DEIB

A Legacy of Building Belonging

SWE’s understanding of and support for the diversity of its members has evolved over the past 75 years, from quietly supporting civil rights in the 1950s and ’60s to publicly advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) on a number of fronts today.

Explore SWE's Legacy Below

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When the 1957 SWE national convention hotel in Houston refused to honor the room reservation of Yvonne Young Clark because she was Black, leaders and members ensured she could fully participate in the convention. SWE implemented policies afterward to prevent similar situations in the future.

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Yvonne Clark ultimately had to stay with family in Houston during the 1957 national convention, but could attend convention activities provided she was accompanied at all times by a white SWE member.
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Clark, wearing a yellow dress, stands with other 1957 convention attendees. While hotel management wanted Clark to be seen as little as possible by the other hotel guests, she and the members escorting her were politely but purposefully present throughout the public areas of the hotel.
Segregation Policy
Following the incident in Houston, in August 1958 SWE’s board of directors passed convention policies requiring equal accommodations and arrangements for all members, as well as non-denominational invocations and meals respectful of religious dietary restrictions.

SWE welcomed six sections from historically Black colleges and universities by 1980 and members from many races and ethnicities, but struggled at first to develop programming relevant to their distinct experiences and needs.

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Deborah Winbush, center, holds the North Carolina A&T Student Section charter certificate at the section’s 1973 charter banquet, joined by SWE President Naomi McAfee, left, and university faculty and administrators.
Minority Concerns Resolution
After a “minority concerns” workshop was advertised but not held at the 1980 convention, disappointed attendees passed a resolution urging SWE to offer regular programming for historically marginalized groups.
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Members from the minority concerns committee lead a panel titled, “It’s a Small World After All” at the 1981 national convention in Anaheim, Calif.

The Society adopted a mission statement in 1985 identifying diversity as one of its core values and functions. In 1998 the Council of Section Representatives, predecessor to today’s Senate, adopted Diversity Principles to further elucidate SWE’s understanding of diversity.

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SWE’s original mission statement, adopted in 1985. It has been amended slightly in the years since.
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The May/June 1986 issue of SWE’s magazine, then titled U.S. Woman Engineer, was edited by the Society’s minority concerns committee and brought committee members’ stories and experiences to the wider membership.
Diversity Principles
Developed by the multicultural committee, SWE’s original Diversity Principles were forward-thinking at the time but intentionally omitted religion because it wasn’t seen as relevant in the workplace and gender because its inclusion was too controversial at the time.

Working toward a more nuanced understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, in recent years the Society has created affinity groups for people of similar identities to come together and has increased the opportunities for members to learn about the many facets of diversity.

Podcasts
Forums such as SWE’s Diverse podcast reach an audience beyond SWE’s affinity groups, raising the broader membership’s awareness of the diverse experiences and needs within SWE.
Inclusion Solutions
SWE produced several card decks to spark discussions between members and within companies about fostering diverse and inclusive environments.
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Affinity groups were formally launched at the WE11 annual conference to provide a more supportive environment for SWE members.

In recent years, the Society has strived to be internally accountable to its ideals, identifying gaps in its programming, diversifying its leadership pipeline, and opening many of its awards to persons of all genders, in keeping with its updated 2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement.

DEIB Report
SWE’s 2023 report on DEIB included a thorough gap analysis of SWE’s programming and resources and of members’ experiences within SWE.
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SWE’s leaders gather at the FY25 Board of Directors installation ceremony. To better represent its membership, the Society has worked to increase diversity within its leadership pipeline.
Abbot Letter
In keeping with its efforts to create a more welcoming environment for nonbinary and gender-expansive individuals, a March 21, 2022, letter from the SWE board of directors informs Texas Governor Greg Abbott that the Society will not plan future events in the state because of adversarial state legislation regulating transgender and women’s health care.