by ACE recently attended and presented at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE). According to the organization’s website, NCORE is “the leading and most comprehensive national forum on issues of race and ethnicity in higher education” and provides “a significant forum for discussion, critical dialogue, and exchange of information as institutions search for effective strategies to enhance access, social development, education, positive communication and cross-cultural understanding in culturally diverse settings.”
So, what was ACE doing at an event focused on higher education? The goal was to share lessons ACE learned as we stepped to the forefront of the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) conversation in the fitness industry over the past few years and, more importantly, to learn from the higher education community, which has been doing this work for decades.
What This All Means to You
ACE wants you to know that we are working to bring the voice of the organization to important conversations in and around the fitness industry, and to advocate for ACE Certified Professionals wherever and whenever we can. In addition, we are committed to bringing what we learn back to you so that you can improve your services, expand your businesses or simply have a better understanding of the current and future state of the fitness industry.
Read on to learn more about ACE’s experience at NCORE and for a call to action to implement what we learned at this important event.
Gabrielle Johnston, MPH, ACE Senior Director of Communication and Public Affairs, and Rory James, MPH, Director of Diversity, Equity, Accessibility & Inclusion (DEAI) at the Saint Louis Zoo and an EDI consultant for ACE, led their presentation entitled “What Do a Zookeeper, Personal Trainer, and Higher Ed Professional Have in Common? DEAI Lessons Learned.” [Note that ACE uses the acronym “EDI,” while DEAI adds accessibility to the conversation. These are just two of the common acronyms, including DEI, which you’ll see below, used across various organizations and industries.]