing. Being an antiracist is not a permanent label, rather, it is dependent upon daily behavior. (17)(18)
Antiracist Idea
Any idea suggesting that all racial groups are equal in all their apparent differences; there is nothing right or wrong with any racial group. These ideas argue that racist policies are the cause of racial inequities. (18)
Antiracist policy
Any governing measure, law, rule, procedure, process, regulation, or guideline that produces or sustains racial equity between racial groups and creates equal opportunity for all racial groups. (18)
Anti-Semitism
A certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred towards the Jewish community. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, Jewish community institutions, and religious facilities. This may include prejudiced or stereotyped views as well as the marginalization and/or oppression of people who are Jewish based on stereotypes and myths. Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country should not be conflated with anti-Semitism. (32)(33)(34)(35)
Apologist
A person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial.
Assimilationist
One who is expressing the racist idea that a racial group is culturally or behaviorally inferior and is supporting cultural or behavioral enrichment programs to "develop" that racial group. (18)
Assimilationist Ideas
Ideas that are rooted in the notion that racial groups are culturally or behaviorally inferior, but this inferiority is temporary and the inferior races can only become equal if they behave like the dominant race and subscribe to their cultural practices.
Assimilationist Policies
Policies and programs geared toward developing, civilizing, and integrating a racial group. (18)
Citations
7. How to Start an Affinity Group in the Workplace
17. Racial Equity & Anti-Black Racism
18. How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi
28. Ensuring Access for People with Disabilities
29. Action Plan — The Living Document
30. Accountability (Definition)
31. Accountability and White Anti-Racist Organizing
32. Anti-Semitism (Definition)
35. Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents
92. What is AAVE?
94. Afrocentricity
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The JJI Glossary defines terms that are necessary in discussing equity in the arts. This glossary is the result of countless hours of thoughtful research and innovation by our team.