DEI Policy Webinar

The LWVUS Governance and DEI Committees held a webinar on November 12, 2020 to discuss the amendment made to the LWVUS Bylaws at the 2020 Convention that requires all Leagues to have a DEI policy. 

FAQ

Q: Is this just for state Leagues, or does each local League need to have a DEI Policy too? 

A: As has been advised over this past biennium, all Leagues should have a DEI policy. The LWVUS policy has been offered as a model to Leagues. 

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Q: What does my League have to do?

A: Leagues will not have to take any specific action regarding a decision to have a DEI policy. The first three articles of all Leagues’ bylaws should be consistent with those of LWVUS. No vote is required by your League. With that said, we hope that all Leagues have been applying a DEI lens to all their work including our mission-related work especially during this important election year. 

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Q: So, do we have to copy the LWVUS DEI Policy word-for-word and put it into our Bylaws? 

A: No, the policy can be referenced in the same way that it is in the LWVUS bylaws.  

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Q: How long do we have to put a DEI Policy together from scratch and include it in our Bylaws? 

A: Leagues may but do not need to create their own policy. Leagues can utilize and refer to the LWVUS policy just as it is stated in the LWVUS Bylaws.  The webinar recording explains this in more detail.

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A recording of the webinar is available here.

Below are the resources referenced in the webinar:

• LWVUS Bylaws as amended in June 2020: https://www.lwv.org/league-management/bylaws/bylaws-and-certificate-incorporation
• Proposed Bylaws Amendments for Convention: https://www.lwv.org/ProposedBylaws
• Sample Bylaws Template: https://www.lwv.org/league-management/leadership-development/sample-bylaws-template
• Transformation Roadmap: https://www.lwv.org/league-management/policies-guidelines/transformation-roadmap
• Transformation Roadmap: Progress and Continuing Strategic Goals: https://www.lwv.org/league-management/policies-guidelines/transformation-roadmap-progress-and-continuing-strategic
• DEI Policy: https://www.lwv.org/league-management/policies-guidelines/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-policy

DEI Webinar on Language and the DEI Policy

Using our DEI policy and our definitions of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion  this webinar covered the words we use in our DEI work and their meaning. We discussed the importance of knowing what specific words mean and when to use them and how similar words have important distinctions. 

A recording of the webinar is available here.

Resources:

• Glossary
• Explanation of Intersectionality
• Characteristics Exercise

DEI Module 1: The Whys and What of DEI

Watch the recording of the module 

Resources:

• DEI Terms
• DEI Policy
• What's the Difference Between Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity? (General Assembly Article)
• April 2019 DEI Webinar
• Activity for Incorporating a Racial Equity Lens (Everyday Democracy)
• Equality is Not Enough (Everyday Feminism)