In early 2021, IHQC received grant funding from Cedars-Sinai to engage in a year-long project to explore how IHQC could grow its internal knowledge and skills in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (DEIAB), identify gaps, and transfer learnings into application across our work. Throughout 2021, the team engaged in several equity and inclusion trainings, reviewed literature and resources, sought input from consultants with subject matter expertise, and leveraged learnings from other organizations’ efforts to advance equity. These trainings, resources, and other materials were rooted in design theory, Human Resources principles around diversity and inclusion, social psychology, social justice, and anti-racism.

Through these initial efforts, IHQC has identified several common themes and best practices in equity, and synthesized those into seven principles. In addition to leveraging our own experiences and piloting tests of change, these principles were more deeply informed by research, frameworks, and recommendations developed by a number of individuals and organizations working to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging, including Design Justice Network, equityXdesign, Global Learning Partners, Inclusion Nation, Lisa Wilson of Coalition of Anti-Racism Education, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.

IHQC’s efforts to expand our knowledge and skills in advancing equity at the individual employee level, through our program design and delivery, and at the broader institutional level will be ongoing. We invite you to support our learning and growth, and welcome any feedback and questions to further our equity journey.

Foster a Culture of Equity – IHQC centers equity among its values, and commits to establish and uphold a culture of equity and inclusion, by fostering opportunities for collaboration, flexibility, fairness, safety, and acceptance.

Establish Accountability and Transparency – IHQC will develop goals, measures, and metrics to track and review on a regular basis, to demonstrate progress in equity and inclusion. Metrics will be clearly defined in SMARTIE (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound, Inclusive, and Equitable) format and a summary of these metrics will be readily available to share with stakeholders.

Uphold a Collaborative, Inclusive, and Participant-Centered Approach – IHQC prioritizes collaborative and inclusive approaches in all aspects of our work, and seeks multiple perspectives and ideas to inform and improve operations and programs. The voice of the participant must be included and applied throughout the design and evaluation of our programs.

Adopt an Asset-Based Lens – IHQC commits to engaging in an asset-based approach to assessing target populations/communities, and to using asset-based language in developing and delivering programs.

Counteract Bias – IHQC acknowledges that we, as an institution and as individuals, carry conscious and unconscious biases shaped by our identities and experiences. IHQC commits to regularly examining these biases at the individual and organizational level, and taking proactive measures to mitigate the impacts of bias in our programs and operations.

Share Power – IHQC acknowledges that the position of serving as a trainer and technical assistance provider carries a degree of power, and commits to examining and mitigating situations where that power differential hinders the advancement of equity and inclusion.

Embrace a Learning Mindset – IHQC accepts that the path to achieving equity is a process and a journey, and therefore commits to adopting a learning mindset in service of continuous improvement.

California Community College Association for Occupational Education – https://cccaoe.org/

Design Justice Network – https://designjustice.org/

Equity Meets Design – https://equitymeetsdesign.com/

General Assembly – https://generalassemb.ly/

Global Learning Partners – https://www.globallearningpartners.com/

Inclusion Nation – https://inclusionnation.org/

National Training Institute on Race and Ethnicity – https://www.national.training/

Social Justice Partners, Los Angeles – https://www.sjpla.org/