Equity in Writing

Change is not easy, but it’s necessary
I’ve been thinking about equity in writing, especially in grant writing. As seekers of funds and educators about our programs, we have an opportunity—and an obligation—to think carefully about the words we use.

For example, in an earlier draft of this article I wrote: Those of us who write grants often describe people who have less than we do.

Now, I see that I’m making assumptions about what is less and what is more. Someone may have less of one thing, say income or education, but more of another, perhaps musical talent or an aptitude for science.

I tried this: We write about people who need our help. I looked at these last three words, which are ubiquitous in our field, and cringed.

I realized I needed help, so I called on my colleague Debra Farrar-Parkman, Director of Development at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center.

Our goal for this article is to raise questions and encourage readers to be thoughtful when choosing words for proposals, reports, or other documents for donors. Here are some ideas.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
For example, how might a homeless person want to be described? As a person sleeping on a park bench or one without a physical address, or no permanent home? Is homeless descriptive or derogatory? Many people have begun to use the term housing insecure, but what about trying unhoused instead?

Or, take single mothers, often described as low-income and unable to feed their children or house their families. We could flip the script. Single mothers are expert jugglers. They pay the bills, get the kids to school, and manage crises such as a car that needs repairs. We could choose to describe them as resilient, capable, and tireless.

Call it what it is.
Think about the term historically underrepresented. What does it mean, and why are people historically underrepresented? We might say: There are fewer people of color in (for example) the sciences due to the continuing impact of racism in our country.

Here are some other ideas. We could say unserved instead of at risk; underresourced instead of experiencing poverty; living on the edge, instead of living in poverty. Consider asking your clients, patients, or participants in your programs how they would prefer to be described in your proposals.

Take that extra minute.
In our business, we have to work fast to meet deadlines. Give yourself the time you need to identify words that are respectful of everyone represented in your writing. In our field, it’s at the core of what we do.