Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
CHAPTER DIVERSITY & INCLUSION REPORT - APA Texas
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan (2020)
Better Decisions Through Inclusion
How To Have Difficult Conversations
Taking Action to Minimize Unconscious Bias
Developing Equitable and Inclusive Communities
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In 2018, the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association formed a new committee on diversity and inclusion. To develop programming for this committee, leadership sought to better understand the current composition of our membership. To address this issue, Chapter Leadership engaged chapter member Dr. Shannon Van Zandt of Texas A&M University to help us understand the diversity of our membership. With input from chapter and committee leadership as well as pretesting among about ten representative respondents, Dr. Van Zandt designed and executed this survey on behalf of the Chapter.
These results lead to several important conclusions:
- Hispanics are underrepresented among Texas planners.
- Race, gender, and sexuality are influencing planning salary ranges.
- Hispanics are achieving AICP certification at much lower rates than Non-Hispanics.
- African-Americans exhibit considerably less satisfaction with their level of inclusion in the workplace.
- A small number of older planners—those at or above retirement age—feel undervalued.
- Gender identity and sexuality are not having a dramatic influence on perceptions of acceptance and inclusion in the workplace.
- Homosexual people may be overrepresented in the planning profession (based on national estimates), and appear to be slightly more satisfied with their feelings of inclusion and being heard and valued.
- Mental and emotional disabilities—those disabilities influencing people’s behavior in the workplace—are not well understood or appreciated.
Contact Shai Roos, AICP to get involved!