Institutional Assessment on Racism Update: August 2018

The FGC Institutional Assessment on Racism survey as of July 15, 2018 has N=1,041 respondents: Female (562, 66%), Male (260, 31%), and Other (27, 3%), with 192 skipping the gender question. Six indicated that they were FGC staff; 451 took the time to compose write-in comments to further express their thoughts. The survey was initially closed on July 15th to begin analysis of the data. However, the survey was re-opened on July 23rd to accommodate the interest and exposure generated at the NYYM summer session (July 22nd – 28th).

FGC Institutional Assessment Timeline Completion Date

  • July 28th: Extend Institutional Assessment on Racism Survey through end of NYYM Summer Session
  • Mid-July: Matrix team to finalize historical data gathering and summarize what has been discovered
  • Early August: Data Analysis team to analyze survey responses; Identify themes from Focus Groups
  • August 8th: Distribute Data Analysis Report: Findings from survey, Focus Groups, and FGC records (CrossRoads, TF)
  • August 10th to 12th: Finalize IA Recommendations with Crossroads’ guidance at Task Force Meeting
  • September/October: Present recommendations to Executive and Central Committees

The IAR enjoyed considerable exposure during July at the 2018 Gathering and NYYM summer session. At Gathering a narrated slide show ran twice per day (MTRF) in the centrally located little Theater in the University of Toledo Student Center. Task Force members made themselves available to address questions after the showings. The slide show served to update Friends at Gathering about the IAR purpose, process and next steps. We also used the presentation to invite viewers to take the survey and/or participate in a Focus Group. At NYYM there was also considerable exposure for the Institutional Assessment on Racism. The IAR update was on the Monday morning Business Meeting agenda. A link to the survey was sent out on Monday night to all members of NYYM and the survey deadline was further extended through July 28th to accommodate those who were just hearing about the survey for the first time.

Some of the IAR respondent testimonies were selected to be discussed during eighteen Focus Groups held at Gathering and summer sessions. Two Focus groups were conducted at Northern Yearly Meeting and Ohio Valley YM. Thirteen Focus Groups were conducted before or during Gathering: one with POC, one with AYF during pre-Gathering, two during scheduled Workshops, one with High Schoolers over two days, and seven with the general population. Three Focus Groups were scheduled for NYYM, two were open to all on Tuesday evening and one was held for POC on Wednesday.

The Task Force efforts now shift toward data analysis. The historical data from FGC records collected by the Power Matrix team, the quantitative IAR survey data, and the qualitative data from the survey and focus groups will be analyzed from mid-July through early August. As of July 15th there were 451 write-in survey responses to analyze thematically; particularly, the substantive testimonies on institutional racism. The data analysis team will cross-validate findings from each source of data collection and summarize into a report. The report will be distributed to the Task Force members and CrossRoads trainers prior to the August 10-12th Task Force meeting.

With CrossRoads guidance, the Task Force aims to use elements of the Dynamic Governance participatory decision-making process to find the sense of the August meeting regarding recommendations for FGC. After the August Meeting, the Report Writing team will prepare a final Recommendations Report for review by the Task Force. Representative, powerful Friends’ write-in testimonies will accompany the final report to allow these voices to be heard. The Executive Committee will vet the final report prior to the fall Central Committee Meeting. The IAWG (communications group) will continue to provide these monthly reports and plans to write an article about our process and what was learned for a Friends Journal January 2019 issue.

The IA Task Force members:

Marvin Barnes LEYM, IAWG, Continuum team (Data Analysis)

Justin Connor  BYM, IAWG, Continuum team

Janice Domanik  ILYM, Continuum team (Report Writing)

Michael Doo BYM, Matrix Team (Report Writing)

Vanessa Julye PHLYM, IAWG, Matrix Team

Sharon Lane-Getaz  NYM, IAWG, Survey team (Data Analysis)

Carolyn Lejuste  LEYM, IAWG, Survey team (Report Writing)

Katrina McQuail CYM, Survey team

Elanna Reber PHLY, Survey team

Marijke van Roojen  NYM, Matrix Team (Data Analysis)

Dwight Wilson LEYM, Matrix Team

Keira Wilson BYM/PHLYM, Continuum team

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