Our Commitment To Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
As an organization founded to advance international education, cultural exchange, and support international educators, students, and scholars across the state of North Carolina, NCAIE is firmly committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (please see definitions below); values which anchor our critical work with an array of stakeholders and communities in every corner of the state.
NCAIE recognizes that our organizational commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) must be routinely demonstrated in meaningful, measurable ways. Some recent and forthcoming actions include:
- Approval of a formal organizational DEIB statement, definitions, and native land acknowledgment.
- Promotion of free and/or low-cost DEIB external programming and professional development to NCAIE member listservs
- Additional, proactive measures to ensure in-person NCAIE conferences and trainings are inclusive and accessible for all members
- Adoption of more robust virtual membership engagement and development to ensure greater equity and access for all members
- Prioritization of representation of community colleges and HBCUs in organizational leadership
- Special consideration and selection of institutions and locations of NCAIE student leadership and annual conferences
- Distribution of professional development funds to NCAIE members to widen access and increase participation and representation in international education conferences
Definitions & Sources
Definitions
Diversity: The recognition of and appreciation for difference within our organization, and the communities and stakeholders with which we serve and support. Some characteristics of diversity include but are not limited to: age, race, gender, ethnicity, country of origin, cognitive and physical abilities, and sexual orientation.
An additional element of diversity which NCAIE celebrates is the myriad of institutions, organizations, and professional environments across North Carolina which comprise and enrich our organization, services, and programs, including but not limited to: community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions, Native American Serving Institutions, and more.
Equity: The acknowledgment of historic and present conditions which inhibit full access, inclusion, and opportunities for success for members of the NCAIE community, and the proactive measures taken to identify and eliminate these barriers.
Inclusion: The purposeful creation and ongoing maintenance of an organization in which all NCAIE members, with particular respect to those who have been historically underrepresented or underserved, trust to be respectful, accountable, and accessible.
Belonging: Genuine, equitable, and rewarding involvement in NCAIE programs and services for all of our diverse membership.
Sources
- Zheng, L. (2022). DEI deconstructed: Your no-nonsense guide to doing the work and doing it right.
- Harvard University Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion, and Belonging: Foundational Concepts & Affirming Language
- NC State University Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity: General Diversity Terms
Native Land Acknowledgement
What is now considered the state of North Carolina is situated on the traditional territory and homelands of numerous indigenous tribes and peoples, including the Coharie, the Eastern Band of Cherokee, the Haliwa-Saponi, the Lumbee, the Meherrin, the Occaneechi Band of Sappony, the Sappony, and the Waccamaw-Siouan. The state and many of its institutions of higher education were active contributors to the displacement of and violence against indigenous tribes and peoples for centuries; acknowledgment of which is an important step in disrupting the lingering impacts and legacy of colonialism. Guided by our ongoing commitment to DEIB as a community of educators, NCAIE takes seriously its responsibility to acknowledge, respect, and amplify the many historic and present contributions of North Carolina’s indigenous tribal communities, members, and elders. As an organization, NCAIE pledges to use its platform to support and uplift the histories, contributions, and accomplishments of North Carolina’s eight state-recognized tribes, as well as center indigenous voices and perspectives in our collective work and influence as international educators.
Resources
Approved by the NCAIE board on January 19, 2024. Questions or comments may be directed to the NCAIE Board.