DEI&B
INTRODUCING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING’S ORGANIZING PLAN
BY KIMBERLY PERROS, CONTENT WRITER
What is DEI&B? The acronym stands for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. After building our DEI&B organizing plan in the 2022-2023 League year with the support of our consultant, D. Lyne Watts, M.Ed of Learn, Lead, LIVE LLC, we launched the plan this year for execution. Deanna Hillard, Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Committee (DEI&B), shared why our League has and will continue to improve on our DEI&B’s initiatives. She shared how diversity is asking the question, “Who is in the room?” Equity asks the question, “Does everyone have equal access to opportunities?” Inclusion asks, “What choices are we making and actions are we taking to make others feel included?” And belonging asks, “Does every member feel a sense of security, acceptance, and support?” In addition to understanding DEI&B, Deanna provided an update about DEI&B’s strategic plan, library, mother’s room, the cultural calendar, and guide posts. Lastly, she addressed the four pillars that are used to measure how the League is putting DEI&B initiatives into practice. DEI&B’s organizing plan focus is to help our League to become more inclusive and accepting of all members. The plan includes training and other forms of awareness to educate all League members, including breaking down some of the barriers the JLC has faced in the past. Some action items include: matching New Members with sponsors to help them feel like they belong and have a place in the League, being cognizant of meeting times and places to help meet our members social, religious, and/or cultural schedules, embedding DEI&B in leadership training, and creating identitybased affinity groups. Deanna shared how the DEI&B can help the League to become more inclusive with individuals with socioeconomic differences, LGBTQIA+, and age. The cultural calendar, mother’s room, and guide posts support the DEI&B plan. The guide posts and cultural calendar help with holidays and planning that is inclusive to all members. The guide posts help with knowing how to plan activities and events through the newly created Choice Points and Cultural and Religious Guide. The mother’s room helps members who need to help take care of their children based on their needs while managing her League involvement. Deanna shared how the four pillars were designed to create metrics to help measure the progress with implementing DEI&B in the League. Deanna shared how the DEI&B plan will put pen to paper to make positive changes with: membership, the Nominating process, and how to create a space where members want to be. Members should consider the DEI&B Committee this spring for their placement in the 2024-2025 League year. The DEI&B Committee has an important role to assist with how our League follows the plan, and engages our members to feel like they are a valued part of the JLC. The future of our League’s progression with the DEI&B plan is valued by the contribution of all of our members.
12 Fall / Winter 2023
