Caucuses

Diversity Initiatives

Diversity Statement

The National Council of Teachers of English is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion. Throughout the years, NCTE has developed, supported, and maintained positions, policies, procedures, and programming to ensure that the Council maintains a culture that embraces diversity, leverages diverse talents, ensures equitable opportunities for all, and is representative of all individuals who contribute to the field of literacy education.

It is the policy of the National Council of Teachers of English that it demonstrate sensitivity to the concerns of people of color and they be represented on all Council-sponsored programs. People of color refers to historically underrepresented groups–African American, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Latinos.

As we continue to increase awareness and participation of individuals and groups that represent cultural diversity, we remain committed to the development and ongoing support of policies, programs, groups, and special initiatives that address diversity.

Diversity Programs

National African American Read-In (AARI)

Sponsored by the Black Caucus and NCTE
Join over a million readers and host your very own African American Read-In. Hosting an event can be as simple as bringing together friends to share a book or as elaborate as arranging public readings and media presentations that feature professional African American writers. Held Annually in February

Learn More

El dìa de los niños/El dìa de los libros (A Day of Celebrating Children and Books)

This celebration serves as a nationwide effort to observe a special day for promoting literacy for children of all ages and cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Host your very own celebration that focuses on linking children to books, languages, and cultures. Held Annually on April 30

Learn More

Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color (CNV)

The NCTE Research Foundation’s CNV program is designed to provide two years of support, mentoring, and networking opportunities for early career scholars of color. The program aims to work with doctoral candidates and early career postsecondary faculty of color to cultivate the ability to draw from their own cultural and linguistic perspectives as they conceptualize, plan, conduct, write, and disseminate findings from their research. The program provides socialization into the research community and interaction with established scholars whose own work can be enriched by their engagement with new ideas and perspectives.

Learn More

NCTE Professional Dyads and Culturally Relevant Teaching (PDCRT)

The PDCRT program, initiated by the Affirmative Action Committee of the Early Childhood Education Assembly (ECEA) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), was developed to create a space within NCTE to support early childhood Educators of Color and educators who teach Children of Color, children who are emerging bi/multilinguals, and children from low-income households in studying about culturally relevant pedagogies and generating, implementing, documenting, evaluating, assessing, and disseminating classroom practices and process reflections from work done in preK to fifth-grade classrooms.

Learn More

NCTE Early Career Educator of Color Leadership Program (ECEOC)

This program supports early career teachers of color as they build accomplished teaching careers in literacy education. Practicing preK to university-level literacy educators of color who are in the first five years of a paid teaching career and who aspire to build a career in literacy education are eligible to apply. People of color refers to historically underrepresented groups: African American, American Indian, Asian American, Latinx, and Pacific Islander.

Learn More

NCTE Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English

This committee is charged to investigate and make recommendations to counteract racism and racial bias in teaching materials, methods, and programs for language arts, English, and humanities and to recommend to the NCTE Executive Committee considerations related to professional learning and practice regarding teaching linguistically and culturally diverse students, with the assistance of appropriate scholars and experts, as well as careful documentation from the research base for the recommendations.

Learn More

NCTE Standing Committee on Diversity and Inclusivity

This committee advises NCTE on efforts to foster diversity and inclusivity among members and potential members, including (but not restricted to) in terms of race, ethnicity, sex and gender identity, age, economic status, physical ability, and teaching circumstances. Work in concert with the NCTE Executive Committee and Executive Director on specific assignments that ensure equity and diversity within membership. They identify strategies to employ the resources and values of diversity and inclusivity to advance NCTE’s mission for all members, our students, and our constituencies. They provide annual or biannual analyses of the effectiveness of NCTE diversity and inclusivity initiatives, and to make recommendations based on that analysis. They identify existing research or resources that can support a diverse NCTE membership and their professional needs. Identify gaps or opportunities that might be met with new research or resources.

Learn More

NCTE Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Advisory Committee

This committee is charged to develop plans to assist teachers in making schools, colleges, and universities safe and welcoming places for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, intersex, queer, and questioning people, and their allies to initiate and sustain conversation about the relevance of gendered, sexual, and affectional identities to reading and writing lives, to teaching lives, and to the well-being of students; to promote inquiry into issues of sexuality and gender identity and expression in the teaching of literacy and literature; to encourage proposals for presentation of such inquiry through public meetings such as the NCTE Annual Convention; to support individuals in the production of publishable written reports of such inquiry; and to select excellent proposals for inclusion in the Annual Convention.

