RESOURCES FOR DEI INITIATIVES

Resources for Advancing Your Company’s DEI Initiatives

The following resources for advancing your company's DEI initiatives were compiled by the IBPA DEI Committee and adapted by members of the BAWiP DEI Committee.

Research & Thought Leadership on Diversity in Book Publishing

Lee & Low Book's Diversity Baseline Study. Lee & Low Books’ survey of publishing workforce diversity in major traditional publishers, review journals, trade and university presses, and literary agencies.
Publishing Diversity Statistics. Underrepresented groups in publishing.
Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)'s Diversity Statistics. CCBC has been documenting books for children and teens it receives annually by and about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) since 1994.
Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)'s Observations on Publishing. CCBC observations on recent book diversity, literature, and publishing trends (2020).
Minorities in Publishing. The brainchild of publishing professional Jenn Baker, MiP is a podcast discussing diversity (or lack thereof) in the book publishing industry.
Workplace Racism Survey. People of Color in Publishing and Latinx in Publishing conducted an anonymous survey in 2018 gauging the extent to which BIPOC book publishing employees experienced racism in the workplace.
Reading Between the Lines: Race, Equity, and Book Publishing. A report by PEN America that sheds light on the dynamics that both enable and inhibit the broadest range of voices in American literature, with a focus on racial and ethnic diversity.

Diversity Consulting, Training, & Certification

Courageous Conversations. Racial equity training, consulting, certification
Diversity Training University International. Cultural diversity training; Organizational Inclusion Assessment Toolkit; global & multicultural marketing.
Equity and Expectations. a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEI&J) firm that offers training, coaching, and consultation on issues related to race, privilege, bias, and other diversity dimensions.
National Equity Project. Equity consulting, coaching, training, and resources.
The No Nonsense Experience. A 4-part series of discussions on race, diversity, inclusion, and bias.
Society for Diversity. DEI workplace training, certification, webinars.
Raceforward. Organization that works across communities most affected by systemic racism to build collective power for racial equity. They present the biennial Facing Race conference, the country’s largest multiracial conference on racial justice.

Developing Your DEI Policy & Statements

Drafting a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement. DEI statements.
Writing a Diversity and Inclusion Statement from the US Chamber of Commerce. How to get it right.
DEI Committee Statement Guide from Harvard Diversity Inclusion and Belonging. DEI commitment.
Inclusion and Diversity Goals Toolkit. DEI Toolkit with SMART goals.

Addressing Language

Conscious Style Guide. Style guides addressing use of language regarding various underrepresented communities.
The Diversity Style Guide. Guide with "more than 700 terms related to race/ethnicity, disability, immigration, sexuality and gender identity, drugs and alcohol, and geography."
Language, Please. Style Guidance, Inclusivity Reader Directory, Editorial Tools, and FAQs from this a free, living resource for journalists and storytellers seeking to thoughtfully cover evolving social, cultural, and identity-related topics.
People with Disability Australia's Language Guide. Online resource written by people with disability to assist the general public and media outlets when talking about and reporting on disability.
Radical Copy Editor. Site of Alex Kapitan, who works with individuals, groups, and organizations that want their publications and communications to be conscious and anti-oppressive with regards to race, class, sexuality, gender, ability, age, body size, religion, nationality, and more.
Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER). Online glossary of queer and trans terms.
Writing Diversely. Helping authors create diverse and inclusive stories.
Sign Speak. An automated Sign Language interpreting application.

Diversifying Your Staff & Hiring Diverse Contractors

Black Arts Collective. Maintains the "Indy Black Artist Directory."
Black and Brown Book Designers. Community for Black and Brown designers to connect, promote, and share their experiences within the publishing industry. Includes a freelance directory.
Economic Inequality. Interviews with a variety of publishers discussing how to acquire and publish books addressing income inequality and wealth (or ownership) inequality. Its impact can be measured in how social outcomes for people differ based on their race, gender identification, education, health care, geography, and intergenerational wealth. (March 2021)
Latinx in Publishing. Network of book professionals committed to supporting and increasing the number of Latino/a/x in the publishing industry, as well as promoting literature by, for, and about Latino/a/x people.
Editors of Color. Help with tapping into a diverse and representative editorial workforce.
Inkluded. Trains and places young people from excluded groups into their first publishing jobs.
#PublishingPaidMe. LA Times article on the disparity between advances paid to POC (June 2020).
We Need Diverse Books’ Internship Grant Program. To participate, publishers should submit a request to WNDB before March 31st and agree to the Partner terms; subject to review by the WNDB Internship Grant Committee (see FAQ page).
Disability in Publishing's Freelancer Directory. A list of individuals who are open to freelance or work-for-hire work and identify as a Person with Disability.

