AFT Guild Report on Racial Issues in the GCCCD and SDCCD (12/1/2021)

Dear Colleagues,

As you may recall, last spring semester we sent out a survey to the employees we represent regarding the racial climate in both the Grossmont-Cuyamaca and San Diego Community College Districts.  530 employees responded to our survey.  Over the last six months we have spent a considerable amount of time analyzing the data we received, resulting in the findings in the attached report.

With this report, we aim to understand the GCCCD and SDCCD’s classified professionals, faculty, and NANC employees’ experiences of perceived racial/ethnic discrimination at work, as well as their experiences with discrimination, and explore their views about race and discussions regarding race/ethnicity in the workplace. Using our findings, we hope to provide opportunities to make progress in our work areas, and to gain information on how employees perceive the impact on racial equity on our campuses and/or in the workplace.

It is important to assess our employees’ understandings and experiences of institutional and structural racism, and gain understandings of how our campuses are building racial equity into our practices, as well as our workplace. With our findings, we will look for ways to address racial injustice, and provide better support for employees who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). We will take meaningful steps to address and combat racism and deepen our understanding of employees’ experiences with racism, both within our campuses and the larger community.

We hope that you will take the time to read through the entire report as we feel you will find it both informative and transformative.  Despite its length, it’s a quick read as there are many charts throughout.

I would like to especially thank AFT Guild members Pegah Motaleb, Gregg Robinson, Olivia Flores, Julio Soto, Janette Diaz, and Kelly Mayhew for their time and effort in developing the survey and analyzing and presenting the results.

In Solidarity,
Jim
Jim Mahler, President
AFT Guild, Local 1931
AFT Guild 1931 Report On Race Nov 2021