Shape Up SF Coalition Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Guidelines For Public-Facing Events

Purpose:

Thoughtful planning to make space for diversity, equity, and inclusion for Shape Up SF events is a priority for the Shape Up SF Coalition (SUSFC). Use this guide throughout the planning process to ensure that all events are aligned with Shape Up SF’s mission and vision.

• Mission: to advance health equity in San Francisco by collaborating with community partners on system changes that increase nutrition security and active living
• Vision: all San Franciscans who live, work, learn and play in San Francisco enjoy optimal health.

Proposal to Steering Committee (SC)

Guiding question: How can we create an inclusive and equitable planning process?

The SC provides strategic guidance and leadership for SUSFC activities. Prior to planning a public-facing event, Action Team Co-Leads need to schedule time on a SC agenda to present their proposal.

Key questions to address in the proposal:

• What is the purpose of the event?
• How does the event align with the Coalition’s mission?
• What are the desired outcomes?
• Who is the target audience?
• What is the outreach plan both for speakers and participants to ensure diverse representation?
• What are the DEI metrics for content and speakers? (See pre-event planning section for details)
• What is the desired timeline for the event?^*

The SC will provide input and either ask for further clarification and follow-up if key elements of the proposal are not addressed; or provide greenlight to proceed to pre-event planning.
_{*The timeline must be flexible to ensure that key DEI metrics are met before proceeding, which may take several months; therefore, Action Teams are encouraged to plan as far in advance as possible. Action Teams are encouraged to plan as far in advance as possible.}

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Pre-Event Planning

Based on SC feedback to the proposal, Action Teams may refine their proposal and begin planning. Action Team Leads should keep the SC updated at monthly meetings on planning progress and any challenges.

Develop agenda

• Involve subject matter experts (SME)/key stakeholders who represent the target audience/subject of the event in the development of the agenda and to be part of the planning committee
• When developing an agenda, ensure DEI-related topics are incorporated or addressed through the program/panel/keynote/lecture aligned with your event goals
• Consider integrating learning and real-time reflection moments. Examples include: integrated minutes of silence, moments in between presentations where participants are invited to journal or think about how what they've heard applies to them, guided breath or meditation moments, etc.
• Avoid rigid timeframes and a rushed agenda
• Ensure time on the agenda to create a safe and brave space. (See DEI metrics below.)

DEI metrics should include, but not be limited to:

Creating a safe space

• Share DEI intentions and core values in opening remarks (see template in Appendix A)
• Acknowledge the land on which gathering is taking place
• Establish community agreements
• Include pronouns
• Ensure adequate breaks for those with health needs
• Integrate relational and trust-building participation strategies or activities where possible, to increase participants' sense of emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being.
• Seek to integrate art and music from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Dates

• Avoid scheduling the event on religious holidays or observances, where possible. If scheduling on an important date, provide justification/acknowledgement in the meeting. (Refer to Inclusion Diversity Calendar)

Speakers

• Invite speakers who bring different forms of expertise, including lived experience.
• Ensure a diverse panel of speakers/facilitators, specifically, those who represent the target audience. Give Black, Latinx, Native Americans, and other people of color an opportunity to be an expert on topics beyond representing their racial community.
• Offer honorariums to speakers to compensate them for their time

Content

• Ensure that language/images/materials are appropriate and inclusive for the target audience

Icebreakers

• Choose icebreakers that embrace DEI, challenge dominant cultural norms and highlight diverse cultural identities

Opportunities to interact with participants

• Be aware of people’s learning style, and structure content delivery appropriately
• Ensure a variety of ways to participate and offer feedback. Ex. chat, unmuting, breakout groups, padlets, multimedia to get input from new people
• Collect feedback during and after the event about whether participant accessibility and DEI needs were met
• Use different formats: plenaries, small group discussions, roundtable discussions, lectures, experiential sessions, art, learning/practice groups, open space, real-time blogging, tweeting, and groups/space for emerging topics
• Build in time for reflection, informal conversations, and the processing of emotions and new learnings.

Collect and review data

• Collect and analyze demographic information about attendees
• Establish a process for reviewing audience feedback

Outreach

• Invest in creative outreach to nontraditional groups who represent Shape Up SF’s priority populations
• Embed inclusion language in outreach materials and messaging as appropriate
• Be inclusive in promoting your event, including social media
• Curate an inclusive image/video library that portrays a fair representation of your audience, including those who have been historically excluded from your organization’s work or focus area

Representation

• Ensure there is diversity of age groups, sexual orientations, gender identities, religions, races, and power positions present at your event
• Encourage attendance of staff with non-leadership roles

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Accessibility

Guiding question: Does the event enhance diverse community participation?

Venue

• Choose a venue that is in the community that Event is trying to reach
• Ensure that the event location is accessible by transit and accessible to persons with disabilities
• If the event is in the evening or on a weekend, provide childwatch options
• Ensure rooms for diverse needs such as nursing, prayer, or quiet time
• Consider venues with gender-neutral bathrooms

Food

• Ensure that healthy and nutritious options are available to accommodate dietary restrictions
• Purchase food from local businesses, preferably those that are owned by and serving BIPOC

Language

• Provide translated materials or secure live interpretation at community meetings, if requested
• Ensure that audio/visual is appropriate. Provide closed-captioning, microphone, and ensure that font size is visible for vision-impaired. If necessary/requested, provide options for live translations.

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Final Review and Considerations

One month prior to the event, Action Team Co-Leads should present a final review and update for the event to the SC. Action Teams should be able to answer “yes” to the following. If the answer is “no”, provide a brief justification in the space below.

• Were SME/key stakeholders involved in the development of the agenda/planning committee?
• Are DEI topics incorporated throughout the agenda?
• Are learning and real-time reflection moments integrated in the agenda?
• Have you met the DEI metrics as outlined in the Pre-Event Planning section?
• Was there considerable outreach effort to ensure a diverse panel of highlighted speakers/facilitators, specifically, those who represent the population/participants?
• Are you doing active outreach for the event to diverse populations?
• Is the event venue accessible to the community you are trying to reach?
• Is the event location accessible by transit and to persons with disabilities?
• If the event is in the evening or weekend, do you plan to provide childwatch options?
• Are there rooms for diverse needs available at the venue?
• Will there be healthy and nutritious options available to accommodate dietary restrictions?
• Will food be purchased from local businesses that are woman/BIPOC-owned?
• If requested, do you plan for translation or live interpretation?
• Have you accounted for A/V needs, including closed-captioning for any videos?

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Appendix

Template for opening remarks:

Welcome and thank you for joining us for (insert title of event).

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core values of the Shape Up SF Coalition. These values are critical to our mission to advance health equity in San Francisco by collaborating with community partners on system changes that increase nutrition security and active living. At this event, and in our day-to-day work, we aim to foster a culture where every participant feels valued, supported and inspired to achieve both individual and common goals. With intent, we have planned this event to welcome people of every race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, migratory status, disability/ability, and socioeconomic background.

Please let us know how we are doing; hearing from you helps us grow and learn. As we begin today, we must first acknowledge that we gather on the ancestral territory of the (use Native Land Map) people. For more than five hundred years, Native communities across the Americas have demonstrated resilience and resistance in the face of violent efforts to separate them from their land, culture, and each other. They remain at the forefront of movements to protect Mother Earth and the life it sustains. Native American communities continue to thrive today. We acknowledge the critical and necessary step of honoring Native communities and invite you to join us in this practice.

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