Learn More

Awards & Grants

Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color
Administered by the Research Foundation
The Cultivating New Voices program is designed to provide support, mentoring, and networking opportunities for early career scholars of color. The program aims to work with doctoral candidates and early career postsecondary faculty of color as they conceptualize, plan, conduct, and write their research. Deadline March 15

NCTE Early Career Educator of Color Leadership Awards
This program supports early career teachers of color as they build accomplished teaching careers in literacy education. Practicing preK to university-level literacy educators of color who are in the first five years of a paid teaching career and who aspire to build a career in literacy education are eligible to apply. People of color refers to historically underrepresented groups: African American, American Indian, Asian American, Latinx, and Pacific Islander. Deadline April 15

NCTE Advancement of People of Color Leadership Award
This award is given to an NCTE member of color who has made a significant contribution to NCTE and the development of our professional community. It supports those who advocate for policies and practices that influence and advance the understanding of equity and antiracism. Deadline May 1

NCTE Leadership Award for People with Disabilities
This award recognizes a person with a disability who has made a significant contribution to NCTE and to the development of our professional community. Deadline May 1

NCTE LGBTQ+ Advocacy & Leadership Award
This award recognizes a member of the LGBTQ+ community who has made a significant contribution to NCTE and to the development of our professional community. Deadline May 1

NCTE Professional Dyads and Culturally Relevant Teaching (PDCRT)
The PDCRT project, initiated by the Affirmative Action Committee of the Early Childhood Education Assembly (ECEA) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), was developed to create a space within NCTE to support early childhood Educators of Color and educators who teach Children of Color, children who are emerging bi/multilinguals, and children from low-income households in studying about culturally relevant pedagogies and generating, implementing, documenting, evaluating, assessing, and disseminating classroom practices and process reflections from work done in preK to fifth-grade classrooms. Deadline May 1

ELATE Geneva Smitherman Cultural Diversity Grant
Administered by the English Language Arts Teacher Educators (ELATE)
This grant offers up to two $500 awards for first-time NCTE Conference presenters who are members of groups historically underrepresented in NCTE and ELATE. Deadline May 20

Affiliate Multicultural Program Award
Administered by the NCTE Standing Committee on Affiliates
To recognize affiliates who adopt programs, policies, activities, and other events which encourage greater participation and development of multicultural involvement within each affiliate. Deadline June 30

NCTE Fund Teachers for the Dream Affiliate Award
The NCTE Fund invites affiliates to implement initiatives aimed at recruiting English language arts teachers of color and will offer grants to those selected affiliates. Deadline June 30

CCCC Lavender Rhetorics Award for Excellence in Queer Scholarship
Administered by the Conference on College Composition and Communication
Presented annually to four works (one book, one article or book chapter, one dissertation, and one nontraditional scholarly text) published within the past two years that best make queer interventions into the study of composition and rhetoric. Deadline August 1

CCCC Disability in College Composition Travel Awards
Administered by the Conference on College Composition and Communication
Six travel awards designed to support scholarship dedicated to improving knowledge about the intersections of disability with composition and rhetoric, the value of disability as a source of diversity, inclusive practices and the promotion of access, and the value of disability as a critical lens. Deadline October 10

CCCC Gloria Anzaldúa Rhetorician Award
Administered by the Conference on College Composition and Communication
Supports graduate students or first-time presenters whose work participates in the making of meaning out of sexual and gender minority experiences with up to three $750 awards for travel to the CCCC Convention. Deadline October 10

CCCC Scholars for the Dream Travel Award
Administered by the Conference on College Composition and Communication
This travel award is given to ten first-time CCCC Convention presenters who are members of a historically underrepresented group. Deadline October 10

CCCC Stonewall Service Award
Administered by the Conference on College Composition and Communication
Recognizes members of CCCC/NCTE who have consistently worked to improve the experiences of sexual and gender minorities within the organization and the profession. Deadline November 1