Person holding their hands in the shape of a heart with sunlight in background

 

Setting JEDI into motion

Culture of Care

We at the AAG are focused on creating a culture of care, where representation in all forms matters. As part of this commitment, we are implementing all 32 points of our JEDI strategic plan to ensure it becomes a living, valuable part of the way we operate, individually, as a member organization and collectively as a discipline.

These initiatives are being woven into every aspect of our membership, annual meetings, regional groups and our 80 specialty and affinity communities to ensure that the principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) are embedded throughout our organization, impacting our discipline and the world.

Through the guidance of seven integral working groups (subcommittees from our Council-appointed JEDI committee), we will focus on creating achievable plans and corresponding annual metrics in collaboration with AAG members and subject matter experts.

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VISION

Create a relational approach to dismantle systems of oppression

Our vision of the AAG is a vibrant, welcoming, and just professional organization of geographers that centers justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion and commits to recognition, dignity, belonging, and engagement of all people.

The AAG and its members will work within our organization and across the discipline of geography to actively dismantle systems of racism, colonialism, patriarchy/sexism, cis heteronormativity, ableism, classism, nationalism, and other forms of oppression such as those rooted in religion, ethnicity, nationality, and immigrant status.

We take seriously the goal of creating a relational approach to dismantling oppression, discrimination, and marginalization that addresses multiple and intersectional barriers to inclusion and equity.

We cannot do this alone.

We believe that by integrating JEDI principles collaboratively, we can build and strengthen relationships within and beyond our discipline through time, which will enrich opportunities to heighten awareness of geography’s relevance in solving urgent real-world problems in an inclusive and just way.

GOALS

Enhance diversity, promote equity, foster a more inclusive culture

The AAG Council, Executive Director, staff, and the AAG JEDI Committee will work closely to operationalize three overarching goals to enhance diversity, promote equity and inclusivity, and foster a culture of care at the AAG:

  • Advance AAG leadership capabilities to enable adoption of JEDI principles and progress toward JEDI goals.
  • Establish effective tools for members and geography departments to support JEDI initiatives.
  • Integrate JEDI into programs and services within the AAG, geography departments, and the geography discipline.
  • The JEDI strategic plan recommends actions that the AAG, as an organization, should undertake over the next three years to achieve these goals.

Our JEDI strategic plan is comprised of 32 points to help guide our council, members and others in efforts to achieve our vision and goals.

 

Read the 3-year plan

Care and Change Management (Measure)

TLC GRAM: The working approach to a culture of care

To help guide this process we have established the Tender Loving Care (TLC) and GRAM campaign to operationalize and measure our organizational progress towards embedding JEDI principles in important areas: training, focused listening, communications, governance, reports, advocacy and membership. These seven areas correspond to our seven JEDI working groups, operationalizing the aims of the JEDI strategic plan. The AAG Executive Director and the AAG subject matter expert team will support JEDI Working group members in identifying appropriate tactical plans to achieve the desired results.

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Upcoming Training Resources — We will provide opportunities for JEDI learning and sustained engagement through the interactive JEDI web portal and broader AAG website (e.g., Geography Faculty Development Alliance, department leadership and early career workshops, virtual graduate student learning series).

AAG Communities JEDI Programming — We will establish an initiative to enable specialty and affinity groups to organize programs in support of their own JEDI mission and goals. Developing this initiative will involve further engagement with all groups to determine the scope.

JEDI Webinar Series — We will work with the JEDI Committee to conduct regular webinars that spotlight work and experiences in the JEDI arena (e.g., panel discussions, scholars doing JEDI research, student experiences, department experiences, AAG communities).

JEDI Leadership Summits — We will provide forums to support the professional development of current and future leaders in academic and professional geography. Through the exchange of ideas, best practices, and resources, these will promote knowledge, skills, and competencies to lead toward greater justice and equity.

Focused Listening Sessions — We will integrate formal JEDI listening sessions in all our annual and regional meetings to promote optimal and actionable dialogue. Additionally, we will offer JEDI listening sessions as a service at other relevant meetings (e.g., Race, Ethnicity & Place Conference).

  • Opportunities Assessment with AAG Communities — In collaboration with the JEDI Committee, we will liaise with specialty and affinity groups to identify opportunities to promote JEDI among their graduate student members, particularly members of marginalized groups.
  • Community College Outreach — We will establish a suite of initiatives to more actively engage with community college stakeholders (e.g., designated AAG membership and registration level, curated tracks and workshops at Annual Meetings, virtual workshops throughout the year, venues for Regional Meeting participation).
  • Opportunities Assessment for K-12 Participation — We will examine current AAG programming to identify opportunities for further integrating K-12 teachers and students with academic and professional geography.
  • JEDI Roundtables Beyond AAG — We will hold roundtable discussions during Advanced Placement exam readings (e.g., A.P. Human Geography, A.P. Environmental Science) and at the National Council for Geographic Education’s annual meeting to foster collaboration between AAG, K-12 teachers, community college educators, and post-secondary geographers in growing a robust and diverse pipeline of future geographers.

Annual Meetings — We will organize listening sessions, JEDI-specific plenaries, and with the involvement of AAG communities, curated JEDI research track(s). Additionally, we recommend that the AAG President include at least one meeting theme that is JEDI-focused.

Regional Meetings — We will work with regional division leaders to organize listening sessions and be more intentional about incorporating JEDI principles into the overall meeting design.

