Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA)

 Updated April 1, 2025

The 2025 Summer CEU series coming soon!

Monthly Celebrations

Excerpt from “Ways to Celebrate Black History Month”

Contributors: Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, MS, RDN, CDCES, LDN, CPT

Reviewers: Academy Staff RDNs

February is Black History Month, established in 1926 by Black historian Carter G. Woodson to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and recognize their central role in U.S. history. Learn about Black registered dietitian nutritionists' contributions to the nutrition and dietetics profession — such as Joncier Greene, MS, RD; Solona C. McDonald, RD; Lenora Moragne, PhD, MS, RD; and Sarah Wilder, PhD, RD 

Support Black Health and Wellness and Advocate for Health Equity. Black Americans experience higher rates of many illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension, plus higher rates of death from these illnesses. There also is a disproportionate amount of maternal and infant mortality among Black Americans. In the U.S., access to health care for Black people is often subpar due to several social determinants of health, such as a lack of safe transportation. Support Black health and wellness and health equity through volunteerism and advocacy. The Academy's vision is a world where all people thrive through the transformative power of food and nutrition. As such, we support legislation designed to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities and chronic disease. So can you.

See a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Whether you are seeking an expert consultation to support your personal or family health, help manage a health condition, improve physical performance in athletics, or any other nutrition and wellness goal, use Find a Nutrition Expert to locate an RDN offering in-person or telehealth services in your area.

• National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition (NOBIDAN)  
• BlackHistoryMonth.gov
• Black History Month Resources
• Oldways Cultural Food Traditions

There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month, including exploring the African Diasporic Foodways such as cuisine and other cultural influences. I am exploring by trying a variety of recipes. To find more recipe inspiration to try for yourselves, check out the African Heritage Diet from Oldways. I have already chosen recipes to try myself!

Submitted by Angela DiTucci RDN, LDN, FAND

Academy Diversity and Inclusion Statement

 

The Academy encourages inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) by striving to recognize, respect and include differences in ability, age, creed, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, size, and socioeconomic characteristics in the nutrition and dietetics profession.

https://www.eatrightpro.org/idea/inclusion-diversity-equity-and-access

The Pledge of Professional Civility

To help foster camaraderie among our professional community and encourage constructive engagement among peers, Food & Nutrition Magazine^® — published by the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — has developed a voluntary Pledge of Professional Civility, guiding principles and related resources:

The Pledge of Professional Civility

• I pledge to demonstrate respect to my colleagues and all others.
• I pledge to support constructive dialogue and positive engagement.
• I pledge to discourage the public belittling of my colleagues, even when we do not agree.
• I pledge to model professional conduct in all my public communications and actions.

Guiding Principles

The basic tenets that any professional — irrespective of expertise, area of practice or personal values — should adopt as principles of conduct in public forums, including social media, are to 1) demonstrate respect, 2) encourage constructive dialogue, 3) discourage public belittling of colleagues, and 4) model professionalism.  Read more about each of these guiding principles, take the Pledge of Professional Civility yourself, and see who else in the Academy has taken the Pledge! 

Pledge of Professional Civility - Food & Nutrition Magazine (food nutrition.org)

Past IDEA Spotlights

RD Spotlight - Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes 

Chinese New Year Taro Cake Recipe submitted by Quynh Tu, RD, LDN, CDCES

Language Barriers and Healthcare Access with Quynh Tu, RD, LDN, CDCES

AAPI Month 2022 Spotlight with Wendy Ng, RDN, LDN

AAPI Month 2021 Spotlight with Rosalinda Sar

Asian American Diabetes Initiative Spotlight with Ka Hei Karen Lau, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Arab American Heritage Month Spotlight with Norah Ismail, MS, RD, LDN

Middle Eastern DEI Spotlight with Reem Bou-Nacklie

Black History Month Spotlight with Sue-Ellen Anderson Haynes, MS, RDN, CDCES, LDN, NASM-CPT

DEI Spotlight with Jay Patruno, RD, LDN, CPT

The Less Traveled Path at MAND with Quynh Tu, RD, LDN, CDCES

Celebrate Your Roots with Shennie Quintanilla, MS, RD, LDN

IDEA Resources

• LGBTQ+ Resources for RDN's 
• Diversity and Inclusion Resources from the Academy
• Diversity & Inclusion Definitions
• AND Research DPG Diversity Page
• Diversify Dietetics
• Cultural Cuisines and Traditions from EatRight 
• Building Cultural Competence in Nutrition and Dietetics 2020
• Doubling Down on Diversity: The Journey to a More Diverse Field
• Diversifying Dietetics Links Aspiring Dietitians of Color with Critical Education Resources
• Food and Body Shaming; Counseling strategies for RDs and ways to stop it.
• Misinformation, inequity are challenges for health care
• Building and Inclusive Health Care System Requires Offering Culturally Inclusive Foods in Health Care Environments 

Nutrition for LGBTQIA+ individuals

“Through inclusive care practices, an RDN can help LGBTQIA+ individuals make informed food choices and help manage a condition or disease with nutrition. For the month of June, in celebration of Pride Month, the Academy’s Council on Research has curated a collection of freely available JAND articles on nutrition for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Update your knowledge and share nutrition research!”

IDEA Leader Training 

"The Academy is pleased to offer a leader specific self study IDEA training good for 1.5 CEUs, free to academy members. This activity is designed to educate leaders on the key components of the inclusion, diversity, equity, and access impact goals and provide leaders with the tools and resources to create IDEA action plans that will advance the Academy’s IDEA goals."

Click here to find out more and sign up! 

About Us

The IDEA Committee, originally called the Diversity Committee, established itself in the organization in 2016. The committee is funded by the annual Diversity Mini Grant from the Academy (see here). Activities include monthly meetings, community outreach, CEU event planning, working with MDEF on diversity scholarships, and awarding free student AND memberships. In the past six years, committee members and volunteers have completed 2 to 5 events each year, outreached to about 400 students in four different counties within Massachusetts, awarded diversity scholarships totalling 10 students pursuing dietetics education, and each year have granted up to 15 free student AND memberships.

State Professional Recruitment Coordinator/Diversity Liaison

• Chair 2024-2025: Christine Sinclair 
• Chair-Elect 2024-2025: Sarita Sharma 
• Previous Chair 2023-2024: Jamie Ekstrom

MAND IDEA 2023-2025 Strategic Plan 

• Develop yearly CPEU educational opportunities on topics of inclusion, diversity, equity, access, and cultural competence.
• Stimulate member learning and engagement on the MAND IDEA webpage through networking, events, IDEA resources, monthly celebrations and acknowledgements, student spotlights, recipes highlighting the unique foods and customs of MAND members, free student academy memberships, and IDEA and MDEF scholarships.
• Highlight and support the diversity of our members and their accomplishments.
• Strengthen and empower academy students and dietetic interns to be future leaders emphasizing commitment to and promotion of IDEA.
• Increase awareness of the nutrition and dietetics profession by communicating through schools, career fairs, and other venues composed of diverse groups of individuals.
• Support leadership development and promote member service utilization. 

We Welcome All

We invite all voices to contribute and be heard, or to simply reach out for learning opportunities. If you would like to learn more about our committee or would like to participate, please contact:

Christine Sinclair - c.sinclair23@gmail.com