The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health leads initiatives that promote goals and values at the core of UCLA Fielding’s mission — fostering a community of inclusion where historically and socially marginalized and underserved students, staff, and faculty are represented, heard, and respected; and preparing public health leaders equipped to meet the challenges of working in global and fast-evolving environments. Through wide-ranging efforts, the office contributes to a culture at UCLA Fielding that acknowledges higher education’s history of structural racism, anti-Blackness, white privilege, and exclusionary practice while pursuing transformational change toward a more equitable system and inclusive space. These initiatives fall into four categories:
Pathways and Recruitment
FSPH seeks to create robust pathways for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) undergraduates, graduates, and post-graduate students into public health programs and careers. UCLA Fielding aims to further diversify the school community at all levels by improving recruitment and retention of BIPOC students, faculty, and staff.
Community and Belonging
FSPH promotes community by enhancing faculty, student, and staff awareness and understanding of frames of difference that include dimensions such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, language, nationality, citizenship status, and place of origin. The school builds a culture of belonging for faculty, students, and staff, with a focus on honoring BIPOC community members’ self-worth and self-efficacy.
Teaching and Development
FSPH provides a foundation of understanding to address racism and privilege through training of all UCLA Fielding community members.
Infrastructure and Policy
FSPH seeks to create a sustainable infrastructure, equipped with resources and funding to implement and maintain systemic change.