We are Asma Ali, Diana Lemos, Kantahyanee Murray, and Elizabeth Taylor–Schiro. Collectively, we are serving as members of the AEA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Working Group. One of our four central charges was to systematically examine association policies and procedures through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. As a subgroup, we and our other subgroup colleagues dedicated ourselves to this task for the past several years beginning and ending with critical conversations about how to approach such an analysis and what it means to do so through a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion – apart from bringing our own diverse lived experiences to the work. One challenge we saw with a “DEI lens” was that because we would each bring our own lived experiences, values, and capacities to the analysis, we ought to determine a way that we could conduct an analysis through a similar lens, while still bringing our individual flavors to the work. We decided to adapt FSG’s Water of Systems Change framework to analyze approximately twelve AEA policies and practices. See the post from day four of this week for more reflections on this process of adaptation.
The following are recommendations that our collective adaptation and use of this tool for analysis led us to for AEA, but could also be translated to other organizational spaces.
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Recommendation #1:
Develop a foundational statement that is encompassing of DEI principles that can be included in all policy documents to connect back to the organizations broader work including mission, vision, and values, at minimum.
Recommendation #2:
Develop one area on the AEA website to house all of the policy and practice documents in an organized and accessible manner for members and the general public. This includes documentation of current “unwritten” policies/practices.
Recommendation #3:
Attention to equity, systematically marginalized groups throughout all policy/practice areas rather than general “diversity”. Additionally, when using the concept of “diversity”, this should be described – what does “diversity”/“diverse” mean to the organization?
Recommendation #4
All policies/practice should be transparently written to include all aspects of the process of development, amendment, and accountability. For example, when a policy is being/has been developed by a task force or other entity of the membership, the document should describe the selection process for the members. Additionally, all policies/practices should include how members can/should be involved in the policy/practice, especially as a member-led organization.
Recommendation #5
Develop a template for key information to include in the policy documents. Upon reviewing the policy documents, it was clear that several of the policy documents were oriented to the results of a particular process (e.g., the Board Election). The “why” and “how” of the result, the policy that undergirded the process was not articulated.
The American Evaluation Association is hosting DEI Week with our colleagues in AEA’s DEI Working Group. The contributions all this week to AEA365 come from working group members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this AEA365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the AEA365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an AEA365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to AEA365@eval.org. AEA365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. The views and opinions expressed on the AEA365 blog are solely those of the original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the American Evaluation Association, and/or any/all contributors to this site.