The Carpentries' Reinforced Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility

Community,

As a U.S.-based, global non-profit organisation serving hundreds of thousands of practitioners and advocates who emphasise the critical role of software and data in advancing research, we would be remiss not to speak up about the impact of the U.S. government’s Executive Order on DEI Programs and Preferencing. The impact has been felt globally. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a global trend of attacks on science and initiatives that champion inclusion, equity, diversity, and accessibility. We rarely make public statements, preferring to focus on daily operations that help us achieve our mission. However, the growing impact of the Executive Order has prompted us to reaffirm our position.

We are here to unequivocally and explicitly reinforce our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

The Carpentries proudly celebrates 27 years of service, a milestone made possible by our unwavering commitment to our core values. These principles have guided our journey and shaped our impact. As we journey ahead, we reaffirm our dedication to inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that our work remains people-centered and strengthened by diversity. We believe that by upholding these values in action, we can continue to serve our community in meaningful and lasting ways.

In our community glossary, we offer the following definitions of those terms:

• accessibility - design of products, devices, services, or environments to be usable by all people regardless of their abilities; sometimes abbreviated as “a11y” where 11 stands for the number of letters between the first “a” and the last “y” in the word accessibility.
• diversity - individual differences (e.g., personality, language, learning preferences and life experiences) and group-social differences (e.g., race, ethnicity, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, country of origin and ability status, as well as cultural, political, religious or other affiliations) that can be engaged in the service of learning.
• equity - creation of opportunities for access to and participation in programs that are capable of closing participation gaps in our community.
• inclusion - active, intentional, and ongoing engagement of diverse people and communities that increases awareness, content knowledge, and empathic understanding of the ways we interact within (and change) our community.

Our community has not only collaboratively defined these terms, but also believes that efforts aimed to provide access to open science, open source software, and open data are not radical, wasteful or preferential.

Our efforts ensure everyone, regardless of background, is equipped to promote efficient, open, and reproducible research practices. We are strengthening our organisation’s impact by cultivating an inclusive and equitable community. We remain committed to advancing our core values and mission, prioritising work that fosters inclusion, equity, and accessibility. We look forward to collaborating with funders who share our vision and are eager to support these efforts.

To help support our community in these critical priorities, we would like to remind you of the following resources that are available to you:

Code of Conduct

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all people, regardless of background or identity. The Carpentries Code of Conduct Committee is responsible for enforcing the Code of Conduct. You can contact them by emailing coc@carpentries.org.

Accessibility Statement

We are committed to providing inclusive and accessible content that enables all individuals, including those with disabilities, to participate and engage fully. To request an accommodation for a Carpentries event, please fill out the accommodation request form.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

Building an inclusive community is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and commitment, and we strive for continuous improvement. We encourage you to explore our subcommunity registry and regional community mailing lists to engage locally, and we are always available to learn from your diverse experiences. Email community@carpentries.org to get in touch.

Toolkit of IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Strategies)

The Toolkit of IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Strategies) is a practical resource for Carpentries’ Instructors, helpers, and workshop hosts. We know that many people care about inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility but are not sure how it connects to teaching foundational coding and data science skills. This toolkit aims to bridge this gap. We encourage you to explore the toolkit and use it when organising your workshops, community meetings, and other events.

At The Carpentries, we recognise that fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion is an ongoing journey—one that requires continuous learning, active engagement, and a willingness to evolve. As we build a more inclusive community, we remain committed to amplifying diverse voices, reducing barriers to participation, and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

We invite you to join us in this work. Whether through teaching, contributing resources, or sharing your experiences, your voice matters in shaping a more equitable future for data and computational education.

Kari L. Jordan, PhD
Executive Director

Yanina Bellini Saibene
Chair, Board of Directors