EEOP celebrates, nurtures Caltrans well-rounded workforce

Archived video library helps employees learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion

“Modern” Caltrans was created in 1973, when the Division of Highways was formally reimagined and renamed as the California Department of Transportation.

During the 50 years that have followed, Caltrans’ work has evolved from automobile- and highway-centric to feature an ever-evolving focus on safety, efficiency and less-or non-polluting forms of multimodal transportation.

Caltrans’ workforce has changed, too. Diversity, equity and inclusion are increasingly pursued, achieved and – thanks in part to the department’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program (EEOP) – celebrated.

The EEOP is responsible for ensuring Caltrans complies with federal and state anti-discrimination laws and legal requirements in all of its internal business practices and activities. The EEOP additionally strives to carry out Caltrans' overall commitment to providing a workplace that recognizes the benefits of diversity and inclusion, and all individuals are treated with professionalism and respect.

Starting in mid-January with Martin Luther King Jr. Day and continuing through Transgender Remembrance Day just before Thanksgiving, every year the EEOP organizes or participates in a variety of gatherings, discussions and special events that provide Caltrans employees with opportunities to learn more about and to honor diversity, equity and inclusion.

Since 2020, the EEOP has kept an archive webpage on the internal Caltrans website that gives employees the chance to, at their leisure, watch video presentations by guest speakers, of roundtables composed of internal and external subject experts, and about other people and scenes relevant to whatever is being discussed. For example, early in 2023 the EEOP archived:

• "Moving Forward Together," a discussion by a Caltrans EEOP Black History Month panel.
• "What Black California Wants from Reparations,” a presentation by Ama Anane from Good Influence Consulting that was also part of Black History Month in February.
•   “Radical Safety: How to Create Safer Spaces for Girls and Gender-Expansive Youth,” a Women’s History Month presentation by Chantal Hildebrand of Alliance for Girls.
• “Women Paving the Way to a Brighter Future,” a panel discussion with Luc Sou and Lima Saft that was also part of EEOP’s Women’s History Month activities in March.

Several other ethnic-and diversity-themed months followed, including:

Arab American Heritage Month (April). “Arab ethnicities are comprised of many cultures that share similar histories, language and practices,” EEOP says to Caltrans employees on their internal website. “Arab refers to someone who uses Arabic as their first language and comes from an Arab nation. It is also used to describe descendants of someone who fits these criteria. Although many Arabs are Muslim, not all are.”

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May). “Although these particular events are East Asian centered, this celebration encompasses a vast diversity of communities and ethnicities. AAPI includes East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. This area ranges from India in the west to Easter Island in the east.”

Latino Heritage Month (mid-September to mid-October). “Formerly known as Hispanic Heritage Month, which only included people who spoke Spanish, Latino Heritage month includes those from a wide range of ethnicities that reside in or have ancestral ties to Latin America (Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean).”

EEOP also has archived special events and presentations related to LGBTQ+ Month (June) and National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October).

Learn more about Caltrans’ Equal Employment Opportunity Program by visiting its public-facing website.

Source: Shalinee Hunter, EEOP assistant director; and Tiffany McCallister, EEOP staff services manager II