Interactive JEDI Web Presence — We will maintain an interactive JEDI webpage as part of the broader AAG website to promote JEDI in Geography and enable two-way communication (e.g., a dedicated email address, anonymous suggestion box) between AAG members, AAG community leaders, JEDI committee members, and AAG staff.

AAG Newsletter — We will share JEDI information and publicize opportunities for JEDI-related engagements within the monthly AAG Newsletter.

Geography Videos — We will work with AAG communities to create and publish short videos that profile the research and community action of diverse geographers as well as research and action that promotes social justice through geography. These videos will benefit specialty and affinity groups, the AAG, and the wider discipline by showcasing how JEDI principles are intrinsic to geographic research.

Truth & Reconciliation Task Force — We recommend that AAG Council organize a task force to heal trauma/unjust past by engaging with members in defining a process to reconcile geography’s unjust past with its potential to dismantle oppression. We envision the task force’s purpose as reparative of historical trauma, while the JEDI Committee’s focus is to promote justice and equity in the present and future. With some degree of overlapping membership envisioned, the work of this task force will inform and complement the work of the JEDI Committee.

Virtual Repository — We will maintain a space as part of the interactive JEDI web presence to house resources that support knowledge sharing on issues of JEDI in geography. These may include, but are not limited to past projects (e.g., ALIGNED, JustOne Initiative), previously recorded webinars, best practices, and departmental resources (e.g., diversity-oriented recruitment, outreach, advertising materials, and a JEDI “starter pack” for chairs). To the extent possible and to avoid duplication, these efforts will be integrated with current initiatives already under way.

Governance Audit — We will undertake regular audits of AAG’s general governance structures (e.g., Executive Committee, AAG Council, Regional Division boards, headquarters/staff) to identify and address any systemic or structural barriers to achieving JEDI excellence. Regular audits would ensure agility to act, transparency of processes, and continuity of focus through leadership transitions.

JEDI Compatible Policies — We will use the results of continual governance audits to adjust and amend policies to reflect guiding JEDI principles. Additionally, we will foster collaboration between committees, task forces, and other entities engaged in JEDI work (e.g., Anti-Harassment Task Force, Accessibility Task Force).

JEDI on Meeting Agendas — We will include JEDI as a standing agenda item at all meetings of the AAG Executive Committee and the AAG Council.

D&I Data Collection and Management — We will collect qualitative and quantitative data on members in categories that describe their diverse identities, research specialties (e.g., geographic subfields, AAG communities), departmental affiliations (e.g., geography, geosciences, etc.), and institutional affiliations (e.g., 4-year college, research university, community college, MSI, HBCU, K-12).

Regular Equity Audits — We will establish a cycle of internal and external audits that will be conducted on a regular basis to ensure we are meeting goals.

Departmental JEDI Evaluation Tools — In collaboration with the Healthy Departments Committee, we will develop an evaluation tool for departments and programs (including those based at MSIs, HBCUs, HSIs, and Tribal Colleges) to assess their own status, policies, practices, and progress toward JEDI success. This tool can also help external program reviewers identify opportunities for improvement related to JEDI matters.

JEDI Compatible Advocacy — We will not only continue to use advocacy as a tool to advance geography as a discipline, but we will also apply our collective expertise and skills to support policy issues at the intersection of geography and JEDI advancement.

Equitable Fee Structure — We will evaluate the current membership fee structure to identify access barriers for formerly excluded member groups. This will inform recommendations for appropriate fee strategies to encourage participation and improve diversity.

AAG Membership Recruitment & Retention Strategy — We will recommend recruitment and retention practices be established to increase the proportion of members from formerly excluded groups and institutions (e.g., MSIs, HBCUs, HSIs, Community Colleges, and Tribal Colleges) across professional and academic spheres.

Departmental JEDI Award — We recommend that AAG Council establish an award (e.g., annually or biennially) recognizing a department or program with exemplary JEDI practices.

JEDI OFFICE HOURS

Be a part of the conversation

AAG seeks to bring members and partners into the discussions about our TLC GRAM approach. To broaden the dialogue beyond the working groups and subcommittees, we invite members to call for and participate in meetings focused on the important subject areas of our TLC GRAM working process through our JEDI Office Hours. Information shared during these opportunities will help AAG learn and exchange new ideas, implement actionable outcomes, and measure progress on our goals.

Schedule time now

MAKE AN ASSESSMENT

Chart your path forward with TLC GRAM

The TLC GRAM Toolkit inventory is a process designed to encourage leaders to identify and build on promoting integrity, variety, and sustained engagement addressing multiple and intersectional barriers to inclusion.

Evaluate action steps by aligning your activities with the domains, then track your progress using the TLC GRAM worksheet.

Download the toolkit

 

Screenshot of the TLC GRAM toolkit worksheet

PARTNER WITH US

 

Research Partnerships:

The Foundation for a Culture of Care

AAG has a vision — We want to be a national fulcrum for grant and research opportunities for the discipline’s transformation, and we want to provide technical support to partner institutions and organizations seeking to share their knowledge and level up their prominence in research. The common throughline of the projects we encourage is commitment to the central principles of belonging, access, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (BAJEDI).”

—Risha RaQuelle, AAG Chief Strategy Officer

 

Research Partnerships: The Foundation for a Culture of Care
Convening
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Mentoring
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