The Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) was recently recognized for its efforts to boost conservations on identity and individual team perspectives.
In a Friday news release, the LMTAAA announced that the agency received a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Award from USAging, a national aging advocacy organization.
According to the LMTAA, posters, newsletters and other materials pair with “the authentic reflections of lived experiences to foster an approach to DEI that amplifies empathy as it accelerates action.”
According to the agency, the conversations on identity have increased by 40 percent while team “perspectives on ways they contribute to the advancement of inclusion have risen 26 percent.”
“Belonging is a right. It’s a fundamental tenet that allows us to be stronger, together,” LMTAAA Executive Director Nicole Kiddoo said in a statement. “We are prioritizing a culture of
representation to ensure we not only champion the community we serve, but provide a place in which each feels acknowledged, comfortable, and secure in their inclusion.”
According to census data, minority representation among those over 60 years old in the three counties will grow by 10 percent between 2024 and 2027. The LMTAAA plans to continue the initiative by establishing "an internal task force to support, encourage, and celebrate positive momentum.”
“I am proud of our team’s immediate dedication to strengthening diversity and equity,”
LMTAAA Chief Human Resources Officer Mary Beth Mercer said in a statement. “By empowering team members to expand viewpoints and build new connections, we create opportunities for collaboration, enhance goals, and support movement that matters.”
