Diversity and Inclusion
ASJA Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion
ASJA serves all independent nonfiction writers, embracing the rich spectrum of voices that make up America.
ASJA’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI)
ASJA is committed to being a diverse, equitable, accessible, and inclusive organization. We welcome all nonfiction writers regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, neurodiversity, cultural and religious beliefs, health, level of education, body size, family status, wealth, citizenship status, experience with trauma, and other dimensions of identity—at all membership levels and in all leadership roles.
At ASJA, our goal is to ensure that all independent nonfiction writers feel included, supported, and valued. We acknowledge the power of empathy through storytelling, especially based on lived experiences. We believe in making DEAI education accessible to both nonmembers and members at all levels, and strive to reflect the diversity of our country and world in our conferences, webinars, publications, social media, and other activities.
True inclusion comes when we intentionally commit to this goal and take collective action.
Recommended Best Practices:
We encourage independent nonfiction writers to be aware of their own biases and seek out diverse sources by:
- Asking whose voices are missing
- Paying attention to power imbalances
- Centering those most impacted by systems, policies, and decisions
- Challenging stereotypes
- Considering historical context
We believe in the power of inclusive writing to disrupt harmful narratives through a more accurate representation of a world that recognizes everyone’s humanity. This, in turn, builds trust with readers, including those from communities that have been historically marginalized. By ensuring all feel respected and valued, ASJA will attract more writers who are empowered to share their perspectives.
Why DEAI Is Important to Us
Since its founding in 1948, ASJA has a history of expanding its membership to include more voices, from opening up membership to book authors and content marketing writers to awarding scholarships to establishing ASJA’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) Committee.
And yet, we still have a ways to go: Nearly two-thirds (65.9%) of writers and authors are self-employed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But access to freelance writing as a career is not equal across the board, and many writers lack the resources and support to build a successful nonfiction writing career. Not only do we see this in publication bylines, bookstores, publishers, and brands, but also in the representation found in organizations like ASJA.
Current demographic estimates of all U.S. writers and authors, both self-employed and on staff:
Age *
- 50% Aged 45 or older
Education *
- 81% Have BA or higher education
Race †
- 4.9% Asian
- 5.5% Black
- 9.0% Hispanic or Latino
- 88.3% White
Sex †
- 46.2% Men
- 53.8% Women
* DataUSA (https://datausa.io/profile/soc/writers-authors)
† BLS (https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm)
While a number of groups are missing data specific to writers and authors as a whole, we do know from BLS that American Indians and Alaska Natives make up 1% of the total labor force, while Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders account for 0.5%. We also know that LGBTQ+ people make up about 5.9% of the workforce.
Overall, we see a need for better representation of, and support for, self-employed writers.
Writers from underrepresented groups often choose the independent route as an alternative to working under systems and corporate cultures that were not built with them in mind. These experiences can be compounded by discrimination, tokenism, and bias.
We believe that DEAI is crucial to adding and amplifying voices in freelance journalism, content marketing, and publishing. Proactively pursuing DEAI efforts allows us to:
- Drive more balanced perspectives in media and marketing
- Create more equitable opportunities for all writers
- Accurately and empathetically share all stories and voices
- Help all writers expand their audience, influence, and impact
ASJA’s DEAI Goals (2024-2025)
Create DEAI-focused inclusive programming
We aim to create content that is educational, informative, and accessible to both ASJA members and nonmember independent writers. This includes establishing a Monthly DEAI Chat, and inclusive webinars and annual virtual and in-person conferences
How we are doing
- IN PROGRESS/ONGOING: One (1) inclusion-focused webinar launched for members and nonmembers. See Conference Sessions and Webinars below (June 2024)
- Monthly DEAI chat established (July 2024)
- One (1) DEAI-focused conference session successfully created for ASJA’s 2024 Conference From Anywhere (September 2024)
Update ASJA’s DEAI Task Force status to Committee
We aim to elevate the Task Force to the status of a permanent working committee to support our organization’s ongoing commitment to DEAI.
How we are doing
- COMPLETE: New DEAI Committee status announced at ASJA’s 2024 Conference From Anywhere (September 2024)
Launch the ASJA DEAI Ambassadors’ program
We aim to have at least one DEAI Committee member on every major ASJA board to better support DEAI-focused efforts across the organization.
How we are doing
- IN PROGRESS: New initiative announced to committee chairs, in practice at the board level as of 2025
ASJA’s Commitment to DEAI
In 2021, ASJA formed a Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) Task Force, co-chaired by board members Lisa Rabasca Roepe and Emily Paulsen.
In 2023, ASJA hired Janet Stovall of Pragmatic Diversity as our DEAI consultant. Stovall worked with ASJA leadership to develop inclusive programming and resources that support and encourage diverse freelance writers. Stovall’s work was made possible by an Amazon Literary Partnership grant and funding from the Authors Coalition of America.
In September 2024, the former Task Force was named a full-fledged Committee.
The DEAI Committee meets regularly to enlarge and enhance impactful programming and ensure that ASJA operates as a fully open and inclusive organization. Additionally, we emphasize diverse representation in all ASJA educational offerings and publications. This includes ASJA in-person and virtual conferences, webinars, and in ASJA Magazine, Weekly, and Confidential blog posts.
Since January 2024, the Task Force has been co-chaired by ASJA members Gabrielle Gayagoy Gonzalez and Leanna Lee. In January 2025, ASJA member Charmaine Seitz joined as the committee’s third co-chair.
