Skip to main content

Dance Marathon Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Resources

Are you looking for more resources to support the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access work of your Dance Marathon program? We have compiled all of the current Miracle Network Dance Marathon resources that are available on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA). Check them out below! Most recently updated in May 2021: the Language, Imagery, and Event Guide!

Blog Posts

White Paper Resources

  • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusivity: Language, Imagery, and Event Guide: *UPDATED* A more thorough examination of how to use more inclusive language and imagery in Dance Marathon with examples of those practices in action.
  • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Resource One-Pager: A guide outlining a few of the many educational resources on some important DEI topics, including racial justice and accessibility, that encourages students to take the initiative in educating themselves on the deeper issues behind these topics.
  • MNDM Educational Resource Guide: Check out the “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” section for a more detailed look at how to authentically create a welcoming and equitable environment within Dance Marathon, including the official MNDM statement on our commitment to D&I made in June 2020.

DMLC 2020 Presentations

  • Leading with Inclusion: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access are critical leadership skills. This workshop will provide foundational training to students and professionals on how inclusive behaviors learned now will help them be better leaders in the future. Leave understanding the IDEA framework with a focus on inclusion and reflect on how you can create a more inclusive Dance Marathon organization.
  • Designing Inclusive Environments for Optimal Engagement: Knowing information is only the beginning. Apply what you know about I.D.E.A. to actual practical everyday behavior is a whole different challenge. This session will apply the concepts of I.D.E.A to the higher education environment and identify possible challenges within the physical and cultural environment preventing campuses or organizations from operating at their optimal level. Lastly, a framework will be shared to help participants to start engaging in dialogues.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: It’s More Than Just Checking a Box: Dance Marathon is intended to be a campus-wide movement that unites all parts of campus under one cause and is open and welcome to all members of your campus community. This goal is something we consistently need to be working towards, always assessing who is not at the table when it comes to Dance Marathon and how we can get them there. During this session we will help to identify areas of opportunity and growth on your campus as well as challenge you to look at your program to see the gaps when discussing diversity and inclusion.
  • Things That Make You Say “Oh”: Case Studies of Diversity and Inclusion in Dance Marathon: Have you ever been put in jail at a Dance Marathon event? If so, have you thought about the implications that come with being “put in jail”? In this session we will look at some common Dance Marathon practices and their potentially exclusionary implications, whether that was their intention or not, and how that could affect those in your campus community. We will challenge you to take a closer look at the practices and traditions implemented by your program, as well as discuss how as an organization we can create a more inclusive and welcoming Dance Marathon experience.
  • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Creating an Environment for Everyone to Flourish: You’ve started the conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion—what’s next? How do you continue to empower your participants, leadership members, and campus partners? Come learn about the steps that the University of Iowa Dance Marathon has taken to further improve our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Take these ideas and initiatives home to build a foundation of inclusion in your organization, and in turn, your campus.
  • Looking Towards Inclusive Excellence: This presentation will review how BuckeyeThon observed areas of opportunity for the demographics of their participant pool. We will take a deep-dive into how BuckeyeThon expanded their movement across campus, formed connections with a myriad of student groups, and worked closely with the university’s multicultural center to implement accessible initiatives. An ad hoc committee was formed (“Diversity and Inclusion Project Team”) to vet current programming while simultaneously advocating for inclusion and an equitable experience for all 5,712 participants.
  • Opening General Session: Jump to 33:24 to hear Shirley Rogers, SVP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at CMN Hospitals, address DMLC attendees about the concept of a “circle of care” and they ways our hospitals and national organization have made intentional efforts to expand our circle of care to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
  • Advisor Workshop Day 3: A panel on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access for Dance Marathon Advisors. Panelists include Shirley Rogers, Kristi Potter, and Cristina Vega. Hosted by Esther DeClerck and Andrew Nash.