Equity Committee

The Equity Committee helps ensure that equity, inclusion, belonging, and representation are woven throughout MnAEYC’s work. This committee plays an important role in guiding the organization’s commitment to creating a more just, inclusive, and responsive early childhood field across Minnesota.

 

Purpose

The Equity Committee works to support MnAEYC in living out its commitment to equity in meaningful and sustained ways.

 

The committee helps guide organizational reflection, planning, professional development, and member engagement so that MnAEYC’s programs, policies, events, and leadership reflect the diverse experiences, identities, and communities that make up Minnesota’s early childhood workforce.

 

Through this work, the Equity Committee helps MnAEYC move beyond statements of commitment toward ongoing action, accountability, and growth.

 

Key Responsibilities

The Equity Committee is responsible for developing and maintaining MnAEYC’s equity statement. This includes ensuring that the statement remains current, meaningful, and aligned with the organization’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.

 

The committee also guides the integration of equity into MnAEYC’s strategic planning. This work helps ensure that equity is not treated as a separate initiative, but as a core part of decision-making, goal-setting, leadership, advocacy, professional development, membership, and organizational sustainability.

 

In addition, the committee promotes equity-focused professional development by helping identify topics, speakers, resources, and learning opportunities that support early childhood professionals in deepening their equity-centered practice. These opportunities may focus on anti-bias education, culturally responsive practice, inclusive leadership, accessibility, belonging, advocacy, and other issues affecting children, families, educators, and communities.

 

The committee also works to enhance member engagement and representation across MnAEYC. This includes helping identify ways to welcome, listen to, and involve members from diverse roles, communities, racial and cultural backgrounds, geographic regions, languages, program types, and professional experiences.

 

Committee Activities May Include

• Developing and reviewing MnAEYC’s equity statement

• Supporting equity integration across MnAEYC’s strategic plan

• Providing guidance on organizational decisions through an equity lens

• Identifying equity-focused professional development topics and speakers

• Supporting inclusive and accessible events, communications, and member engagement

• Helping strengthen representation across MnAEYC membership, committees, and leadership

• Gathering feedback from members and communities to inform equity work

• Promoting reflection, accountability, and continuous growth within the organization

• Supporting partnerships that advance equity in the early childhood field

 

Why Join This Committee?

Serving on the Equity Committee is a meaningful way to help shape MnAEYC’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging. Committee members help ensure that MnAEYC’s work reflects the realities, strengths, and needs of Minnesota’s diverse early childhood community.

 

This committee is a great fit for individuals who are passionate about justice, representation, advocacy, inclusive leadership, anti-bias education, culturally responsive practice, and creating spaces where all members feel seen, valued, and heard.

 

Members do not need to have all the answers — this committee is grounded in shared learning, honest reflection, and collective action.

 

Join Us

MnAEYC members are invited to get involved with the Equity Committee and help guide the organization’s ongoing equity work. Together, we can strengthen MnAEYC’s commitment to inclusion, representation, belonging, and justice across all areas of our organization and the early childhood field.