National Task Force on Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

January 2018 - March 2019

December 4, 2019

History of the Task Force

Consistent with NAEA’s 2015-2020 Strategic Vision, the National Task Force on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion was established to ensure that our professional community is inclusive and open to all.

The Task Force was charged with:

Reviewing NAEA’s history through the lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion
Identifying similar initiatives underway with other professional organizations and study implications for NAEA’s work
Understanding the demographics of the profession across the NAEA community and throughout the field as a whole

In fall 2018, selected NAEA diversity leaders in the art education field drove a thoughtful, thorough review process to determine who best met the criteria for service on the Task Force and who represented a demographic cross-section of the community, according to NAEA President Kim Defibaugh. Based on their recommendations, Defibaugh appointed members to the 14 month Task Force—18 art educators (and one alternate).

Sixty NAEA members applied, underscoring the significant interest in the effort. “We have a talented, knowledgeable group of members committed to addressing this priority initiative,” said Defibaugh. She invited those applicants who were not selected for the Task Force to contribute to the initiative in other ways—by sharing experiences and ideas, and helping to inform strategy by reaching out to their communities.

In response to its charge to make recommendations for nurturing and sustaining a diverse, vibrant professional community, Task Force members met in January 2018 at the NAEA Studio & Gallery. After 14 months of intense, crucial work, the Task Force developed a final report making recommendations to the NAEA Board of Directors.

During its March 2019 meeting, the NAEA Board of Directors took immediate action in response to the first recommendation to create a standing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission, similar to the NAEA Research Commission, to ensure the sustainability of the ED&I work already started by the Task Force.

Recommendations presented during 2019 NAEA National Convention:

Download the Task Force Recommendations
Download the Task Force Recommendations with Rationales
Log in here to view the Super Session recording

Reports

Resources

Recommended Reading
NAEA Webinar: Making Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Real in Art Education Practices
NAEA Need to Know Webcast: Moving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Forward in Art Education: Questions for Art Educators
Login here to view these recent issues of Art Education Journal focusing on ED&I:
- Art Education 70(4) issue: Creative Activity as a Human Right
- Art Education 70(5) issue: Art as Therapy<
- Art Education 71(1) issue: Arts Equity: Difficult
  Conversations Are Well Worth Having
- Art Education 72(2) issue: Beyond Diversity and Inclusion
- Art Education 73(1) issue: Art Education in the Face of Injustice
#BlackLivesMatter: Access and Equity in the Arts and Education
“But He Looks Like Me. I Never Saw an Artist Look Like That”: Making Connections to Social Justice Through Art

Position Statements Adopted

In alignment with the NAEA’s Strategic Plan and priority goals, the Board has engaged in strategic conversations about what constitutes an equitable, inclusive, and diverse professional community. NAEA leaders have engaged in organizational readiness toward addressing this goal through the 2016 and 2017 NAEA Super Summer Summit Meeting with Board of Directors and Elects; the 2016 National Leadership Conference with state association leaders and the development and adoption of the following position statements.

Definitions of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Developed and Approved by the NAEA Board

Equity: Refers to conditions that support fairness and justness based on individual needs and circumstances whereas all members have opportunities to thrive and realize their best within the NAEA community (adopted December 2017).

Diversity: The term ‘diversity’ describes both observable and non-observable individual differences (life experiences, work context, learning and working styles, personality types among others) and group/social differences (race, gender identity and expression, age, social class, country of origin, ability, beliefs, intellectual and cultural perspectives, among others) that can contribute to organizational vibrancy and a dynamic professional community.

Inclusion: The term ‘inclusion’ describes proactive, intentional, and thoughtful engagement with diversity to the extent that all have the ability to contribute fully and effectively throughout the NAEA community.

Task Force Members - Appointed December 2017

Wanda B. Knight, CHAIR | Associate Professor of Art Education and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies; Professor-in-Charge of Art Education, Pennsylvania State University, PA

Joni Acuff | Associate Professor, Ohio State University, OH

Kathy Danko-McGhee | Chair, Teacher Education & Human Services, Owens Community College, OH

Libya Doman | Art Teacher, Fairfax Co. Public Schools, VA; Adjunct Professor, George Mason University, VA

Priya Frank | Associate Director for Community Programs, Seattle Art Museum, WA

Gia Greer | Research Assistant, PhD Student and Instructor, Concordia University,Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Dalila Huerta | Assistant Youth Programs Coordinator, La Casa de Amistad, Inc., IN

Karen Keifer-Boyd | Professor Art Education and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, Pennsylvania State University, PA

Vanessa Lopez | Faculty/Practicum Coordinator, Maryland Institute College of Art, MD

Alisha Mernick | Art Educator, Art 1, AP Studio, Alliance Gertz-Ressler High School, CA

Kai Monet | Education Program Coordinator, The Museum of Contemporary Art, CA

Ketal Patel | Doctoral Student, Art Educator, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Educational Consultant, Ohio State University, OH

Jennifer Rankey-Zona | Visual Arts Director, K-8 Art Teacher, Trinity Episcopal School, NC

James Haywood Rolling, Jr. | Dual Professor and Chair of Art Education, Syracuse University, NY

Jim Sanders, iii | Associate Professor, Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy, Ohio State University, OH

Lori Santos | Associate Professor of Art Education

Vanessa Smart | Teacher, Durham Public Schools, NC

Gloria J. Wilson | Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Art Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, VA

Ray Yang |Visual Arts Teacher, University Prep; Arts Education Consultant; Teaching Artist, WA

Jen Rankey-Zona, Middle Level Representative

Flavia Bastos, Alternate | Professor, University of Cincinnati, OH

Task Force Meeting

Members of the NAEA Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Task Force met in Alexandria, Virginia with NAEA President Kim Defibaugh (first row, center right), and Task Force Chair, Wanda Knight (far right) for the Task Force’s first face to face meeting.