Diversifying Your Author Base

The BIPOC Bookshelf. Platform for books written by BIPOC authors, database of BIPOC literary agents and editors.
The Brown Bookshelf. Designed to push awareness of the myriad Black voices writing for young readers.
Children's Book Council Diversity Resources. Resources for connecting with diverse authors, illustrators, readers, reviewers, and other members of the children’s book community.
The FOLD. Canada’s first festival for diverse authors and storytellers, held in historic downtown Brampton.
It Gets Better. LGBTQIA video stories.
Kweli. Nurtures emerging writers of color, creates a community and programming based on artistic excellence and rigor.
Lambda Literary. Resources for LGBTQ writers.
Publishing in Color. Conferences connecting book and magazine publishing professionals with Christian writers of color.
Muslim Voices in Publishing. Aims to spotlight the brilliant work and contributions of Muslims within the book publishing industry—whether an author, illustrator or a publishing professional!
The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary. Spotlights authors from underrepresented communities and connects diverse communities with the publishing industry.
How To Be An Ally. Book that discusses how each of us can create a workspace that is equitable and innovative while making people feel safe. She also has a TEDtalk that may be of interest.
Making Room for Disabled Authors. Article by Frances Ryan about disabled authors who will have different experiences to their non-disabled colleagues, and their inclusion will create richer storytelling.

Reaching a Diverse Readership

AALBC.com. Dedicated to selling books by or about people of African descent.
AALBC-List of Black-Owned Bookstores. Maintained in an effort to highlight Black-owned brick and mortar stores focusing on Black books.
Sensitivity Reader Directory. Workshops and directory of readers who help writers create diverse and inclusive stories.
Disability Lit Resources. A comprehensive list of literary journals featuring writing by/for people with disabilities, or about the disability experience. These publications have a creative (rather than lifestyle) focus.

Understanding Diverse Perspectives

Finding My Way Inclusive SEL Curriculum: K-3. As a literature-based study, this curriculum compliments SEL skill development by deepening students’ understanding and acceptance of individuals with disabilities.
Intelligence isn’t Enough, by Carice Anderson. Anderson empowers young Black professionals by equipping them with advice and little-known principles of career success from her experiences and interviews with thirty successful Black leaders.
Well-Read Black Girl. Addresses inequalities and improves communities through reading and reflecting on the works of Black women.
Creative Aging Resources. The Creative Aging Resource is a place to access and share resources that highlight the benefits of arts education for older adults.
Weight Discrimination. Current trends combatting weight discrimination.
American Indians in Children's Literature. Critical analysis of Indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books. A primary purpose of American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) is to help you know who Native people are. That knowledge can help you understand why Native people object to being misrepresented.

Videos Worth Noting

History of the Chickasaw First Americans. First Americans: tribal progress, as well as future plans of how the Chickasaw Nation is working to enhance the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people.
Let’s End Ageism. TED Talk with Ashton Applewhite on age-ism and the prejudices around it.
From Inactive Bystander to Ally. Berrett Kohler sponsored chat with author Tiffany Jana discussing microaggressions and how to build a better workplace.
Systemic Racism Against Latinos. Looks at the issues Latinos have faced over the 180-plus year history in the U.S., and some alarming ways our country’s major systems aﬀect our community by UnidosUS.
Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity. Using white privilege to influence by Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary.
Best DEI Practices in the Workplace. From Operator Insights.
A Conversation With … on Race. This short documentary series features interviews with white people on the challenges of talking about race by the New York Times. Also included in the series
- A Conversation with Latinos on Race
- A Conversation with Asian Americans on Race
- A Conversation with Native Americans on Race
- A Conversation with Black Boys and Young Men about Growing Up Black
- A Conversation with White People on Race