EDIA principles
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access (EDIA) is a framework focused on ensuring that people of all races, genders, abilities, or socioeconomic backgrounds are represented, treated fairly, and genuinely valued. The following are core tenets of EDIA:
EDIA is defined by outcomes, not good intentions. Aspirational goals without measurable results can mask inaction. Impact must be prioritized over effort.
Equity is not the same as equality. Equity accounts for different starting points and lived experiences, tailoring supports to achieve comparable outcomes.
Representation is not redistribution. Simply diversifying who is “in the room” is insufficient without sharing decision-making power, influence, and access to resources.
Power is embedded in systems. Power dynamics shape access, opportunity, and voice. EDIA requires naming, examining, using, and ceding power intentionally.
Inclusion is felt, not claimed. A workplace or institution is inclusive when those most marginalized say it is—not when leaders declare it to be.
Historical inequities must be actively dismantled. EDIA strategies must address root causes, not just symptoms, of inequality—especially those rooted in colonization, racism, and systemic exclusion.
Knowing what doesn’t work is critical. Mistakes, failures, and unintended harms offer crucial learning. Negative expertise, especially from lived experience, strengthens EDIA practice.
Intent without structural change preserves inequity. Policies, practices, and institutional norms must be redesigned to produce equitable outcomes.
Privilege makes inequity hard to see. EDIA requires those with power to believe and act on perspectives they may never experience firsthand.
Culture change requires policy change. Cultures don't shift through values statements alone. Rules, incentives, and accountability mechanisms must reinforce EDIA goals.
Harm reduction is part of equity. While systemic change is long-term, EDIA must also identify and interrupt ongoing harm in the short term—whether interpersonal or institutional.
Feedback is data. Complaints, dissent, and discomfort—especially from marginalized people—are vital sources of truth.
EDIA is not neutral. Seeking “neutrality” often defaults to preserving the status quo. EDIA is about making just, and sometimes disruptive, choices.
Inclusion without safety is performative. People from marginalized groups may be invited in but remain unsafe, unheard, or unsupported. Psychological and cultural safety is foundational.
One-size-fits-all solutions rarely work. EDIA must be context-specific, recognizing intersectionality and the unique barriers faced by different groups.
Intentional inaction is a decision to maintain the status quo. Avoiding conflict or discomfort in EDIA work often equates to reinforcing existing hierarchies.
Metrics matter—but not all that matters can be measured. Stories, relationships, and trust are equally crucial indicators of progress.
EDIA work should center those most affected. Those who experience the greatest harm should lead the design and evaluation of equity-focused changes.
Justice is not a checklist. EDIA is ongoing, evolving work. There’s no endpoint, only deeper alignment with justice, accountability, and care.
EDIA must be resourced to be real. Equity cannot be an add-on. It requires sustained funding, leadership buy-in, staff time, and institutional commitment.
