ACTFL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

ACTFL is committed to working toward social justice and DEI

On this page:

ACTFL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Committee Charge: The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee shall consider, advise, and make recommendations to the ACTFL Board that support the organization’s strategic goal of developing and promoting a diverse and inclusive language education community by working to break down barriers to access and opportunity. The DEI Committee will ensure that strategic objectives relating to diversity, equity and inclusion are incorporated into ACTFL’s governance structure, initiatives, awards, and other programs, products, and services.

Position Statement

Diversity and Inclusion In World Language Teaching & Learning

ACTFL values diversity and strives for inclusion across world language teaching and learning contexts. It is committed to continuous reflection and evaluation of its specific practices and initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion.

Our Commitment

Committee Responsibilities Include:

Enhance the means for making issues of DEI a priority of ACTFL’s strategic decision-making processes
Expand opportunities for volunteer leadership that reflect ACTFL’s commitment to DEI
Increase support for high-quality research that demonstrates the importance of DEI issues in language education
Demonstrate leadership by convening DEI conversations within the language profession

- Adrienne Brandenburg (Co-Chair), Spanish, Poudre High School (CO)
- Krishauna Hines-Gaither (Co-Chair), Spanish, St. Mary's University (CA)
- Rosa Bell, Spanish, Hawaii Pacific University (HI)
- Joseph Parodi Brown, Spanish, Marianapolis Preparatory School (CT)
- Julian Cook, Spanish, Doane Academy (NJ)
- Rennea Couttenye, Spanish, Espanol for Kids (CA)
- Lucero Espinal, Spanish (MD)
- Paul Garcia, German/Spanish, University of Kansas (FL)
- Olivia Grugan, Arabic/German/Spanish, Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 (PA)
- Amarilys Heard, Spanish, Saint Edward’s School (AK)
- Chris Hromalik, Spanish, Onondaga Community College (NY)
- Pengpeng Jiang, Chinese (CA)
- Armando Johnson, Spanish (MO)
- Olga Klimova, Russian, University of Pittsburgh (PA)
- Stephanie Krause, Latin, McLean School (MD)
- Jian Liu, Chinese, New York University (NY)
- Alice Miano, Spanish, Stanford University (CA)
- Laura Mungavin, Spanish, Rye Country Day School (NY)
- Elyse Petit, French, Vanderbilt University (TN)
- Jennifer Pope, Chinese/French, Half Hollow Hills CSD (NY)
- Omar Rachid, Arabic/French/Spanish, Singapore American School (SG)
- Kristi Lentz Taylor, Spanish/ESL, LT Tutoring (CA)
- Milton Turner, French/Spanish, Saint Ignatius High School (OH)
- Daniel Walter, German, Emory University Oxford College (GA)
- Vicky Wang, Chinese, St Paul's School for Girls (MD)
- Jennifer Wooten, Spanish, University of Florida (FL)
- Junko Yamamoto, Japanese, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (PA)
- Monique Ennis, ACTFL Director of Human Resources*
* ACTFL staff

This Is How We Do It: A Panel on Black World Languaging

Moderator Tasha Austin along with panelists Kia London, Jerry Parker, Veronique Sumbu, and Ebony Thornton consider the full gamut of challenges and triumphs experienced while advancing in and teaching world languages while Black. Recommendations for thriving world languaging futures are included.

ACTFL Special Interest Group (SIG) Webinars

Video Enacting Social Justice in Early Language Classrooms through Critical Cultural Awareness

(April 2020)
Andrea Amado, Dorie Conlon Perugini and Sarah Lindstrom
Language Learning for Children SIG

Video Navigating Difficult Dialogues

(April 2020)
Krishauna Hines-Gaither
Critical & Social Justice Approaches SIG

Video The Journey of Social Justice

(May 2020)
Terry Osborn
Critical & Social Justice Approaches SIG

Articles in The Language Educator

Article Diversifying Language Educators and Learners

Uju Anya and L.J. Randolph, Jr., vol14, i4

Foreign Language Annals

Open Access Special Edition

As language educators, we play a pivotal role in developing the worldview of young people in this country. The curated issue on race, diversity and social justice has been designed to provide resources to help you address these issues in the classroom and across the profession.

