“The accounting profession must diversify and foster a culture of belonging if we are to survive. I firmly believe that any conversation about the future pipeline in accountancy is a conversation about diversity!”

Since its founding in 1916, the American Accounting Association (AAA) has been widely recognized as Thought Leaders in Accounting. As the largest organization of accounting faculty in the world, our primary stakeholders have been faculty and academic leaders. However, current demographic trends and dire college enrollment statistics in US institutions of higher education portend that Accountancy is on the precipice of a pipeline crisis, mandating that we broaden our emphasis to ensure the sustainability of our profession. The bottom line is this: The accounting profession must diversify and foster a culture of belonging if we are to survive....

I firmly believe that any conversation about the future pipeline in accountancy is a conversation about diversity! When I assumed the CEO role at the AAA in September of 2020, I embraced the charge to elevate diversifying our organization and our profession, with a greater focus on inclusion. With the full endorsement of the Board, these objectives are now key strategic priorities for the Association.
“The accounting profession must diversify and foster a culture of belonging if we are to survive. I firmly believe that any conversation about the future pipeline in accountancy is a conversation about diversity!”
I earned my two degrees in accounting and my MBA at two venerable institutions, and I must admit that while I was enrolled in my accounting programs, unfortunately, there were not a lot of students of color studying alongside me. Flash forward more than 35 years, and – still, sadly — the reality has not changed much for accounting education. This deeply concerns me, because monocultural environments foster “group think,” while diverse groups of voices and perspectives can “push the envelope” and contribute to making institutions and organizations stronger.

I am extremely excited about the work the American Accounting Association is undertaking related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I am pleased that our first Vice-President of DEI, Dr. Norma Ramirez Montague is leading the Association's efforts. She is providing outstanding leadership to our DEI initiatives. You can learn more about her and the DEI Initiatives that we are leading in this publication and our website.

Yet, critically, we need your help! We have an ambitious five-year plan. However, as a membership organization, we need external resources and strategic partners to help us implement our initiatives and measure our outcomes. Please learn more about our plans and let us know how you can help the AAA prioritize and advance diversity in accounting!

Sincerely,
Yvonne Hinson, Ph.D., CPA,
Chief Executive Officer
American Accounting Association

“The AAA is deeply committed to creating a culture of inclusion and equity within the Academy and the accounting profession more broadly.”

My name is Norma Ramirez Montague, and I serve as the Vice-President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) for the American Accounting Association (AAA). Our organization has launched significant initiatives to solidify the AAA’s commitment to being "Thought Leaders in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)." To this end, we have developed a DEIB Foundations certificate series, The Architecture of Inclusion, which is available free to our members. Further, we have established and begun work to realize an ambitious five-year plan to strengthen partnerships with external sponsors who share our vision for programs that spotlight DEIB priorities and seek to remove systemic barriers to success for ALL accounting students, academics, and professionals....-

The AAA has established its priorities, but we simply can’t achieve them alone. We, as an Association, seek to establish and strengthen partnerships with organizations that support the spirit of forward-thinking in the accounting profession. We have unprecedented support for DEIB programs and priorities throughout the Association, yet it is our collaborations with our partners that will allow us all to be the change we seek.

“The AAA is deeply committed to creating a culture of inclusion and equity within the Academy and the accounting profession more broadly.” This work comes at a critical time for the Academy and the accounting profession. The current DEIB landscape within accounting has been shaped by historical trends as well as systemic biases that have resulted in wholly unrepresentative diversity within our Academy and professional leadership. This has created an environment where minority voices and contributions have been marginalized and gone largely unheard. While creating greater awareness of these issues is essential, the time has come for actions to overtake words. However, this can only be realized by directing resources toward real solutions that create real change.

The AAA is deeply committed to creating a culture of inclusion and equity within the Academy and the accounting profession more broadly. A critical first step is exposing underrepresented populations to the field of accounting and making accounting a viable and attractive career path for them. Recent numbers tell a disturbing story: According to the 2020 U.S. Census, 18.7% of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, yet the AICPA’s authoritative "2021 Trends" report indicates that they only make up 5% of CPAs in the U.S. Likewise, Blacks account for 12.4% of the population but currently represent only 2% of CPAs while people identifying as multiethnic, or "two or more races," account for 10.2% of the population yet also comprise only 2% of CPAs. We intend to improve these statistics and will continue to strive to ensure that all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, background, or identity, have full access to quality accounting education and career opportunities. Our work with partners, both internal and external, is essential to creating equitable learning environments and workplaces where everyone can thrive and feel valued.

I invite you to explore our website (http://aaahq.org/DEI) and read about our DEIB goals and initiatives, our progress, and our room for improvement. If you feel your organization’s priorities align with those of the AAA, please also visit http://aaahq.org/DEIBpartners to see our five-year fundraising goals and consider contributing to our efforts. By partnering with the American Accounting Association, know you will be teaming with an organization that is ready and determined to fight for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive accounting academy and profession – one where everyone belongs!

Sincerely,
Norma Ramirez Montague
Vice President–Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
American Accounting Association