Urgent Concerns and Call for Action - AOTA Inspire 2024 Conference

An Open Letter to AOTA from COTAD Leadership:

June 4, 2023

To the American Occupational Therapy Association Board of Directors,

The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD) extends its gratitude for the support provided by the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) over the past 10 years, including the collaborative efforts at the annual AOTA conference. While we recognize the efforts put into organizing the annual conference, we believe it is crucial to express our deep concern for the safety of occupational therapy practitioners in Florida as well as those who may attend the AOTA Inspire 2024 Conference. AOTA has stated its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility (DEIJA) which extends to the trans and queer community; and part of fostering an inclusive environment for trans and queer individuals requires ensuring the voice of the community can be present, valued, and engaged with the conference as safely as possible.  

COTAD is committed to standing in solidarity with activists and advocates in Florida and want to attend AOTA Inspire 2024 to show our commitment to their liberation and health. However, the state of Florida has enacted multiple discriminatory laws and policies that target particularly trans, gender-expansive, and queer people, in addition to multiple restrictive policies around diversity, equity, and inclusion that will greatly influence the safety of anti-oppression advocates who are disproportionately queer, disabled and occupational therapy practitioners of color. 

Queer Safety

• Florida has enacted SB1674 which criminalizes individuals who use bathrooms that do not coincide with the gender they were assigned at birth. This actively creates physical and legal danger for trans and gender-expansive practitioners, clients, vendors, and students.

• Equality Florida has issued a travel advisory given these hostile policies toward LGBTQ people. 

• Florida has enacted SB 254 which strips parental rights from parents supporting gender affirming care for their children as well as criminalizes providers who provide gender affirming care to their patients.

• Florida has enacted HB 1557 which bans books and other materials that discuss gender and sexual diversity in schools. 

• While Orlando has been described as a queer friendly city, recently local traffic equipment was hacked to broadcast a hate message calling for violence against queer people. 

• For some time, California has banned state funds from being spent on travel to Florida given these safety concerns. Given the increasing severity of these discriminatory laws, other states may follow this approach, restricting employees from traveling to the conference. 

DEI Advocate Safety

• Florida has enacted SB 266 which bans public institutions from funding or putting resources behind any initiative that purports to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• The NAACP has also issued a travel advisory in response to these policies and Florida’s attempts to erase Black history and restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools. Not only will this restrict academic institutions from educating person-centered and justice-oriented practitioners, but could also potentially put OT programs at risk for not meeting ACOTE standards. 

• Florida has actively restricted courses and materials that describe and honor Black experiences and history in the US, such as high school AP courses.

• Florida has enacted SB 1718 which prohibits the transportation of undocumented migrants into the state, does not recognize out of state IDs to undocumented migrants, forces hospitals to ask about immigration status, and has forced employers to use a flawed verification system of documentation status. League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) has also issued a travel advisory to those traveling to Florida. 

General Safety

• Florida has enacted SB 150 which allows concealed carry without a permit except where lawmakers meet. 

Given these alarming realities, we urge AOTA to provide proactive and detailed information about the safety measures and resources that will be implemented during the conference. Without clear and concrete protections in place, we are unwilling to endorse traveling to a location that could present physical and legal danger to conference participants. 

Inspire 2024 presents an optimal time for AOTA to live up to its DEIJA commitment. We respectfully request that AOTA reaffirm its commitment to DEIJA by: (1) providing a detailed strategic plan for pursuing enactment of the below measures by August 1st, 2023; (2) providing a detailed implementation plan by October 1st, 2023; and (3)providing an updated detailed implementation plan by March 1st, 2024 to respond to any changes in any additional laws and policies that have been enacted prior to conference. AOTA should be clear and explicit in how these measures have been informed by direct and intimate consultation with trans, queer, and anti-oppression advocates as they are developed. 

