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. 

In addition to multiple education sessions and informative articles, the Committee's accomplishments include:

  • 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 - released in July 2018
  • February 2018: Launched Hilton Diversity & Inclusion Grant to award professional development funds to underserved populations
  • 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
  • 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
  • February 2022: FSAE Foundation continues Diversity Grant from member donation funds
  • May 2022: Committee creates brief statement to be included at the beginning of all FSAE events and meetings to remind members of our dedication to DEI: FSAE is committed to diversity and inclusion at every level of the organization
FSAE DEI Toolkit
DEI Inclusion Calendar