Access the Special Edition

DEI Resources

Article 15 Classroom Resources for Discussing Racism, Policing and Protest

(2020), Education Week

Article Letter from a region on my mind

by James Baldwin

Video Deconstructing whiteness and white supremacy

Watch Toni Morrison interview

Book How to be an Antiracist

by Ibram X. Kendi

Book White Rage

by Carol Anderson

Book White Fragility: Why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism

by Robin DiAngelo

Book Between The World and Me

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Book The New Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

by Michelle Alexander

Book Biased

by Jennifer Eberhardt

Article The Case for Reparations

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Document Anti-racism resources for white people

Resource guide compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein for white people to deepen their anti-racist work.

Article Beyond the Hashtag: How to Take Anti-Racist Action in Your Life

by Zyahna Bryant about how to take steps towards non-performative activism and anti-racist actions.

Book Just Mercy

by Bryan Stevenson

Book The Fire Next Time

by James Baldwin

Online Resource Antiracist Guide

by Victoria Alexander, MEd

Online Resource Confronting Prejudice: How to Protect Yourself and Help Others

by OnlinePsychology@Pepperdine, the Online Master of Psychology program from Pepperdine University.

Anti-Asian Racism Resources

Article Anti-Asian violence has surged in the US since COVID-19. But it didn't start there

(2021) Today

Article COVID-19 Resources to Stand Against Racism

from AAJC

Article How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism

from Learning for Justice

Videos Asian Americans

(2020) PBS

Videos Race: The Power of Illusion

(2018) California Newsreel

Article The History of the Chinese Exclusion Act

Densho Encyclopedia

Training https://www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention/

Right To Be and AAJC

Form Stop AAPI Hate

Report incidents of hate

Form Americans Advancing Justice

Report incidents of hate

Form National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)

Report incidents of hate

LGBTQ+ Resources

Compiled by Doane Academy, Burlington, NJ

Article Coming Out: Living Authentically as Transgender or Non-Binary

Human Rights Campaign

Online Resources Resources for Gender and LGBTQ Inclusive Schools

Human Rights Campaign

Online Resources LGBTQ Pride Month and Education Resources: Teaching about LGBTQ+

ADL

Online Resource Best Practices for Serving LGBTQ Students

Learning for Justice

Article Language learning and the gendered self: the case of French and masculinity in a US context

Knisely, K. A. (2016). Gender and Language, 10(2), 216-239.

Article Le français non‐binaire: Linguistic forms used by non‐binary speakers of French

Knisely, K. A. (2020). Foreign Language Annals, 53(4), 850-876.

Article Subverting the culturally unreadable: Understanding the self-positioning of non-binary speakers of French

Knisely, K. A. (2020). The French Review, 94(2), 173-192.

Article Research tasks on identity in language learning and teaching

Norton, B., & De Costa, P. (2018). Language Teaching, 51(1), 90– 112.

How to be an Ally

PDF 10 Things You Can Do to Be an Ally to People who are LGBTQ+

from PFLAG Straight for Equality Materials

PDF 10 Things You Can Do to Be an Ally to People Who are Trans*

from PFLAG Straight for Equality Materials

Article LGBTQIA Ally Tips

from UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center

Article Here’s What a Good LGBTQ Ally Looks Like

(2019) Vox

Pride

Video State of Pride

YouTube Documentary cw: discussion of slurs and suicidal ideation

Video 50 Years After Stonewall, Why So Many LGBT people are 'still grieving

PBS NewsHour

Article 11 students explain what being queer, Black, and proud means to them

A series of short interviews done by AMP blog for GLAAD

Article A Balancing Act: Being Black, Gay, and Female

A personal essay for 34th Street

(Brief) LGBTQIA+ History in the United States

Article What LGBTQ Life, Activism, and Organizing in the United States Were Like Before Stonewall

(2019) Teen Vogue

Article LGBTQ Icons You Need to Know and How to Find More

(2017) Teen Vogue

Article For Stonewall’s 50th Anniversary This Queer Teen Interviewed Someone Who Was There

(2019) Teen Vogue

Organizations

GLSEN

The Trevor Project

Resources by Topic

ACTFL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

ACTFL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Diversity and Inclusion In World Language Teaching & Learning

This Is How We Do It: A Panel on Black World Languaging

ACTFL Special Interest Group (SIG) Webinars

Articles in The Language Educator

Open Access Special Edition

DEI Resources

Anti-Asian Racism Resources

LGBTQ+ Resources

How to be an Ally

Pride

(Brief) LGBTQIA+ History in the United States

Organizations