An effective diversity statement helps candidates articulate their agenda for the future and demonstrate their values regarding topics like decentering privileged voices in their field, amplifying marginalized voices through teaching, and building inclusive academic communities.
An effective DEI statement should be clear, concise and accurate in depicting the current state of a company’s diversity efforts and outlining their primary areas of focus.
Thesis Statement
Your Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Statement should begin with a strong thesis statement that clearly communicates why DEI matters to you and your organisation. Care should be taken when writing this opening paragraph to ensure it reflects those values which matter most.
One way of framing a thesis statement on diversity and inclusion (DEI) is by emphasizing how much one values all aspects of human diversity – race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, religion and disability included. Other themes commonly addressed within DEI statements are commitments towards providing equal playing fields for all and aiding underrepresented communities.
Some candidates choose to share personal stories as a means of contextualizing their values and experience; however, this is not always necessary, with one study reporting that candidate self-disclosures were rare in many fields (Schmaling et al., 2014).
As well as including your thesis statement, the first paragraph of your DEI statement should provide an overview of past work you have done to promote inclusivity within academic communities and future plans to continue this effort – including both efforts in your classroom or research setting as well as plans to broaden outreach activities.
As part of your statement, use examples to support and illustrate your beliefs and goals. If you have participated in programs designed to assist underrepresented students such as McNair Scholars or STEM fellowships, now would be the time to mention your participation. Likewise, your statement can demonstrate how identity influences both research and teaching activities.
One way to set yourself apart from other applicants is to present your unique viewpoint on DEI. This could take the form of company-specific taglines (like those from Spotify, Target or LEGO Group) or through sincerity in conveying beliefs about its importance. If unsure how best to express them, seek feedback from friends and colleagues regarding its strength of argumentation.
Personal Statement
Your diversity statement provides an opportunity to demonstrate how inclusive excellence drives all aspects of your teaching, research and service practices, including commitments you’ve made in terms of diversity. Your experiences inform how your beliefs about diversity, equity and inclusion have developed over time – without making identification of specific identities obligatory – unlike personal statements which should remain part of an interview process.
Consider which topics will resonate with those reading your DEI statement – these might include faculty at the university to which you’re applying or potential students, colleagues, donors or business partners. For instance, if applying to an institution with few existing programs addressing race and power in higher education, your DEI statement might outline specific examples about how past engagement with social justice initiatives inform future contributions to that community.
Some applicants use their diversity statement as an opportunity to open up about their personal experiences of discrimination, bias and injustice. We hope you feel comfortable sharing this part of yourself; for example if your identity affects how you engage with conversations about racially marginalized groups in your field or mentor students and junior scholars from minority communities to thrive academically that should certainly be shared!
Your diversity statement could also serve as an opportunity to showcase how current research or programs of your chosen institution address issues of access, equity and inclusion. This could prove especially valuable when applying to institutions which seek candidates who will help further their efforts in this regard.
As seen in many examples of DEI statements in this article, it’s essential that your statement includes information about your own company’s initiatives and strategies to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Not only will it make your statement more relatable to its target audience; but also build the credibility of its commitment to its mission and values – for instance Google lists employee resource groups and current representation statistics on its DEI page, while Nike details gender equality targets with progress toward them.
Teaching Statement
Diversity Equity and Inclusion statements (DEI statements) have become an integral component of job applications, joining other documents such as resume, cover letter and writing sample. An DEI statement offers you an opportunity to showcase your commitment and passion for DEI fields while giving an indication of how you would approach any future roles with emphasis on DEI.
Diversity statements aim to showcase your understanding and commitment to cultivating inclusivity within the classroom, research environment, and university/disciplinary community. A great place to begin would be by identifying barriers within your field and discussing ways in which a professor/scholar could address them.
Topics may include issues pertaining to race, sexual orientation, LGBTQ+ identities, women’s issues and other elements that impact people differently. You could also discuss engaging students from marginalized communities or those facing barriers in accessing education.
Dependent upon your field, it may be necessary to address personal experiences with various areas of diversity and how they have altered your understanding of it. A good rule of thumb would be not oversharing about personal identities but instead highlight that you are prepared to work with multiple identities in the future.
At the conclusion of your resume, it is crucial to highlight any programs that help to foster inclusivity, as well as any impacts these have had on you personally. In particular, programs which support underrepresented students or communities should be highlighted as these may provide essential opportunities to succeed academically.
Writing an effective diversity statement requires linking it back to the values and mission of the institution you’re applying to. By connecting your statements back to a company’s mission and values, your statement will have more of an impactful message for more readers. Working as part of a team when writing this document can ensure its language matches up perfectly with company culture and style.
Research Statement
While an increasing number of colleges and universities require faculty candidates to submit diversity statements, little guidance exists regarding their preparation. Candidates should focus on how their research, teaching and service contribute to building inclusive academic communities for both students and colleagues.
A diversity statement should also serve as an opportunity to address how your work reflects broader issues of marginalization and oppression that minority groups experience within our society and discipline, and how you are striving toward creating a more equitable world through research, teaching or service activities. When outlining specific contributions you should also outline long-term plans to further achieve goals within this statement.
Be sure to include tangible actions and data that demonstrate your dedication, as this will bolster your statement and make it more convincing for readers. Furthermore, readers will get a clear understanding of the extent and impact of your efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education.
To ensure your commitment is genuine, it’s imperative that your DEI goals align with the mission and values of your organization. Doing this will demonstrate that your vision fits with their culture while simultaneously holding yourself accountable for reaching them.
Your statement should be a dynamic document that can evolve over time as you gain more knowledge and experience in the field. For example, as soon as new initiatives or policies arise at schools where you’re applying, your statement can be updated to incorporate these changes.
Additionally, you should include examples from your past that highlight how your experiences have informed your dedication to fostering inclusion in higher education. Furthermore, this provides the perfect opportunity to discuss any outreach and mentoring activities you have taken part in with minoritized communities – or would like to pursue in the future – although classroom-specific examples belong in your teaching statement.