Disaster Group Says Diversity Is High Priority

To the Editor:

The Board of Directors of National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster would like to set the record straight in response to your article, “Former Leader of Disaster Nonprofit Says He Was Fired Over Diversity Efforts” (February 11).

For 50 years, the main focus throughout the VOAD movement has always been, and continues to be, dedication to working together and rising to the challenges of our ever-changing and rapidly evolving world. As we continue into 2021, that remains our goal and our driving force as we work together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters across our nation.

The claims alleged by former NVOAD President and CEO Gregory Forrester are unfortunate and without merit. While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we do wish to correct the record that Mr. Forrester was terminated for reasons unrelated to the claims alleged in his filed action and reproduced in the Chronicle article.

As we move forward into this year, the board and NVOAD will continue our dedication to advocating for and increasing greater diversity, equity, and inclusivity that we have striven for over the past several years. The disasters our member organizations, communities, and individuals respond to know no human boundaries. Therefore, we must do all we can to ensure that all people, from all backgrounds, races, religions, creeds, origins, and so much more, are heard and included in NVOAD as we promote cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration.

In August of 2018, the NVOAD Board developed and adopted the National VOAD Strategic Plan 2019-2023. One of the foundational areas to ensure NVOAD continues as a thriving national organization is to promote inclusivity of voices and provide platforms to serve and support diverse communities. The strategic initiatives in the plan include the creation of a task force and greater strategy to support institutional approaches to diversity.

Additionally, another initiative listed in the strategic plan is to increase our membership with more organizations representing diverse populations. To accomplish this focus on a more diverse membership, the board formed the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce in February of 2019. As originally intended through our initial planning, we anticipate this becoming a standing committee of the NVOAD Board of Directors in 2021. The DEI Taskforce, and the subsequent committee, will continue to identify, engage, and ensure the long-term inclusion of varied voices and platforms for diverse communities across the nation.

In 2019, the board established a governance task force to review and improve bylaws, policies, procedures, and organizational governance. The governance task force has been actively working with a subject-matter expert to strengthen the foundation of NVOAD to ensure our collective ability to support our disaster efforts.

Lastly, just this month, the board continued its efforts at increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion at its February 2 meeting. The board directed the membership committee to review and identify the best approach to provide for the inclusion of First Nations, Indigenous tribal organizations, and Native American communities in the membership of NVOAD.

Throughout the past several years, NVOAD and the board of directors have constantly and consistently demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in relation to our membership and our focus on the diverse communities affected by disaster. By increasing inclusivity, we remain focused on the task at hand: helping our country, partners, member organizations, and communities heal and recover.

Michael G. Manning
Chair, Board of Directors
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster