Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

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MIT

For more information and context on land acknowledgements at MIT, see here

The MIT Institute Community and Equity Office’s mission is to advance a respectful and caring community that embraces diversity and empowers everyone to learn and do their best at MIT, cultivating a community focused on MIT’s shared values of excellence, community, equity, belonging, openness, integrity, and mutual respect.

MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.

Solve is an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and we abide to and uphold all of MIT’s policies.

MIT Solve

Through Solve’s core values of optimism, partnership, open innovation, human-centered solutions, and inclusive technology, we strive to uphold the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and are committed to anti-racism in all the work we do. Read more about our commitment to anti-racism here

MIT Solve has an internal DEI team of Solve staff specifically focused on three areas: internal efforts, programming, and communications. 

Diversity: We appreciate and leverage the many differences of Solve staff and Solve’s larger community, and we involve and reflect the various communities we serve through partnership and open innovation.

Equity: We design our policies, practices, and resources with the goal of providing people of all backgrounds a genuine opportunity to thrive. 

Inclusion: We strive to create an environment in which everyone feels valued and respected. Solve supports social entrepreneurs who use human-centered, inclusive technologies to solve global challenges. We know that when solutions are designed with the most underserved populations in mind, they benefit everyone. 

Programming and Selection

MIT Solve conducts the following set of activities to ensure that DEI is incorporated and highlighted throughout all phases of a Challenge:

  • Garner input from diverse stakeholders in the Challenge strategy and design process, including consultation with Solve’s internal cross-department team dedicated to DEI

  • Promote the Challenge opportunity to a diverse array of potential applicants, with a dedicated focus on underserved demographics and communities

  • Offer information sessions, application clinics, and help desk support to potential applicants, recognizing that those in low connectivity environments may need additional supports

  • Select a judging panel that is truly representative of diversity within the Challenge focus area and/or demographic - this may include: gender, race/ethnicity, sector, age, educational background 

  • Provide bias recognition and mitigation guidelines for all Challenge reviewers and judges

  • Utilize an iteration of the following evaluation criteria: Inclusive Human-Centered Design: The solution is designed with and for underserved communities, and the solution team demonstrates proximity to the community and embodies and addresses diversity, equity, and inclusion through their solution.

  • Pre-recording finalist pitches to ensure a more equal playing field for tech, connectivity, and bandwidth

MIT Solve Indigenous Fellowship & US Challenges

In 2018, Solve started an Indigenous Communities Fellowship and now supports 36 Indigenous Communities Fellows representing 22 American Indian tribes. Read more about the program here.  

In 2020, we launched the Reimagining Pathways to Employment in the US Challenge, which posed the question “How can workers in the United States attain the knowledge and learn the skills needed to access sustainable jobs and livelihoods in the new economy?” and included a racial justice focus.

In 2021, Solve launched its Antiracist Technology in the US Challenge looking at how communities of color can use technology to advance racial equity and access economic opportunity, health, and safety.

Building on this workand Solve’s effort to be a culturally diverse and antiracist platformSolve integrated US racial equity across our 2022 Global Challenges by launching the Black & Brown Innovators in the US program.

Now in its second year, the 2023 Truist Foundation Inspire Awards seeks nonprofit organizations with innovative, tech-enabled solutions that address challenges faced by small business owners across the US. 

MIT Solve Events and Vendors

At Solve’s annual flagship events, Solve at MIT and Solve Challenge Finals, content and programming are held to exceptionally high diversity standards to maintain the quality of our events. We strive for those on stage—whether performers, moderators, speakers, or panelists—to represent the diversity of our global community, through geographic region, race, gender identity, and sector. 

Similarly, at Solve’s regional Indigenous Communities Fellowship events, we make a concerted effort to ensure that not only speakers and event attendees represent diverse perspectives, but that the location of our events aligns with the mission of the Fellowship – for the past two years, the regional Fellowship event has been held on the Standing Rock and Pine Ridge reservations, respectively. All event vendors have been Native-owned and operated small businesses. Similarly, the annual US Equity Summit prioritizes BIPOC vendors.

MIT Solve Staff

MIT Solve is committed to inclusion and diversity to build a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more diverse our team is, the better we can achieve our mission of solving world challenges.

As of December 2022, out of 39 full-time Solve staff, 92% identify as women and 42% identify as people of color, based on self-reporting. The majority Solve's leadership team identify as women. 

Accessibility

MIT is committed to providing an environment that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Solve’s flagship events provide closed captioning for virtual and recorded sessions as well as ASL signing for plenary sessions. 

Solve’s physical office building entrance can be accessed by two power doors. The third floor office space is accessible by elevator and two power doors. 

 
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