Diversity Project
The NAMI Standards of Excellence on Diversity, Inclusion & Non-Discrimination were created by NAMI National with an understanding that NAMI's health and growth depends on our ability to reach and attract all the communities who need us and call for us to become diverse and inclusive of every sector of the population. As a part of this initiative, NAMI Wisconsin embraces the philosophy that the membership and leadership in all levels of the organization should "reflect the demographic composition of our state or community."
NAMI Wisconsin has developed a Diversity Inclusion Committee of the board to ensure that voices from diverse communities are heard. We have hosted NAMI National's "Let's Talk: Diversity in Action" at pilot sites in the state and have begun to work closely with the NAMI Greater Milwaukee affiliate to bring the ASK (Access Support and Knowledge) program to other areas of Wisconsin. This outreach program for African American communities, designed by Brenda Wesley, is being altered to allow us to reach out to the Latino and LGBT communities, with other communities to follow.
Becoming a diverse and inclusive organization requires a concerted effort at the local, state and national levels. NAMI Wisconsin endeavors to understand diversity and the important role it plays in our work, embrace and respect cultural differences and include different worldviews and approaches into our efforts.
On this page you will find resources specific to diverse communities that NAMI Wisconsin and our Diversity Inclusion Committee have found helpful.
Multicultural Outreach Planning Guide (356K PDF)