The profession of mediation needs improvement in the areas of equity and inclusion to address the needs of all potential clients. Calls to end racial injustice and systematic racism underscore how far the field in Massachusetts has lagged in these efforts.
As one step in our efforts to help improve the field of divorce mediation, Divorce Mediation Training Associates launched the DMTA Equity and Inclusion Fellowships to broaden access to training. We hope that greater access to training can be one factor in expanding the community of divorce mediators and the clients we serve.
Since July 2020, DMTA has welcomed two fellows per training to participate in each of our 40-hour divorce mediation trainings. Fellows will receive a tuition discount equal to at least half of the training cost.
The DMTA Equity and Inclusion Fellowships are inadequate by themselves to address the systematic barriers that perpetuate inequity. We hope the presence of the DMTA Fellows in the divorce mediation community will spark a conversation in our field and among our DMTA alumni. We hope this can be one step leading to further action to end systematic racism and injustice, to create peace out of justice, and through peace to find a more equitable and inclusive world.