DEI Policy
VISION
SFWA recognizes that inclusion and equality are ongoing processes that require active effort, as well as acknowledgement of existing inequities, including those rooted in imperialism, colonialism and white supremacy. This committee will seek to address power imbalances that have historically marginalized people by re-centering marginalized voices and stories. Our commitment to creating a more equitable organization includes, but is not limited to, increasing awareness of and sensitivity to the intersections of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, class, age, ethnicity, and perspective; redressing the the legacies of imperialism in an international context; questioning institutional biases and “the way things have always been,” especially when those “traditions” and entrenched systems marginalize historically underrepresented voices; and generally serving as an advocate for marginalized and underrepresented voices both within SFWA and in the SF/F community as a whole. We are fully aware of the paradox of tolerance, and exclusionary, bigoted or hate speech, open or covert, will not be tolerated by SFWA as a whole or the DEI committee in particular.
MISSION
- A) Provide guidance internally within SFWA on matters of diversity, equity and inclusion, regarding membership policies, outreach, etc.
- B) Provide guidance to external partners to break outmoded thinking/practices and provide safer spaces for the historically marginalized.
- C) Gather incident reports/complaints related to the committee’s scope for discussion and where necessary, action.
REPORTING
Diversity, equity and inclusion is a community endeavor and, as such, we in SFWA’s DEI Committee rely on the community. If you see, hear about, or experience exclusionary, bigoted, hateful, or otherwise intolerant behavior in SF/F, publishing, and other related communities, organizations, events, and spaces, please report it to dei@sfwa.org. While the DEI Committee may not be able to resolve all issues, we can strive to educate individuals and organizations on best practices while working to ensure safer spaces in SF/F at large.
AMENDMENTS
As we recognize in Our Vision, inclusion and equality are ongoing processes. As such we plan to increase our reporting methodologies and update our vision and mission as we tackle issues and face situations in the field of SFF.
