Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

NFPA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee was originated by Vice President and Director of Positions and Issues (VPPI) Lori Boris in 2017. The VPPI developed the DEI Committee's policies and goals.  Currently, the Director of Positions and Issues (DPI) oversees and supports its work and serves as an ex-officio member.

The DEI Committee's objective is to research, investigate, and recommend policy concerning the feasibility of implementing diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives.  One of the manners in which the DEI Committee will achieve this objective is through development of NFPA’s Policy Manual on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to be used as a resource for NFPA member associations, and to provide guidance and suggestions for implementation of their own diversity,  equity, and inclusion policies.

The DEI Committee’s work entails the following professional development initiatives:

• NFPA's Policy Manual on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as an Ethics CLE Option
• Unconscious, Implicit, Affinity, and Cultural Bias mitigation
• NFPA's ADA Accommodations Policy

If you are interested in additional information or would like to join this active and dynamic Committee, please contact NFPA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion supervising board member at diversity@paralegals.org.

The members of the Diversity Equity, and Inclusion Committee are:

• Mpho Chapi - New York City Paralegal Association
  
• Jennifer Echikson - Montgomery County Paralegal Association
  
• Salimah Rosenberry, ACP- Central Pennsylvania Paralegal Association
  
• Beth Bialis, RP® (NFPA Director of Positions & Issues)
• Patricia A. Givens – Paralegal Association of Central Ohio
• Wayne D. Akin (member 2017 - 2023) - In Memoriam

NFPA Justice Champion Award
The DEI Committee's first major initiative was development of NFPA's Justice Champion Award in honor of the late Heather Heyer, a paralegal at the Miller Law Group in Charlottesville, Virginia, for her dedication to the expansion of civil rights, social justice, and the expectation that all human beings be treated with dignity and respect. The Award was established to recognize a practicing paralegal whose conduct, actions, and activities demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to diversity and inclusion, as defined in NFPA's Position Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and in promotion of NFPA's Core Values of supporting diversity and unity within the profession.

The inaugural recipient of the Justice Champion Award was Sonjanita C. Jordan, a past president and member of the New Orleans Paralegal Association.  Sonjanita has been a leader in diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives in her local area for many years and has consistently challenged injustice. 

Read about our past NFPA Justice Champion Award Winners:

• Sybil Taylor Aytch, M.Ed., RP (2023)
• Aaron B. Bath RP®, CEDS (2021)
• Maren Schroeder, RP®, MnCP (2020)
• Bonnie Brooks, RP®, CEDS (2019)
• Sonjanita Jordan (2018)

Position Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The DEI Committee's second major initiative was the updating of NFPA's 2006 Position Statement on Diversity. The updated and revised Position Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was unanimously approved by the delegates at the 2018 Convention and was subsequently updated by the DEI Committee in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Recorded Webinars

Fostering Inclusive Leadership

Annual Convention 2020 (60 minutes)
Sybil Taylor Aytch, M.Ed., RP, NFPA Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity Committee Chair
Session approved for 1.0 DI&E CLE credit.
Purchase Recording

NFPA Statements Supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• NFPA Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month (October 2021)
• NFPA Statement on Juneteenth (June 2021)
• NFPA Stands Against Hate towards AAPI Community (April 2021)
• NFPA Values all Members and Joins Call for Equality (June 2020)
   

