Junior Achievement (JA) is committed to ensuring Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is at the center of everything we do. We at Junior Achievement are dedicated to providing a positive, enriching learning experience free of bias that promotes greater economic opportunity and equity.
Junior Achievement welcomes students, volunteers, educators, staff, and other partners and stakeholders, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic.
This blog post summarizes some of the activities undertaken in the past 18 months to support this commitment.
Helping to Create a More Equitable and Just Tomorrow
Economic inequity has been a reality in the U.S. throughout its history, and it continues to this day. A 2020 study by the Brookings Institution shows that the median net worth of white families in America is ten times greater than that of Black families. Hispanic men earn nearly 15 percent less than their white counterparts for similar work requiring comparable skills and education. For Hispanic women, it is 33 percent less.
Junior Achievement is committed to creating a more equitable and just tomorrow by promoting economic empowerment through our learning experiences focused on financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. Over the past decade, Junior Achievement has reached more than 20 million Black and Latinx students. A recent survey of JA Alumni by Ipsos shows the kind of impact Junior Achievement has had on these students:
Junior Achievement is committed to promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging in every facet of what we do. In fact, the goal of becoming an organization more representative of the communities we serve is one of the main objectives outlined in the Junior Achievement’s strategic plan. To help achieve this goal, Junior Achievement has undertaken the following actions:
- The creation of the Junior Achievement Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Network. The JA JEDI Network is an employee-led group designed to foster diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion across the Junior Achievement network of offices. With nearly one in seven JA Associates participating in the JA JEDI Network, the group brings education, understanding, and a greater appreciation of diversity, equity, and inclusion to a critical mass of JA Associates across the country.
- Launching initiatives to ensure that JA learning experiences are representative of the communities Junior Achievement serves. This includes enlisting DEIB subject matter experts to review JA educational materials, testing and updating JA digital and learning platforms to make sure they are accessible under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and translating JA programs to better meet the needs of English as a second language (ESL) students.
- Forming partnerships with organizations that expand JA’s engagement with diverse communities across the country.
- Being responsive in our organizational culture so that Junior Achievement is an “employer of choice,” regardless of a candidate’s socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, geography, disability, and age.
For more information, check out the 2024 JA DEIB report. Want to help Arizona students succeed in work and life? Get involved with JA by volunteering, donating, or attending an event!
Pew Research Center, February 7, 2020
Examining the Black-white Wealth Gap, Brookings Institution, February 27, 2020
The Hispanic-white wage gap has remained wide and relatively steady, Economic Policy Institute, July 2, 2018
