The New England Archivists’ 2010 strategic plan formally recognized the importance of diversity and inclusion for an organization seeking to represent and support all of New England’s archivists. The plan called for the formation of a Diversity Task Force (DTF) to examine community needs. In their final report to the board (June 2013), the DTF made a number of recommendations, including a call to “institutionalize NEA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by creating a permanent body devoted to assessing and promoting the organization’s progress in this area.” The Executive Board acted on this recommendation by creating the position of Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator (IDC). Volunteer Anna J. Clutterbuck-Cook served in that position for a three-year term (November 2014–November 2017). In the final year of her tenure, Anna recommended to the board that the position of IDC be expanded into a committee. The integration of inclusion and diversity efforts throughout NEA, combined with ambitious goals outlined in the 2016-2020 strategic plan, meant that a single coordinator would likely be overextended. In July 2017, the Executive Board approved this transition, and the Inclusion and Diversity Committee was formed, taking over responsibility for NEA’s inclusion and diversity work in December 2017.

In the years since becoming a committee, the IDC has been involved in a number of NEA projects and initiatives. A number of these relate to NEA sponsored meetings and programs, including creating and maintaining the Accessibility checklist, advocating for the optional inclusion of pronouns on name tags, organizing the respite room, and leading archival reading group sessions at meetings. During this period, the IDC session scholarship also became a standing financial commitment from NEA. The IDC has also become a vital resource for the board and other groups across the organization, with members serving as liaisons on other committees such as the program and nominating committee. The IDC has also advocated for issues relevant to our members, such as supporting the salary requirement in job postings, creating an anti-racist and anti-oppressive readings resource, and supporting the work of the Contingent Employment Task Force during the 2021 survey. In 2020, the committee transitioned from having two co-chairs to a chair/vice-chair structure to ensure continuity of leadership as members cycle off. After over a year of preparation, the Racial Justice Honoraria Fund was created in 2021 to compensate people of color for their labor for NEA related DEI initiatives and projects. The IDC is committed to creating a more inclusive and representative NEA and welcomes suggestions and feedback.