National Paralegal Reporter DEI Articles      

• "How to Build a Sustainable Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Roadmap: NFPA's Roadmap to Racial Equity and Belonging," Melody S. Johnson, CP; Fall 2022, Pages 31 - 33
• "Discrimination in Medical Care," Jay M. Williams, TBLS-BCP; Spring 2022, Pages 12-17 
• "Accessibility for All: Ways to Ensure All Abilities are Included," Brenna Dickey, RP® and Salimah Rosenberry, Pa. C.P.; Fall 2021, Pages 17-19
• “The Golden Rule,” Mpho Chapi; Summer 2021, Pages 22-23
• “Bullying in the Workplace: How ‘Me Too’ Can Morph Into ‘Us Too,’” Wayne D. Akin and Jay M. Williams, TBLS-BCP; Spring 2021, Pages 15-19
• “Reintegration: The Road to Grace,” Sonjanita Jordan, Brenna Dickey, RP®, and Aaron B. Bath, CEDS, RP®; Winter 2020, pages 16-22
• “More Than My Mistakes,” Aaron B. Bath, CEDS, RP®; Winter 2020, pages 24-28
• “Equity: More Than a Refrain,” Sybil Taylor Aytch, RP®, M.Ed. and Stefanie Trujillo; Fall 2020, pages 24-25
• “Increased LGBTQ Inclusivity in the Workplace,” Jay M. Williams, TBLS-BCP; Summer 2020, pages 8-9
• “Being Muslim in the Workplace – Ramadan,” Salimah Rosenberry, Pa.C.P., ACP; Spring 2020, pages 13-14
• “Paralegals and the Second Chance Act: New Beginnings for Former Jailhouse Lawyers,” Milford Washington, CP; Spring 2020, pages 15-17
• “Diversity and the Blind Recruitment Strategy,” Jimece (Sage) Black; Winter 2019, pages 28-29
• “Fostering Inclusive Leadership,” Sybil Taylor Aytch, RP®, M.Ed.; Fall 2019, pages 20-21
• “Licensed Paralegals: Helping Close the Access to Justice Gap,” Britt Curtis, CP; Fall 2019, pages 22-24
• “Mutual Respect, Self-Awareness, and Inclusivity at Convention,” Edward C. Schneider, M.A.; Fall 2019, pages 26-27
• “Tribal Legal Self-Governance and Traditions,” Ronell B. Badua; Summer 2019, pages 15-16
• “The Importance of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity,” Tom Stephenson, ILAP and Sybil Taylor Aytch, RP®, M.Ed.; Spring 2019, pages 10-11
• “Closing the Gap,” Katie Woodson; Spring 2019, page 12
• “Keeping Invisible Disabilities in Mind When Planning Company Events,” Tracy Stuckrath; Fall 2018; pages 26-27
• “Update on LGBT Diversity in the Workplace,” Ed C. Schneider; Summer 2018, pages 10-11
• “LGBT Equality in the Workplace,” Ed. C. Schneider, F.Inst.Pa. and Eric W. Baker; Winter 2017, pages 8-12
• “Diversity and Inclusion in the Paralegal Profession,” Sybil Taylor Aytch, RP®, M.Ed.; Winter 2017, pages 28-29
• “Diversity: A Family View,” Dardie Robinson; Winter 2017, pages 30-33
   

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources
For an association to be truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive, it must research and provide diversity, equity, and inclusion training resources, and review them at regular intervals to remain at the forefront of changes within the resource. Examples of training resources may include:

• Race to Lead: Women of Color in the Nonprofit Sector (Building Movement Project)
• Working at the Intersections: LGBTQ Nonprofit Staff and the Racial Leadership Gap (Building Movement Project)
• Women of Color in the Nonprofit Sector (Building Movement Project)
• Demos’ Racial Equity Transformation: Key Components, Processes, and Lessons (Heather McGhee & Lucy Mayo)
• Equity Statement (Nonprofit Association of Oregon)
• How to Begin Equity Work in Your Organization with Little or No Money (North Carolina Center for Nonprofits)
• Awake, to Work, to Woke: Building a race equity culture (Equity in the Center) (Offers a comprehensive list of terrific resources, including a glossary, as well as a framework for approaching this work.)
• TEDTalk to spark discussions about race in your nonprofit: Mellody Hobson: Color Blind or Color Brave
• Compendium of resources: Equity Resources (Collective Impact Forum)
• Confronting Prejudice: How to Protect Yourself and Help Others (OnlinePsychology@Pepperdine, the Online Master of Psychology program from Pepperdine University)
• Beyond Diversity: A roadmap to building an inclusive organization (Green 2.0)
• The Gardener (video about institutionalized racism)
• Racial Equity Resource Guide (W.K. Kellogg Foundation)
• How diversity can drive innovation (Harvard Business Review)
• How diversity makes us smarter (Scientific American)
• Tips for Practicing and Valuing Diversity (Cook Ross)
• Racial Diversity Improves Group Decision Making in Unexpected Ways (Tufts University)
• Racial Equity Toolkit – An Opportunity to Operationalize Equity (Local and Regional Government Alliance on Race and Equity)
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work: Eight Questions for Building Readiness and Steering Clear of Pitfalls (Laurin Mayeno Consulting)
• How to speak up if you see bias at work (Harvard Business Review)