The social injustices that are at the forefront of protests in American society today exist within the OT profession and at AOTA.  According to Zippia.com, based on data from the last US Census, OT ranked #14 of the top 20 LEAST racially diverse professions in the US (https://www.zippia.com/advice/job-diversity/  For us, that says OT isn't doing nearly enough to increase racial diversity, which would be namely recruiting and supporting students of color and faculty, to enter and flourish within the profession.  As diverse members of the occupational therapy profession, we habitually feel underrepresented and unsupported. We are often left out of discussions and opportunities.

Thus, we are submitting this petition requesting that the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to address diversity, equity, and inclusion through appropriate governance processes by:

1. Establishing a Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position at the AOTA national office.  

2. Adding new positions on the Representative Assembly and Board of Directors with Voice and Vote.  

3. Creating a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force (made up of diverse professionals and students from a variety of practice areas, geographic regions, and years of experience including representatives from each of the MDI Network groups). It will be a standing committee to provide support to the governing bodies and national office.  

4. Examining and amending institutional documents and current policies and procedures to ensure equal opportunities for all. 

 Each of these positions shall be held by a qualified member who is from a diverse background(s).  The Vice President, Board Member and Representative Assembly Member need to have the ability to make decisions and act on issues regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Diverse occupational therapy practitioners and students have faced decades of institutional bias and discrimination through systemic roadblocks, which continues today.  The profession should be a model for equity and inclusion. We should support diverse and marginalized colleagues, employees, students, and clients. 

We, the signed, call on AOTA to act now to represent and work on behalf of all OT professionals, students, and clients by establishing these three Diversity, Equity and Inclusion positions, and standing committee.