Meetings are open to all ASJA members. If you’d like to attend a meeting or join the committee, please email the ASJA office.
DEAI Initiatives
DEAI Monthly Chat
Join us for connection and community building! Members are encouraged to bring their questions on inclusive writing and other topics related to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Learn how to build connections with broader audiences, spark creativity for challenging stereotypes, and encourage empathy among different communities of readers. On Zoom, every second Wednesday of the month, 11am-12 p.m. ET.
To learn more about joining the Chat, visit https://www.asja.org/asja-monthly-deai-chat/.
Conference Scholarships
ASJA is committed to ensuring that our conferences are affordable for writers from all backgrounds, including those who are most underrepresented in our society. To that end, we provide a number of scholarships to our conferences. Information about scholarships is advertised before our conferences; we ask applicants to submit an application that is reviewed by an ASJA scholarship committee.
- 2022 in-person conference. For the ASJA 2022 conference in Jersey City, New Jersey, ASJA offered five scholarships. The package included free registration, two hotel nights, some travel expenses, and an opportunity to become an ASJA member at a discounted price.
- 2023 Virtual Conference. For the ASJA 2023 virtual conference, ASJA offered nine scholarships to freelance writers and writing students. The scholarships were funded through generous donations made by board members and conference attendees. Scholarship recipients received free registration to the conference and were offered an opportunity to become an ASJA member at a discounted price. Qualified applicants who did not receive a scholarship were offered a 50% discount on their registration.
- 2024 Virtual Conference. ASJA provided 12 scholarships to freelance writers to attend the 2024 ASJA Conference, held online. Scholarships covered the cost of conference registration. Read about the 2024 scholars here.
- 2025 conference in NYC. ASJA offered five scholarships to the 2025 conference, ASJA: Always in Fashion, NYC 2025, at the Fashion Institute of Technology that was supported by FIT’s Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology and Marketing Communications Department, the presenting sponsor. These scholarships cover the cost of ASJA conference registration and are funded through donations from ASJA members.
Gotham Ghostwriters Business of Ghostwriting Scholarships
ASJA partnered with Gotham Ghostwriters and offered five scholarships to qualified ASJA members to Gotham’s Ghostmasters fall 2024 virtual course on the business of ghostwriting. ASJA’s DEAI committee evaluated scholarship applications from ASJA professional and associate members.
ASJA DEAI Resources
Conference Sessions and Webinars
- The Art of Not Saying Stupid Sh*t: Keynote speaker Janet Stovall of Pragmatic Diversity addresses our implicit biases and outlines what writers can do to uncover, question, and redirect the biases that can prevent us from writing objectively, compellingly, and impactfully.
- The Power Story Edit: Presented in collaboration with the Institute for Independent Journalists, this session tackles the ways we can reframe, report, write, and structure our stories in light of our privilege and the power hierarchies among the people we interview.
- Coverage Matters: Building a Sustainable, Inclusionary Reporting Practice: This session examines how to develop a more inclusionary reporting practice, one that looks beyond merely diversifying sources to represent the continent’s population and people’s varying points of view more accurately.
- Neurodiversity and the Freelance Writer: Presented by Atlas Katari (they/them), neurodivergent freelancing coach, content creator, and community builder, this session explores the challenges and advantages of neurodiversity, and how to work with your strengths to harness your focus and turn your ADHD or other neurodiversity into your superpower.
- Do You Really Want To Say That? Q&A On Inclusive Writing with Janet Stovall: In this webinar featuring Janet Stovall of Pragmatic Diversity, moderators and ASJA DEAI Co-Chairs Gabrielle Gayagoy Gonzalez and Leanna Lee will delve into the nuances of, and questions surrounding, inclusive writing lifted up by ASJA members.
- Disrupting Bias: Whose Story Is Worth Telling?: In this fireside chat, ASJA DEAI co-chairs Leanna Lee and Gabrielle Gayagoy Gonzalez, DEAI expert Dr. Martin Davidson, and ASJA member Kavin Senapathy, delve into questions and framing that can help you produce more inclusive and accurate stories.
Blog Posts
- ASJA’s Role in Creating a Stronger, More Diverse Freelance Community
- A Progress Report on ASJA DEAI Activities
- How To Be a More Inclusive Writer
- Webinar Recap: Advice For Becoming a More Inclusive Writer
- ASJA Offers Members Scholarships to Ghostmasters Business of Ghostwriting Course
- ASJA Announces Five Scholarship Recipients to 2025 Conference
- ASJA’s DEAI Ambassadors Program is Committed to Welcoming All
Other Resources For Writers
Diverse and Inclusive Writing Style Guides
- Age: The Miami Brand Identity Guide
- APA Style – Socioeconomic status
- The California State University Diversity/Inclusivity Style Guide
- Disability Language Style Guide
- The Diversity Style Guide
- GLAAD Media Reference Guide for LGBTQ+ Media Coverage
- Stylebook on LGBTQ Terminology
- Mother Jones’ Style Guide
- National Association of Black Journalists Style Guide
- Religion Stylebook
Additional DEAI Resources
- US Holocaust Memorial Museum Holocaust Encyclopedia: Antisemitism
- Council on Accreditation/10 Resources for your Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
- Executive Order Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Government
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Diversity and Inclusion Resources
- Educause/Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resources
- M.I.T. Human Resources/DEI Resources
- Multicultural Media Correspondents Association
- Think Tank for Inclusion & Equity #WriteInclusion Factsheets
- Institute for Social Policy and Understanding’s Guide: Countering and Dismantling Islamophobia