AATSP EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) AWARD 

This new award was inspired by the AATSP’s Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and the spirit of our 2021 AATSP Annual Conference that celebrated diversity. The AATSP knows that individual teachers of all levels are doing significant work in DEI across cultures with their students, colleagues, and in their institutions and communities. PreK through university level instructors of Portuguese and/or Spanish are encouraged to self-nominate or allow others to nominate them. The AATSP wants to honor this work.

The award will be presented to a teacher-member who creates inclusive communities both in the classroom and beyond that represent the rich diversity of communities served. DEI work takes many different forms such as (but not limited to) an educator who might be providing professional development to others about inclusive learning environments (e.g., presentations, social media, blogs), designing curriculum to support DEI, or initiatives to advocate for DEI in educational organizations/institutions, on campuses, or in school districts. 

2026 DEI Award Winner

The recipient of the 2026 AATSP DEI Award is Anne Fountain, Professor Emerita of Spanish at San José State University, California. As one letter of recommendation notes, her distinguished record of accomplishment reflects a sustained commitment to revising canons and curricula, making them more accessible to marginalized communities and more representative of Iberia and the Americas as a whole.

We celebrate Dr. Fountain’s well-deserved recognition and honor her longstanding dedication to the AATSP, including her service as AATSP President in 2016 and her recognition with the 2021 AATSP Distinguished Leadership Award.

Anne Fountain writes:
The Spanish speaking and Portuguese-speaking worlds encompass diverse ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic populations and our teaching should reflect that reality, one increasingly manifested in US language classrooms. Fortunately, the AATSP is a welcoming home for DEI aims and hosts multiple resources to support teachers at all levels. A commitment to the aims of diversity, equity and inclusion has been a part of my teaching and professional life in North Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Mexico and California. I am honored to receive this award.

 

NOMINATIONS:

Nominations for this award will document nominee-led initiatives that cultivate, promote, and foster a more diverse, equitable, and/or inclusive environment; and will demonstrate the impacts of outcomes from DEI initiatives. Nominations for this award will follow the guidelines below. 

Criteria and Eligibility

• Must be a current AATSP member with at least two (2) years of AATSP membership and teaching experience

Materials submitted:

• Nomination letter: should describe the nominee’s approach to creating a diverse and inclusive educational environment and the impact of their efforts 
• Current CV (Curriculum Vitae/Resume)
• Three (3) letters of support (sent under separate cover directly from the person sending the recommendation); one letter must be from an AATSP member
• Personal Statement and optional materials/evidence to support the nomination 
• Winner will be recognized at the AATSP Annual Conference 

Award: $500. 

On January 1, 2027, the AATSP will begin accepting applications for the 2027 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award. 

Application Deadline: March 15, 2027

Email Nominations to awards@aatsp.org

The applications will be reviewed by the AATSP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee: