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07SAN LEANDRO EQUITY PLANConsultant’s approach to DEIB is through the lens of Targeted Universalism (TU). The TU approach was co-conceptualized by Seed co-founder John A. Powell, and entails establishing a universal goal pursued by targeted strategies and processes to achieve the goal.3 TU recognizes that to accomplish universal goals, we must acknowledge that different groups of people are situated differently within society. This difference is a result of structural inequities that create different kinds of barriers and thus requiring different pathways for reaching a goal. TU directs attention to these various barriers and pathways and suggests structural changes to reach the goal. Strategies are designed to accomplish a goal by taking people’s specific situations into consideration so that they can get what they need when and how they need it, while also moving all towards the universal goal. TU also addresses the polarization caused by only targeted or only universal strategies. Solely universal strategies fail to recognize the ways in which groups are situated differently. These types of strategies will work for those that are considered the norm but not for those with specific and unique conditions and challenges. Solely universal strategies are often perceived as overly ambitious and inadequate in helping those most in need. Conversely, solely targeted strategies focus on supporting individuals while failing to transform systems. They are sometimes criticized for unfairly helping one group over another and can be viewed as preferential, thus seeding hostility and resentment. PHENOMENOLOGY Consultant understands that people’s language provides a powerful means to understanding a phenomenon under investigation. Phenomenology is a qualita- tive research method that Seed uses to describe how human beings experience a certain phenomenon. Phenomenological studies can be defined as the direct investigation and description of phenomena as consciously experienced by people living those experiences. Phenomenology is a primary data collection method that ensures a rich de- scription of the lived experience of stakeholders being interviewed and allows for themes of the greatest salience to the respondents to emerge through dis- course. Phenomenological research is typically conducted using in-depth, confidential, individual interviews of small samples of participants. Interview responses are transcribed live during the interviews, compiled, coded, and ana- lyzed. Phenomenology holds experience, perspective, and feelings of the person APPROACH - TARGETED UNIVERSALISM APPROACH, PROCESS, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3