Until these measures are addressed, COTAD is challenged to endorse our members, students, and leaders to attend Inspire 2024. We will actively discourage occupational therapy practitioners from attending the conference in Orlando for their own safety and in solidarity with Florida practitioners. We request that AOTA publicly reaffirms its commitment to protecting and supporting trans and gender expansive practitioners and clients, as well as its commitment to DEIJA by implementing the below measures:

SAFETY FOR TRANS AND GENDER-EXPANSIVE PEOPLE

• Gender-Neutral Facilities: Provide gender-neutral restrooms or ensure that existing facilities are inclusive and accessible for individuals of all gender identities. Clear signage and support from event staff can help make these spaces more welcoming. Ensure gender inclusive bathrooms are accessible and equally plentiful throughout the venue with safe options for individual use. Examine policies of the venue regarding bathroom use and ensure they are not in conflict with safe access. Develop and make accessible an action plan for emergency bathroom use of gender specific bathrooms.

• Safe Spaces: Designate specific areas or rooms as safe spaces for trans and gender expansive people. These spaces can provide a refuge for individuals who may need support or a break from potentially uncomfortable situations.

• Clear Policies and Guidelines: Develop and enforce comprehensive non-discrimination policies that explicitly protect trans and gender expansive people. Clearly communicate these policies to all conference participants, organizers, and staff members - particularly in visual ways throughout the venue.

• Security and Emergency Measures: Hire security personnel trained to address any potential harassment, discrimination, or violence against trans and gender expansive individuals. Develop an emergency response plan that includes protocols to address intimidation, hate speech, or discriminatory acts against trans or gender expansive people. This may include transportation to and from the venue in the case of an unsafe environment. Examine and address policies of the venue if a complaint were to be made regarding a person “using the wrong” bathroom (e.g. Will the police be called? How will AOTA protect trans or gender-expansive attendees safety in these instances?).

• Supportive Staff: Recruit event staff, including volunteers, who are knowledgeable about trans and gender expansive issues and can provide support and guidance when needed. They should be approachable, as well as visible throughout the venue.

• Training and Sensitization: Conduct training sessions to educate event organizers, staff, and volunteers about trans and gender expansive people, including terminology, challenges, and appropriate behaviors. This can help create an inclusive environment and ensure everyone understands the importance of respect and acceptance. Additionally, provide Upstander Training for allies in how to safely support trans and gender expansive people, on site and prior to the conference.

• Reporting Mechanisms: Establish clear reporting mechanisms for incidents of harassment, discrimination, or any other form of misconduct. Ensure that these mechanisms are easily accessible, confidential, and responsive to complaints. Make explicit these approaches.
  

RESOURCE CURATION FOR CONFERENCE ATTENDEES

• Onsite Advocacy Support: Provide support to conference attendees who would like to engage legislators on policies directly impacting trans and gender-expansive practitioners and students through written advocacy efforts.

• Legal Counsel: Make available on-site attorneys who can support trans and gender-expansive attendees who may be endangered by these laws.

• Elevate and Support LGBTQ and DEI-friendly Organizations: Develop a list of LGBTQ- and DEI-friendly businesses and hotels in the area as options for safe and inclusive lodging for conference attendees.  

SAFETY FOR ANTI-OPPRESSION ADVOCATES

• Acknowledgement of the Work: Publicly acknowledge that OTPs of color, disabled OTPs, and queer OTPs are disproportionately represented in anti-oppression work that seeks to diversify our profession and create a more inclusive and equitable practice of occupational therapy.

• Positioning of DEI Experts: Critically examine policies and practices (e.g. which scholars are invited to speak on DEI topics as experts) around anti-oppression or DEI presentations and topics at the conference.

• Safety for DEI Speakers: Describe specific action plans to address the safety of OTPs who may experience hostility, discrimination, or violence because they are presenting, working on, or advocating for anti-oppression by outsiders or fellow participants in the conference.

• Elevate DEI Vendors: Foreground DEI companies and organizations by providing premium locations in the Expo Hall at free or discounted rates.

• Expectations and Consequences: Explicitly make expectations and consequences of harassment of LGBTQ people and DEI advocates known via visual boards and other methods throughout the venue.

• Enforcement of No Gun Policy: Describe how the Association will enforce the “no gun” policy at the venue.

COMMUNICATING ACTION STEPS

• Make transparent how the Association plans to address the above measures to members of the occupational therapy community (paid members and otherwise) through accessible channels of communication. Recognizing that legislation may change between now and when the conference convenes, this communication should be ongoing with opportunity for adding to and amending all action steps.  

We welcome and encourage practitioners and organizations who are committed to a diverse and equitable occupational therapy profession to join us in this call for AOTA to hold a safe and inclusive Inspire 2024 conference in Florida. 

We appreciate the Board’s swift and intentional response to the concerns of the occupational therapy community.

In solidarity,

The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity Leadership Team

Sign the Petition 

COTAD Statement Regarding AOTA Inspire 2023

May 8, 2023

To our beloved COTAD Community,

We left this year’s AOTA conference in a tense duality.

As we successfully and warmly celebrated 10 years of caring for each other and challenging this profession to be better, we were sharply prodded that the work is never done. As an organization, we are tasked with balancing necessary celebration with the nature of the uncomfortable work that encompasses us. Like our members, COTAD National Leadership’s hearts are heavy.

These problematic and hurtful incidents are not new; these frustrating and excluding moments are also not the last ones we will experience. These oppressive moments are part of a broad structural racism influencing the profession and why we have developed a robust strategic plan to guide our coalition, partnerships, and movement in preventing and responding to racism and all types of oppression within the profession.

Our mission is our statement. Our movement is our statement. Our solidarity comes in the form of action. We invite you to join us in bringing about broad change and concrete shifts within occupational therapy.

In Solidarity,

The Board of Directors and Leadership Team of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity

COTAD Statement of Solidarity with Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh

February 3, 2023

Dear COTAD Community,

To begin, Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh has recused herself from any participation in the discussion and writing of the following statement:

The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity strives to empower occupational therapy leaders to engage in practices that increase justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI); anti-racism; and anti-oppression for a transformative occupational therapy profession. We advocate for occupational justice and equity across disciplines, populations, cultures, and institutions. 

To this end, the remaining Board of Directors of COTAD are aware of the recent organizing efforts by students and faculty at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy to ensure leadership in their division are explicitly taking responsibility  for any mismanagement of Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh’s employment status and leadership responsibilities during her protected medical leave, after her maternity leave, in 2022. Though Dr. Anvarizadeh is a founder and current board chair, we remain objective and steadfast with the ideals of the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics. COTAD's role is to not only advocate and support our members, but to do so for our leaders as well. 

The Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics exists to protect the public, guide our professional conduct, and establish reputations of organizations that provide occupational therapy services. As occupational therapy practitioners, we have a professional and moral obligation to adopt and adhere to the behaviors outlined by these guidelines. Any breach is in serious conflict with our values; thus, the implications of what has occurred are immense! The code of ethics references that practitioners must work to create and uphold a society in which all persons have equitable opportunity for full inclusion in meaningful occupational engagement, mothering included, as an essential component of their lives. This requires an honest and comprehensive look at how we individually, and as a profession, support justice and equity. 

Occupational justice, a core value of COTAD, refers to ensuring that people are not subjected to discrimination or disadvantages based on their social or demographic status, such as race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, or any other personal characteristic, including motherhood. The Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity stands in solidarity with Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh, and urges the leaders of the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy to take responsibility for the implications of their actions. We look forward to continuing to support the profession we love in empowering occupational therapy leaders to engage in practices that continue to break down the systemic barriers that exist in our profession and community. 

In Solidarity,

The Board of Directors of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity

COTAD Stands with the Black OT Community.

June 6, 2020​

As a grassroots organization dedicated to developing a diverse workforce and inclusive profession, we denounce police brutality and racism. We are deeply impacted, heartbroken, and angry about the senseless murders of Black people at the hands of police. ​

COTAD believes in action-oriented organizing to hold our profession accountable for creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive society. We are calling all members of the OT community to join us in sparking dialogue and igniting change to promote occupational justice and end systemic racism.