August 2022
The IDEA Committee has established baseline data to measure growth in IDEA for the Academy and the profession. It is focused on tracking initiatives to ensure the IDEA Action Plan’s strategies and tactics are relevant and producing successful outcomes. The committee also funded various IDEA awards and grants, including more than 30 IDEA Mini-Grants to assist Academy Groups with their IDEA initiatives.
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The Academy's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Action Plan is a sustainable, living document designed to move the dietetics profession towards an increasingly welcome and inclusive future. The plan's goals and strategies were carefully developed from member and professional feedback gathered from listening sessions, stakeholder communications, and representatives of Academy organizational units and groups, as well as from benchmarking with other healthcare organizations. Tactics and metrics have been developed for each strategy, and outcomes from the initiatives will be measured and the plan modified accordingly over time to ensure continuous positive change.
The Academy is committed to fostering inclusion, diversity, equity and access throughout the nutrition and dietetics profession, as well as creating educational and work environments free from bias and discrimination. Below are highlights of inclusion, diversity, equity and access projects and initiatives of Academy dietetic practice groups, member interest groups, Academy and affiliates, as well as resources to assist nutrition and dietetics practitioners in meeting the needs of all clients and colleagues with the goal of improving equity and access for everyone. Read the latest updates from all organizational units at the Academy, meet the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Committee, learn about IDEA grants and scholarships, share your stories, and more.
Learn about IDEA projects from the Academy, its organizational units and affiliates as they share their insights and experiences — serving as inspiration for other initiatives, developing collaborative relationships and demonstrating that together, we can achieve the Academy's inclusion, diversity, equity and access impact goals.
In 2020, the DBC Leadership Team launched the DBC Diversity and Inclusion Communications Program, which provides members with essential tools and education to recognize, value, and effectively address the needs of various audiences, including but not limited to culture, ethnicity, gender, race, age, body size/image, capability (rather than disability), religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geography, education and philosophy.
Program Components To-Date
In 2020, the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NYSAND) appointed a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Liaison to plan and facilitate D&I outreach and initiatives that meet Academy and NYSAND strategic plans, promotes and increases representation of diverse individuals in the profession and increases cultural competency of its members. Additionally, NYSAND districts have appointed diversity positions and hosted events to further advance D&I efforts on the local level.
Program Components To-Date
The South Carolina Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (SCAND) implemented a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Strategic Plan for 2020-2021 and has made tremendous strides towards accomplishing its objectives. Like the Academy did with its revised Strategic Plan, D&I is now a focus area on the overall SCAND Strategic Plan. The SCAND D&I Strategic Plan includes 5 key points: Accountability, Marketing, Visibility, Relationships, and Leadership.
Program Components To-Date
MIGs are groups of Academy members reflect the many characteristics of the profession and the public it serves. Academy MIGs include:
05/23/2022 - Carrolyn Patterson, a member of the Academy staff for over 21 years, serving in recent years on the Executive Team as Senior Director of Human Resources and Office Services, has been promoted to Vice President of Human Resources Culture and Diversity.
02/25/2022 - In accordance with the Academy’s focus on inclusion, diversity, equity and access, and efforts to recognize the wide range of diverse populations among dietetics professionals, member profiles in the My Academy area of eatrightPRO now have expanded gender options based on benchmarking with various organizations.
02/09/2022 - The South Carolina Affiliate of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is offering the following three free webinars in February on IDEA via funding from an Academy IDEA mini grant.
12/15/2021 - Mentors will meet two or three times with their mentees to brainstorm potential projects, review existing project ideas, and review mini-grant applications.
09/27/2021 - Leaders of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., and the announced a strategic partnership aimed at reducing health disparities for African Americans focused on aligning nutrition security and ministry outreach during the launch of NBCUSA’s convening of faith leaders.
08/31/2021 - The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation has selected dietetics students Gabriela Naveda and Latina Robinson as the recipients of its Advancing Diversity in Dietetics Scholarship.
08/03/2021 - The Academy supports Black Women’s Equal Pay Day on August 3, and will continue to advocate for policies that ensure equal pay for women as an important step in fostering financial and nutrition security for families.
05/19/2021 - We share the strategic goal of achieving health equity and offer our support in your work, as a food and nutrition professional organization and as essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic.
04/28/2021 - U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (Ill.) and 10 members of Congress have urged House Appropriations Committee leadership to include $310 million in funding to address racial disparities in nutrition.
04/08/2021 - The Academy Foundation is accepting applications for a new Advancing Diversity in Dietetics Scholarship that will provide $25,000 each to two aspiring RDNs of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
