D E PA R T M E N T S » P E R S P E C T I V E S
Embracing Diversity Hudson Inclusion Alliance promotes community and belonging for all residents. BY AVA DIAZ
PROMOTING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY where everyone is valued, the Hudson Inclusion Alliance (HIA) is a nonpartisan group of local youth, parents, business owners and residents seeking to pursue equity and inclusion in the city. “Race is just one dimension of inclusion and is probably the most noticeable one,” HIA co-chair Kerry Reis says. “We are also having increased diversity in faith and orientation in Hudson.” Focusing on addressing biased atti-
10
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021
PHOTO BY CHRIS EMEOTT
tudes, Reis says they turn to the AntiDefamation League’s (ADL) Pyramid of Hate to address the difference of varying biased behaviors and how those could lead to life-threatening consequences for targeted individuals. Consisting of five levels: Biased attitudes, acts of bias, discrimination, bias-motivated violence and genocide, these sectors represent how the hate of genocide is built on a combination of accepted behaviors in society overtime. “[Diversity and Inclusion] start by hav-
ing a bias that is less about fear and more about curiosity,” Reis says about what an inclusive community looks like. “It is asking people about their stories and treating each other with human kindness to see each other as the beautiful human beings that we are.” Though around for almost five years, it wasn’t until the tragedy of George Floyd when Reis noticed a stronger effort in binding resources together. Through the arts, the library, nonpartisan organization People for Change and the school
