Hello, we’re the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee. Chair: Kathryn Nishibayashi (St. Mary’s, Mariposa). Members: the Rev. Mark Hallahan (St. Paul’s, Pomona) and the Rev. Joseph Oloimooja (Holy Faith, Inglewood).
What does your subcommittee do?
Our subcommittee is charged with:
- Embedding Equity in Process: Evaluating the search process to ensure that systems and practices eliminate bias and promote fairness, so that candidates from all backgrounds can fully engage and thrive.
- Intentional Inclusion: Actively seeking and uplifting diverse perspectives, particularly those historically marginalized, including but not limited to racial, ethnic, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and disability representation.
- Formational Education: Providing resources and guidance for the Search Committee and diocese to deepen understanding around the significance of diversity, equity, and inclusion as theological and ethical commitments.
- Accountability and Transparency: Ensuring the committee communicates clearly and consistently about how DEI values are shaping the search process, building trust among stakeholders across the diocese.
- Cultural Competency: Encouraging an open-hearted discernment process that reflects the broad and beautiful diversity of God’s people, fostering a spirit of welcome, belonging, and mutual respect.
What does that involve?
Our subcommittee has worked with many of the other subcommittees to ensure that DEI issues are considered at every stage of this process. We often raise issues related to DEI in discussions with the full committee. We advised the committee that planned the listening sessions about the need for interpretation to be present, in order for our Spanish-speaking participants to be fully included. Adding Zoom options for listening sessions in addition to in-person sessions was another way we brought accessibility forward to expand the reach of who could participate. We also offered Zoom listening sessions exclusively in Spanish.
We held our listening sessions at different times of day and on weekends to reach as broad a range of people’s schedules as possible. Additionally, we held listening sessions for a variety of other demographic groups (African Descent, Asian, Latino, Youth) to ensure as many voices were heard as possible. Our diocesan-wide survey was made available in Spanish. We had wanted to perhaps offer it in Mandarin, a language spoken by many in our diocese, but the Holy Cow! consulting group does not yet have that capacity.
How do we see your work in the profile and in the questions the Bishop Search Committee is asking the candidates?
It was very important that the profile showcased the diversity of our diocese, in the pictures chosen, and in highlighting the variety of languages in which our congregations worship. The subcommittee that created the application questions specifically asked our subcommittee for assistance in crafting a question for candidates around their experience with multicultural ministry. Through the listening sessions and survey results, we heard loud and clear that there was a desire for our next bishop to be culturally competent, given the demographics of our diocese, and comfortable with (and maybe even excited about) multicultural ministry opportunities. The nominations and recruitment subcommittee invited me (Kathryn) to join a subcommittee meeting to help ensure that the list of individuals or groups specifically identified in their targeted recruitment efforts included groups from underrepresented populations.
What role will your subcommittee play as the Search Committee evaluates the candidates and determines who moves forward in the search process?
As the DEI Subcommittee, while we want to uplift voices that might have been marginalized in the past, we are also mindful that we don’t want to put candidates forward simply because of the identities they hold. We also have to determine that they meet or exceed the qualifications we are searching for. We will be listening and looking for how the applicants talk about their successes in diverse environments and their competencies in speaking other languages. We will also be looking for how their backgrounds and life experiences have shaped their ministry. The Search Committee (specifically the DEI Subcommittee with the Applications Subcommittee) discussed whether we wanted a “blind” application process as we considered the candidates (i.e., without reference to the candidate’s gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation/gender expression, or other identifying factors). It was ultimately decided that to do so would not allow our committee to evaluate each candidate as the full person God created them to be, including all the intersectional identities they may hold.
DEI is under fire these days. How do you respond to people who wonder whether we need such a subcommittee at all?
DEI is more than just racial or ethnic identity. It also includes considerations for diversity in ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other identifying qualities. By employing principles of DEI we are opening ourselves and the whole search process up to a wider variety of candidates by being intentional about these efforts. The committee is composed of 19 individuals who reflect various aspects of the diocese. Each of us will develop our own perspectives about the candidates as we review applications, thus ensuring a diversity of perspectives in putting forward the best slate possible.
The diversity in EDLA, while admittedly being one of our challenges, is one of our strengths that makes us stand out in all of The Episcopal Church. We hope that the slate of candidates will reflect the diversity we have and will include people who want to walk with us on the journey toward becoming an even more inclusive diocese. Having a subcommittee focusing on DEI issues will help ensure that we have had a process where DEI issues have remained at the forefront of our considerations all the way along.
One in a series of introductions to the subcommittees of the Bishop Search Committee.