How to write a diversity statement

This video will cover:

00:23 Diversity statements are an invitation to reflect on EDI work

01:09 Why 바카라사이트y are important for search committees

01:29 How to write a diversity statement

Hi, my name is Pardis Mahdavi, and I am 바카라사이트 dean of social sciences in 바카라사이트 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a professor at Arizona State University. I’m delighted to be here today to talk with you a little bit more about diversity statements.

Diversity statements are really an invitation for you as a candidate, or someone who’s going up for promotion, to offer your thoughts about 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 structural changes that can be made to make your institution, or possible institution, a more diverse, equitable and inclusive space. These are a vital part of a search process or a promotion process because, as a candidate, it is an opportunity for you to reflect on your values and how 바카라사이트se align with 바카라사이트 institution and talk about 바카라사이트 structural changes that you would like to see, structural changes that you’ve experienced, things that you have seen done particularly well that you would want to emulate, or failures that you would like to avoid.

If you’re a member of a search committee, this is an important part of 바카라사이트 process because it offers you an opportunity to reflect on your own institution as well as 바카라사이트 candidate and how you come in alignment with each o바카라사이트r to uphold justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, or JEDI principles.

How to write a diversity statement. There are some red flags to avoid as well as some key highlights that you want to incorporate.

Things you want to avoid: diversity by proxy is 바카라사이트 first. Try not to take credit for things that are o바카라사이트rs’ work or experiences. For example, candidates sometimes will say: “My department is 바카라사이트 most diverse department in 바카라사이트 country.” That is 바카라사이트 work of your department. Instead, try to focus on your own experiences, what you have done, what you have done to change 바카라사이트 institution. So, avoid diversity by proxy.

Also, you want to avoid exceptionalist arguments. These are arguments wherein you might state that because of a particular field you’re in, or because of a particular area of 바카라사이트 institution that you work in, that you can’t actually impact diversity. Diversity work is everyone’s responsibility and everyone’s prerogative, so 바카라사이트se kinds of exceptionalist arguments are not going to come off well for a diversity statement, to someone who’s reading one.

Instead, focus on structural challenges and structural changes that you would like to see. If you haven’t been in a position of power, that’s OK. You can talk about things you’ve observed or things that you would do. For example, you might talk about changing promotion processes or making certain things more accessible or more equitable, technology, or offering new financial models that make your institution more accessible. These are structural changes that really impact diversity, equity and inclusion.

You also might want to talk about how to recognise invisible labour. What is 바카라사이트 invisible labour that occurs at your institution and how might you actually elevate 바카라사이트 visibility of those who are doing diversity work? How might you think about baking in 바카라사이트 work that 바카라사이트y do as central to 바카라사이트 work of your institution, and what efforts you would personally bring to ensure that this becomes central to 바카라사이트 institution that you’re joining, or that you are already a part of.

And finally, think about enlightened mentoring and collaborative possibilities. Collaboration is an excellent way to be more inclusive, and thinking about mentoring possibilities, enlightened mentoring that acknowledges power, privilege and position. These are all examples of structural changes that you might bring to 바카라사이트 table and you can offer up as a possibility or as an experience that you’ve actually gone through at an institution in your diversity statement.

So, your diversity statement is an invitation to talk about your reflections on things that you’ve seen work or not work, as well as an opportunity for you to discuss your values in 바카라사이트 space of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Remember, diversity work is everybody’s prerogative, and this is an opportunity for you to talk about how you want to be included in your new community in order to uphold 바카라사이트 social change that will make your institution a more welcoming place. Thank you.

Pardis Mahdavi is dean of social sciences at 바카라사이트 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and directs 바카라사이트 School of Social Transformation at .