DEI Committee | September 2024, Vol 1

I’m always incredibly excited when new DEI committees form within sections of the Bar Association. One question that I often get is how do we start? Let’s talk about some meaningful ways you can take action as a committee.

  1. Listen – Ask the members of your section what inclusion means to them. Are they looking for any particular information or ways to belong that your committee has not considered?
  2. Self-Reflect – What is our section doing well in terms of DEI or Belonging? How can we make changes? What can we build upon? Does our current section makeup reflect the diversity of our practice area? Are we missing any opportunities to increase belonging?
  3. Evaluation – When you have a program, make sure you evaluate! Who attended? Did your program meet the goal that you set out with? Did our program speak to different generations, abilities, ethnicities, and identities?
  4. Process – Sometimes the issue with progress is a lack of process and structure. Is your committee set up in a way that will be sustainable? Does the chair have a voice at the table? Are we missing any opportunities to adjust our processes to be more inclusive?

 

Tips for DEI Committees

 

Committees & Taskforces that Ebony Freeland Bryant directly supports:
Minorities in the Profession (MIP) |  Geneva Yourse & Erin Locklear
Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (SOGI) |  Milan Pham
Women in the Profession | Manisha Patel
Taskforce on Integration, Equity, & Equal Justice | Rob Harrington
Contributions Subcommittee | Karlene Turrentine
Next Steps Subcommittee | Ted Edwards
Telling the Story | Russ Sizemore
Diversity Taskforce | Paul Meggett
New Taskforce | LeAnn Neese Brown