National Association of Estate Planners and Councils

NAEPCs Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

NAEPC was approached in June 2020 by an affiliated local council inquiring whether a sample statement with regard to racial injustice / inequality was available for council use.  Although it did not exist at that time, the Executive Committee, at its June 2020 meeting, was in agreement that having such statement is important and voiced support of initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  As a result, what is now the NAEPC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee was formed.

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee's mission is simple: to encourage and support inclusion and collaboration within NAEPC's leadership, membership, and programming.

We need your help! 
Volunteers are sought to join the committee; interested parties are asked to complete NAEPCs volunteer application to share their desire to serve.

NAEPCs Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

It is the mission of the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) to promote excellence in estate planning by serving estate planning councils and their credentialed members, delivering exceptional resources and unsurpassed education, and recognizing those members within who hold the Accredited Estate Planner® (AEP®) designation and Estate Planning Law Specialist (EPLS) certification.   

NAEPC believes that everyone, no matter their situation or economic status, can benefit from the experience and advice of a competent and ethical estate planning professional. 

NAEPC seeks to raise awareness and promote an environment that embraces diversity within our affiliated councils and their membership. In so doing, NAEPC strives to increase opportunities and access for the widest spectrum of people so that all professionally qualified individuals may join, collaborate, and thrive within an inclusive estate planning community. 

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force will continually review association operations for specific examples of implementation of the principles, values and targets set forth in this Statement.  These findings will be reported to the Board of Directors and Membership. 

This Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement, and any protocol adopted in furtherance of the Statement, may be amended by a simple majority of the Board of Directors of NAEPC.

Click here to review NAEPC’s actionable items.

Our Response to Racial Discord

The National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) is committed to creating a culture of inclusion, belonging and respect to all individuals.

We live in a country where the concepts of equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are central to the spirit of our Nation and to our identity as Americans. We recognize these tenets, and while stated in our nation’s foundational documents, our nation is still on a journey that has lasted far too long to recognize that for all.  Several events during 2020, have raised our awareness and we wish to make a specific statement against racism. 

As an organization, NAEPC expresses its commitment to strengthening the qualities of inclusion, belonging and respect to all of the members of our organization and we specifically denounce racism, in any form, by any person or group, at any time. 

NAEPC has committed resources to address current opportunities to attain full diversity, equity and inclusion.  We recognize that our membership is not a reflection of our national population.  Our leadership seeks to develop a more diverse membership and will be mindful of leadership, speaking and other opportunities to enhance this commitment.  We seek to be a fully inclusive organization – assuring that all members feel welcome, all voices heard and all cultures embraced.

Estate planning is the art of preserving, protecting and passing clients’ wealth, and assets.  At its best, estate planning also passes values, legacies, ideas and culture.  As an organization we seek to promote estate planning concepts and practices that embrace all individuals, families and cultures in a setting that supports and promotes healing and equality for all. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resource Library

National Estate Planning Awareness Week

NAEPC-Produced Content 

  • Article Reproduced Courtesy of Trusts & Estates:  "How to Make Your Practice More Diverse and Inclusive" by Karen McCrae-Lee Fatt, Martin M. Shenkman & Susan J. Travis (February 2021)
  • NAEPC  Webinar:  "The Future Client and Future Advisor" with George Nichols, III, President & CEO, The American College of Financial Services and Dien Yuen, JD, LL.M. (International Law), CAP®, AEP® (original air date March 10, 2021; on-demand access is available)

The Work of Our Affiliated Local Councils

Articles and White Papers

Educational Events and Webinars

Reading 

  • “Better Allies” by Karen Catlin
  • “Slavery by Another Name” by Douglas A. Blackmon

  • "White Fragility: Why it is so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism" by Robin Diangelo

  • “So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo

  • “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi

  • “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

  • “A Letter to My Sons” by Imani Perry

  • “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander

  • “The Book of Delights: Essays” by Ross Gay

  • “The Whiteness of Wealth: How the Tax System Impoverishes Black Americans – and How We Can Fix it” by Dorothy A. Brown

Short Videos and Podcasts

Presenters, Educators & Facilitators

Self-Assessments and Tests

  • Project Implicit is a non-profit organization and international collaboration between researchers who are interested in implicit social cognition - thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness and control. The goal of the organization is to educate the public about hidden biases and to provide a “virtual laboratory” for collecting data on the Internet.  The organization offers Implicit Association Tests (IAT) from a list of possible topics and will also ask you (optionally) to report your attitudes or beliefs about these topics and provide some information about yourself.  Learn more and see the available tests at https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html. 
  • "Diversifying Foundation Boards" by Jamal Kareem and George Suttles, including a downloadable Board Matrix Template

Websites

Membership Associations

Diversity-Based Membership Associations 

Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy is a national membership organization dedicated to expanding and mobilizing philanthropic and community resources for underserved AAPI communities to build a more just and equitable society.

Ascend Pan-Asian Leaders
Ascend is the largest, non-profit Pan-Asian organization for business professionals in North America. Established in 2005, Ascend has grown to serve professionals and corporations across various professions and across multiple industries.

Association of African American Financial Advisors
Association of African American Financial Advisors is a non-profit membership organization for African American financial advisors and affiliated professionals. We work in alliance with academic leaders at HBCUs that support financial planning degree programs, legislative and regulatory bodies, financial services firms and consumer interest organizations. AAAA fosters the value of financial planning and advances the financial planning profession. 

Association of Asian American Investment Managers
The AAAIM is a national 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion in the investment management industry, serving as a powerful voice for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Our goal is to elevate underrepresented groups through education, networking, and empowerment.

Association of Black Estate Planning Professionals
The ABEPP is a nonprofit organization committed to educating and empowering financial professionals and the community to the strategically collaborate and economically transform the black community.

Association of Black Foundation Executives
ABFE is a membership-based philanthropic organization that advocates for responsive and transformative investments in Black communities.

Association of Latino Professionals For America
ALPFA was the first national Latino professional association in the United States, established in Los Angeles in 1972. 

Center for Arab American Philanthropy
CAAP empowers the Arab American community by demonstrating the impact of giving together. Unlike a traditional community foundation, we are not focused on a geographic location, but on an ethnic community: Arab Americans.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association (DHHBA) is a volunteer-operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of d/Deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, and DeafBlind attorneys, judges, law school graduates, law students, and legal professionals with all communication methods and accommodation needs. 

Hispanics in Philanthropy
Hispanics in Philanthropy is strengthening Latinx leadership, influence and equity by leveraging philanthropic resources, and doing so with an unwavering vision on social justice and shared prosperity across the Americas.

Hispanic National Bar Association
The Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan, national membership organization that represents the interests of Hispanic legal professionals in the United States and its territories.

Iranian American Bar Association
The IABA is the only national association of Iranian-American judges, attorneys, legal scholars, and law students in the U.S. with over 1,500 members and eight chapters nationwide. 

LGBTQ Bar Association
The National LGBT Bar Association is a national association of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals, law students, activists, and affiliated lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender legal organizations. The LGBT Bar promotes justice in and through the legal profession for the LGBTQ+ community in all its diversity.

Minority Corporate Counsel
The MCCA is committed to advancing the hiring, retention and promotion of diverse lawyers in law departments and law firms by providing research, best practices, professional development and training; and through pipeline initiatives.

National African American Insurance Association 
The NAAIA was organized to create a network among people of color and others employed in or affiliated with the insurance industry. The association currently has chapters throughout the nation and its members represent every sector of the industry.

Native American Bar Association
NNABA shares many of the same goals of diversity and increased understanding of our communities’ unique cultural and legal issues with minority bar associations. However, most of our lawyers are both U.S. citizens and citizens of their respective Tribal nations.

Native Americans in Philanthropy
Native Americans in Philanthropy is a powerful and growing network of Native and non-Native nonprofits, tribal communities, foundations and community leaders committed to engaging, learning and sharing resources and best practices grounded the Native tradition of reciprocity.

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
NAPABA is the nation's largest Asian Pacific American membership organization representing the interest of 50,000 attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students.

National Association of Black Accountants
As a nonprofit membership association, the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc., (NABA) is dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for black accounting and finance professionals by providing leadership and technical training, as well as networking and career opportunities.

National Bar Association
The National Bar Association was founded in 1925 and is the nation's oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges. It represents the interests of approximately 66,000 lawyers, judges, law professors, and law students.

Initiatives of NAEPCs Sister Organizations

Association of International Certified Professional Accountants Diversity and Inclusion

American Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Center 

American College of Trusts and Estate Counsel Diversity Resources

National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council 

National Association of Personal Financial Advisors Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative

Reference to a specific product, process, or service on this page does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by NAEPC. NAEPC assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, process, or service offered within this resource library.