Your Rights. Your Privacy. Your Freedom.
 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Vision

NCSF’s goal is to better fulfill our mission through a better understanding of a diverse range of voices and experiences in our communities. We recognize the similarities and differences between people that make us all unique. We aim to be inclusive by creating opportunities for more people of various backgrounds to be represented and heard by NCSF.

Definitions

Diversity speaks to the leadership’s representation within an organization or entity that is representative of the multitude of identities and lived experiences of our society. Diversity is not about meeting a quota and it is about curating a collective of people that can give voice to the nuanced needs and perspectives of all.

Equity is often confused with equality. To be equitable, an organization needs to provide policies and infrastructure that promotes access to the full range of opportunities, resources, representation, and decision-making power. An organization has to not only find ways to increase equality; but, also provide additional support to mitigate power differentials.

Inclusion is an intentional action to listen, include, and institute the voices of all within an organization. It is a planned action to provide visibility, representation, and accessibility to empower those perspectives, voices, and experiences that have historically been disempowered.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee should be working diligently, almost daily and certainly with every interaction we have with each other and our stakeholders, to project a positive, consistent, and strong organizational culture that is consistent with our NCSF Mission Statement and our Diversity Equity and Inclusion Vision, including:

  • Ensure that NCSF’s programs and projects are representative of our society; create and implement procedures and practices that optimize accessibility of resources and education to our community; invite, encourage, and promote the inclusion of all voices with intentional attention to those communities that have been excluded due to oppression, discrimination, and systemic racism.
  • Engage and invite historically marginalized and oppressed people to participate in NCSF’s research projects. NCSF strives to have contributions to research that is meaningful and relevant to all.
  • Prioritize sponsorships to projects and events that center underrepresented and disenfranchised communities.  
  • Institute ongoing data collection methods that solicit representative and inclusive information data from the community to improve quality decision-making. We strive to maximize accessibility for all to participate.

For more information, email [email protected]

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Culture

NCSF’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Culture originates from the Board Members, and we’ve agreed in principle that a change in NCSF culture must originate at the NCSF Board level.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Expectations

Board Members

  • Model behavior at all times in a way that is consistent with the NCSF Mission Statement and Vision.
  • Complete the annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training.
  • Every month, a Board Member will be tasked with providing additional educational opportunities at the Board meeting by discussing the info they have posted in the Board Forum that highlights a diversity issue (e.g., Ted Talks, books, interviews, resources, data). View Our Diversity Moments here
  • Be mindful of actively recruiting diverse volunteers at BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory Community events.
  • Be actively involved in the identification and recruitment of diverse Board Member candidates.
  • Educate and inform regarding diversity, equity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission Statement and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.
  • Be receptive to learning about being reeducated as needed, and being called-in when necessary. This is applicable to each board member. We promote self-reflection, lifelong learning, institutional accountability, and mitigation of power differentials.
  • Being proactive to issues or concerns involving diversity, equity and inclusion instead of reacting to them as they arise.

In regards to NCSF’s Coalition Partners, the BOD will:

  • Educate our Coalition Partners about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion issues, and to be aware that diversity refers to: race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, level of ability, and educational status.
  • Be actively involved in the recruitment of Coalition Partners for NCSF from the BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory communities, in particular those serving more marginalized communities.
  • Educate and inform Coalition Partners regarding diversity, equity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission Statement and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.
  • Be proactive and preemptive to issues or concerns involving diversity and inclusion instead of reacting to them as they arise.

Volunteers, Staff, and Liaisons:

  • Model behavior at all times in a way that is consistent with the NCSF Mission Statement and Vision.
  • Be mindful of actively recruiting diverse volunteers at BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory Community events.
  • Educate and inform regarding diversity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.

Coalition Partners

  • Educate our Coalition Partners about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion issues, and to be aware that diversity refers to: race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, sexual identity, socioeconomic status, level of ability, and educational status. 
  • Encourage our Coalition Partners to create their own Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Vision.
  • Be actively involved in the recruitment of Coalition Partners for NCSF from the BDSM-Leather-Fetish, Swing, and Polyamory communities, in particular those serving more marginalized communities.
  • Educate and inform your members regarding diversity, equity and inclusion issues, as well as NCSF Mission and resources, when opportunities to do so present themselves.
  • Be proactive to issues or concerns involving diversity and inclusion instead of reacting to them as they arise.