Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Daniel Baek, Vancouver School of Theology, Co-Chair
David Kriegh, Saint Mary’s College of California, Co-Chair

Committee Members

  • Daniel (Bonggun) Baek, Vancouver School of Theology
  • Rebecca Donald, Lycoming College
  • David Kriegh, Saint Mary’s College of California
  • Kenneth Litwak, Gateway Seminary
  • Christopher Lopez, Borough of Manhattan Community College
  • Jennifer Ulrich, Eastern Mennonite University
  • Alexis Weiss, Loyola Marymount University
  • Gillian Harrison Cain, Staff Liaison
  • Ana Cackley, Staff Liaison

Year in Review

The Atla Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee had an exciting and productive 2021-2022. Increased interest in DEI issues within the Atla community was on display at Atla Annual 2022, which featured numerous DEI-centered sessions. The Committee also greatly benefitted from fresh insights and enthusiasm from its four new members. This year the committee also reflected on the long-term effectiveness of existing committee activities. There were also discussions on how to increase DEI-related conversations and activities in the Atla community through collaborations with other committees, such as book clubs and mentorships.

Here are the highlights of the DEI Committee’s work this past year:

DEI Series blog posts – This year, blog posts included more diverse information sources including podcasts, websites, and book reviews. Committee members contributed the following posts to increase awareness and foster conversation on DEI issues:

  • April: “A Shared-Time of Celebration” by Jennifer Ulrich
  • May: “Looking for a Good Read/Listen? The DEI Committee Has a Few Ideas” by Daniel Baek, Gillian Harrison Cain, David Kriegh, Kenneth Litwak, Jennifer Ulrich, Alexis Weiss
  • June: “Juneteenth” by David Kriegh

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship – There were 13 applicants, with 10 deemed eligible for the scholarship, two ineligible, and one was received after the deadline. The Committee voted on these remaining candidates, quickly identifying the strongest ones, then selecting the successful applicant. Karen Helena Adjei was selected by the Committee as the 2022 recipient of the Atla Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship.

Atla Annual 2021 – DEI committee member Kenneth Litwak presented a conference workshop titled Look out! Ableism is Loose in the Library: Inclusivity and Equity for Librarians with Disabilities.

Code of Conduct Task Force – Committee member Alexis Weiss and Gillian Harrison Cain organized an effort to create Atla’s first Code of Conduct to foster respectful and non-discriminatory online and in-person interaction in the Atla community. This document is crucial in fostering DEI-related conversation in the Atla community to provide a safe and respectful environment for participation. Chairs of various Atla committees were invited to participate in the task force. Committee co-chairs, Daniel Baek and David Kriegh served on the task force and provided input.