Call to Action and Commitment to
Advance Equity and Justice
The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) invites all our members to work together to learn, share, and take action to advance equity and justice in their communities.
Working toward an equitable and just world
An equitable and just world is one where all people and institutions are dedicated to creating and sustaining a society in which each person and all groups have equal economic, social, and civic rights and are able to realize an equitable allocation of resources.
WILL
Engage and amplify the expertise of diverse groups
Diverse groups include, but are not limited to, people of all races, colors, religions, political affiliations, sexual orientations, genders, ages, familial histories of education, physical and cognitive abilities, languages used, Indigenous status, and countries of origin.
Solve scientific and societal challenges
Only the equitable and just participation of diverse people, perspectives, and groups will enable humanity to fully understand and engage in solving our pressing challenges.
ASTC’s COMMITMENT
ASTC will champion our members’ work to create a more equitable and just society. We will also make the case for the importance of increasing public engagement with science in order to advance a more equitable and just world.
OUR ACTION ITEMS
- The ASTC Board and committees, staff, members, and partners will work to identify the need for, and build and share new resources and programs that can help ASTC members deliver on their equity and justice commitments—specifically through the lens of science engagement, learning, and research.
- We will strive to model inclusive behavior through our programs and events, including—but not limited to—the ASTC Annual Conference.
- We will help members track data on their equity and justice work and seek to share that data across our network.
This commitment and the efforts described are the result of the work of ASTC’s 2021–2022 Racial Equity and Social Justice Task Force and represent a continuation of ASTC’s decades of commitment to equity and inclusion. As we strengthen efforts and our dynamic member community continues to grow, ASTC will periodically revisit the definitions and positioning contained in these commitments and will work alongside our members to evolve our efforts to meet their changing needs. See ASTC’s companion policy statement on diversity, accessibility, inclusion, and equity.
Building a Community of ASTC Members
Advancing Equity and Justice
ASTC invites our members to join a community of peers at any stage of their journey to advance equity and justice.
This community will serve as a space to learn together, share insights, and support the tailored steps that different institutions are taking. We commit to encouraging the unique actions that are most meaningful in each community, while supporting each other to do more.
ASTC calls our members to continue being bold in their actions while taking new and different approaches to advancing equity and justice.
Download ASTC’s “map” to consider the variety you might take help advance your own equity and justice pathway.