The SCBWI Western Washington region is committed to carrying out SCBWI’s mission to support the creation and availability of quality children’s books in every region of the world. We recognize that fulfilling this mission requires us to celebrate and support writers and illustrators from a broad spectrum of backgrounds. We plan to achieve this by:
*Reducing barriers to membership in SCBWI WWA and participation in sponsored activities for marginalized groups, be they financial or social, through scholarships, sliding scale admission fees, reduced fees for events with industry professionals, and event location.
*Advocating for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled (hearing, visual, physically challenged) representation in faculty.
*Serving as a safe conduit for marginalized members to communicate with the Advisory Committee and to interact with and join SCBWI.
*Celebrating and promoting works by creators from historically underrepresented groups from Western Washington and beyond as a way of affirming our commitment as a chapter to the concept of We Need Diverse Books.
*Creating guidelines and structures that support SCBWI WWA being a safe, inclusive environment.
*Sharing EI educational opportunities as they arise with our membership.
If you’re interested in participating in the Equity and Inclusion team, please reach out to wwa-ra2@scbwi.org
Looking to take your critique group to the next level while ensuring a safe and affirming space for all? Check out these recommendations from the SCBWI team on building inclusive critique groups