Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee: 7 Key Operational Objectives

In line with our commitment to advancing behavior change for social good, SMANA is taking meaningful action to use our platform to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion while confronting the drivers of racialized, socialized, and economic inequities. We will work with our communities to intentionally operationalize equitable strategies, amplify the voices of those who have been historically marginalized, and identify new ways to leverage the power of SMANA to move toward a more just and inclusive practice. 

To support our commitment, our Board of Directors recently approved the organization’s DEI Pledge based on seven key operational objectives:

1. Increase the BIPOC representation at all levels of SMANA: The Board, committee leadership and volunteers, and organizational membership. 
2. Our association must reflect the diversity of the communities we represent.
3. Consider diversity, equity, and inclusion during governance and decision-making, from partnerships, to conferences, to finances.
4. Increase the focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion when developing program offerings for our members, in terms of topic areas, languages, and the selection of presenters. 
5. Partner with organizations that value diversity, equity, and inclusion.
6. Support student and early or established career social marketers who reflect the demographics of all communities we represent.
7. Continue learning and reflecting on the myriad ways that racism can influence our work.

We look forward to sharing the ways in which we are shaping our work to align with our values and operational objectives in upcoming newsletters. We welcome your ideas. Contact Dana Middleton and/or Dulce Espelosin of the DEI Committee to share your thoughts.