Photo by Nisaa Kirtman
For the past three years, Nisaa Kirtman has served as Co-Chair for the American Evaluation Association DEI Working Group (WG) comprised of 17 members of AEA with expertise in evaluation approaches centered around justice, liberation, and equity. The WG focused on (including, not limited to) “DEI principles,” advocating for a general statement in all organizational policies, the need for systemic change within the evaluation profession, particularly in how knowledge is produced and controlled, and the decentralization of power to address historical inequities and to ensure that minoritized and marginalized groups have a say in the production and application of knowledge. As this group transitions to a Task Force, Nisaa and her Co-Chairs, Dr. Vidhya Shanker and Dr. Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro, submitted a final report to AEA’s leadership & Board of Directors, reflecting on the process of building; creating AEA’s statement on justice, liberation, and anti-racism; the involvement of various individuals and groups, and the specific context in shaping the content and direction of such efforts within AEA. The report, intended for a broad audience beyond AEA’s BOD, emphasizes collective action and grassroots movements over top-down decisions — applicable to all organizations. It highlights the need for consensus decision-making, which values dialogue and deep listening across differences, rather than majority rule that silences dissent. Over three years, AEA dedicated one full week per year (“AEA DEI Working Group Week”) for members to publish topics related to the aforementioned, as well as progress on each subgroup charges related to AEA’s statement on oppression, justice and liberation; metrics and indicators; and policies and procedures. Please explore blog posts from each year by clicking the links below.
Year 3: 2024
Day 1: Reflections on Leading AEA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts: Achievements and Challenges by Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro, Nisaa Kirtman, and Vidhya Shanker
Day 2: A DEI Statement that Feeds Transformation In, Through, and Around Evaluation by Jen Heeg, Donna Mertens, Vidhya Shanker, and Libby Smith
Day 3: AEA’s DEI Metrics Sub Group: Recommended Indicators and Measures of DEI by Ayesha Boyce, Dylan Felt, Nisaa Kirtman and Stephen Maack
Day 4: Lessons Learned Adapting the Water of Systems Change Framework to Self Assess AEA’s Programs, Policies, and Practices by Diana Lemos
Day 5: Organizational Analysis and Recommendations through the Water of Systems Change Framework by Asma Ali, Diana Lemos, Kantahyanee Murray and Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro
Day 6: Collaborative Learning and Leading: An Exchange of Resources by Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro
Day 7: Introducing The May 13 Group Podcast: Your Friendly Nonprofit/Nongovernmental-industrial-complex Deprogramming Chamber by Carolina De La Rosa Mateo, Vidhya Shanker, and Nayantara Premakumar
Year 2: 2023
Day 1: AEA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group Week: A Re-Introduction by Nisaa Kirtman, Vidhya Shanker and Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro
Day 2: Adapting Tools for Use in DEI Initiatives of Member-led Organizations: Lessons Learned Adapting the Water of Systems Change Framework to Self Assess AEA’s Programs, Policies, and Practices by Diana Lemos
Day 3: AEA’s DEI Metrics Sub Group: Recommended Indicators and Measures of DEI by Ayesha Boyce, Dylan Felt, Nisaa Kirtman and Stephen Maack
Day 4: Passing Generational Wisdom: Using Narrative and Oral History to Honor Legacies (Part I) by Nisaa Kirtman and Ayesha Boyce
Day 5: Passing Generational Wisdom: Using Narrative and Oral History to Honor Legacies (Part II) by Nisaa Kirtman and Ayesha Boyce
Day 6: Evaluation at a Crossroads: Time to Choose Who We Want to Be and How We Think by Vidhya Shanker
Day 7: Call for Applications! by Nisaa Kirtman, Vidhya Shanker, and Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro
Year 1: 2022
Day 1: Introducing the American Evaluation Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Working Group by Nisaa Kirtman, Vidhya Shanker, and Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro
Day 2: A DEI Statement that Feeds Transformation In, Through, and Around Evaluation by Jen Heeg, Donna Mertens, Esther Nolton, Vidhya Shanker, and Libby Smith
Day 3: DEI Through an Emergent Liberatory Analysis of AEA’s Policies, Practices, and Procedures by Asma Ali, James Groh, Diana Lemos, Katayahynee Murray, David Sul, and Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro
Day 4: Using Metrics & Assessments for Transformative Equity at AEA: Reflections on our Journey by Nisaa Kirtman, Leah Q. Peoples, Ayesha Boyce, Dylan Felt, and Stephen Maack
Day 5: Applying Complexity & Equity Principles in Our Collective Work by Jen Heeg
Day 6: The Power of Perspective: Generations of Evaluators Generating Change by Vidhya Shanker, Ayesha Boyce, and Libby Smith
Day 7: Collaborative Learning and Leading: An Exchange of Resources by Elizabeth Taylor-Schiro/Biidabinikwe