Kimberly Truong the MGH Institute’s chief equity officer, organized the Massachusetts Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Education and Advocacy Day, an event at the Massachusetts State House on Tuesday that brought together diversity officers from other colleges and universities to discuss the importance of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) education with lawmakers. 

After holding a reception in the House Members’ Lounge, Truong and her fellow equity officers spread out around the State House and met with lawmakers’ legislative staffs to describe how JEDI education is critical to the state’s success. 

“Everyone seemed to get something out of these conversations — they loved it and felt re-energized,” Truong said, reflecting on the event. “The goal was to establish relationships with our legislators, and we accomplished this.” 

The event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM), especially Kaitlyn Pires, Truong said. Along with providing programming and resources to schools across the state, the organization holds a monthly meeting that brings together chief diversity officers in higher education. AICUM catered the event and invited their president Robert McCarron to speak. He noted that components of JEDI education are outlawed in 14 states, based on misconceptions that the group hoped to dispel during their conversations with lawmakers. Other members of the planning committee included Ruth Molina (New England HERC), Joyya Smith (Suffolk University), Calvin Hill (UMass Boston), Jesse Tauriac (Lasell College), and Bwann Gwann (WPI).  

Truong prepared talking points for the participating diversity officers, noting that “almost all” public and private colleges and universities in Massachusetts have diversity officers. She encouraged her colleagues to describe how JEDI education enriches their institutions, saying that it “contributes to inclusive and welcoming communities where all constituency groups feel at home.” 

Diversity officers also met with staffs from the governor’s office and legislative bodies such as the Joint Committee on Ways and Means and Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Staff members were “receptive,” Truong said, and she and her colleagues hope to continue holding events advocating for JEDI education at the State House. 

“Not only did we form relationships with our lawmakers, but another goal was to help our diversity officers understand that they have elected officials who represent them, so they can visit their offices or call,” Truong said. “This advocacy day was the first of many conversations we’ll have together.”