Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA)

The 2025 Summer CEU series coming soon!

Acknowledgements

RD Spotlight

Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, MS, RD, CDCES, LDN, NASM-CPT

Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes was recently featured on Hub Today from the NBC 10 Boston News Station for Black History Month. We got to ask her a few questions about her time on TV as well as about Black History Month! Check out some of the details below, and here is the link to see her featured on the news segment, https://www.nbcboston.com/entertainment/hub-today/exploring-hearty-soul-food-dishes-packed-with-flavor/3272427/?amp=1.

In regards to this opportunity to feature on HUB Today, Sue-Ellen says, “The title of my segment was ‘Soul Food with a Twist.’ It's a show I watch periodically so I reached out to propose the idea. I provided simple nutrition info to the audience showing them that soul food can be delicious and nutritious. I brought soul food dishes and demonstrated that with a few modifications you can reduce salt, saturated fat and sugar while still maintaining its delicious taste.I shared 360Girls&Women® signature Afro-Caribbean Plantain Collard Green appetizers, Black-eye Peas dip, Collard Greens, Smoked Blackeye Peas, and our Sweet Potato Pie which are all plant- based recipes. In addition, I shared a delicious sorrel that was given to me by a friend and fellow RD.” 

When asked about Black History Month specifically, she had this to say, “I was able to celebrate black history month on NBC10 Boston, HUB Today and that was huge. Why? Because I am a black dietitian and you don’t see many black dietitians on TV. Representation matters and I want someone to say, hey I want to be like her one day. I want to give hope to future dietitians that look like me. This is one way of increasing the diversity in the dietetics field. Getting out in the community to do the work and getting in front of whomever you need to, so they can see that it can be done!” She goes on to say, “My confidence comes from my faith in God and the more I practice and do my homework the better I become. My mother has always commented on how driven I am. Our passions are unique. I want to make a difference in my life, my family’s life and the life of clients and patients. Without health we have nothing and I want all of us to have access to tools to improve our health.” 

To Registered Dietitians of color, she wants you to know, “Keep pursuing your passions, never, I say never give up. It is okay to take breaks, but don’t give up. If you truly believe that the dietetics field is for you, regardless of what others may say, keep going. Get the support you need and keep at it;” and, to students of color pursuing a career in dietetics, “Seek out black dietitian role models and discuss mentorship or some type of support system. Be involved in community service that serves the people, especially those that look like you.”

For more information on Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, please see our previous blog on her background story here. (https://blog.eatrightma.org/2021/02/04/today-mand-black-history-month/)

Monthly Celebrations

MAND IDEA Recipe Collection!

We are highlighting the unique and diverse foods and customs of our members through the recipes of your fellow MAND members. Check out some of them below! All recipe submissions received by May 1, 2024 will be entered into a drawing to receive a prize that supports local, minority owned businesses, and your recipe could be featured on the MAND IDEA webpage! Click here to Submit!  

Academy Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Past IDEA Spotlights 

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