This document provides standardized definitions for key identity terms—BIPOC, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and MENA—to promote accurate and inclusive language in the workplace. Drawing on Seramount’s DEI Glossary and UC Health’s definitions, it clarifies that BIPOC highlights the specific inequities faced by Black and Indigenous communities while acknowledging the varied experiences of all people of color. It also defines Black as encompassing people of African descent globally, Indigenous as descendants of original inhabitants maintaining distinct social and cultural systems, People of Color as a unifying but complex term for racially marginalized groups, and MENA as referring to populations from the Middle East and North Africa. The guide underscores the importance of specificity and respect when using identity-related terminology.
