Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

What began as a commitment to diversity and inclusion in 2016 is now a vital component of FSAE. Our goal is to be a resource for our members and the association community to help other organizations create and strengthen Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives.

In October 2016, The FSAE Governance Committee was tasked with reviewing our diversity policies and any potential Bylaws changes that might be needed. After adopting a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Statement in 2017, the FSAE Board of Directors quickly created a Task Force, now Committee, to ensure that the organization moved forward with DEI principles.

FSAE is committed to diversity and inclusion at every level of the organization. Diversity and Inclusion includes, but is not limited to, age, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, personality type and geographic location. FSAE understands that diversity and inclusion allows us to make better decisions because we are exposed to different opinions, perceptions, values and experiences. These differences are integrated throughout FSAE to create an experience that expands everyone’s horizons and opportunities for engagement, learning and leadership.

Here is an overview of our accomplishments:

July 2017: FSAE Board approves DEI Statement and creates Task Force
October 2017: Current membership diversity demographics determined and launched data collection with membership renewals
January 2018: Diversity Survey with VettedSolutions launched to determine state association D&I policies and practices; Unconscious Bias speaker secured for Annual Conference keynote
February 2018: Launched Hilton Diversity & Inclusion Grant to award professional development funds to underserved populations
May 2018: Two D&I Grants awards to members to attend Annual Conference
July 2018: Florida Diversity Survey released; Diversity keynote and breakout session at Annual Conference
November 2018: Task Force begins process to become a standing Committee
February 2019: Committee status achieved
March 2019: Committee begins collecting resources to create a DEI Toolkit
July 2019: DEI Toolkit shared at Annual Conference in breakout session on diversity practices
June 2020: FSAE Board releases Social Justice Statement in response to George Floyd
June 2020: FSAE hosts The Right Kind of Uncomfortable webinar with Dr. James Pogue, PhD
January 2021: FSAE launches Inclusion Calendar and begins recognizing events/holidays on social media
March 2021: FSAE DEI Committee launches DEI Profiles in Source Magazine to highlight what other organizations are doing for their members