Sports Diversity and DE&I
The DE&I committee is working to continually discover the intersectionality of people in the AFCSL community. There can still be lots to learn and improve towards the goal of making this a welcoming and positive experience for all. Please review the following standards and how we define Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the march towards Acceptance.
Diversity
Diversity is about all the ways we differ as individuals. The range of human differences include race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, language, physical ability or attributes, intellectual ability and neurodiversity, religious, cultural or ethical values systems, national origin, opinions and political beliefs. It is this wonderful mix of differences that make a person, a team, an organization or a country unique. The sports diversity movement is first about recognizing and appreciating the unique richness that diversity brings us.
Equity
While many may think equity only means treating everyone exactly the same, it’s really about making sure that everyone within the group has equal opportunities, such as access to learning, participating, mentoring, volunteering and any other aspects of the sports diversity movement without discrimination or prejudice –this is equity. This equity is part of social equality, which means it also includes equal obligations, making you and other individuals more accountable for your thoughts, words and actions. It’s about creating a fairer society where everyone can not only participate but also has the opportunity to fulfill one self’s personal potential within a group setting.
Inclusion
Inclusion is about creating an environment that makes people feel welcome by involving, respecting, and empowering them. Inclusion harnesses the wealth of diverse ideas, connections, and backgrounds for the betterment of everyone involved through recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of each individual. It promotes and sustains a sense of belonging to the sports diversity movement for those who want to help but up until now never knew how to participate.
Acceptance
This is really about social acceptance – it is your ability to accept our endless diversity and to respect the individual and collective differences each individual brings. You don’t have to agree with everyone, nor are you required to like all their differences as listed in the diversity section above. But it IS about you treating others with kindness; with the same dignity and respect you would want others to use when interacting with you.
With these definitions and standards in mind we ask you, the player, for help in giving us a pulse check on the current climate of the league and areas where you believe we could improve in. While the responses are anonymous, we ask that you take a calm and constructive approach to your suggestions and experiences. The results will be used as a benchmark and opportunity for AFCSL to improve in the discovered areas and to compare against when we poll again in a few years.