Editorial Freelancers Association

Diversity, Equity & Belonging

The EFA continuously strives to support and promote Diversity, Equity & Belonging (DEB) in our community. EFA members in good standing who honor our mission statement and agree to abide by our nondiscrimination statement are welcome to join the EDIT (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Transformation) committee. If you have questions about our strategic priority to elevate and integrate diversity, equity, and belonging throughout the organization and across all EFA programs, you may email us at DEB@the-efa.org.

Diversity, Equity & Belonging Statement

To support a more diverse membership in the EFA by welcoming members of groups that have historically been marginalized and by promoting equitable access for all
To publicize the EFA’s diverse membership in order to attract a wide customer base, benefitting potential clients, members, and the organization as a whole
To connect and support EFA members with educational and professional resources on diversity
To partner with writers, organizations, and initiatives that seek to promote diversity
To create and advocate for fair and accurate content that honors the diverse experiences of readers and writers, especially as this relates to race, nationality, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ability

Nondiscrimination Statement (updated June 2022)

We at the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) welcome and value members of all backgrounds. We don’t discriminate, but more than that, we want the EFA to be an organization where all can feel they belong. We welcome people of every ability, age, ancestry, belief system, body size or appearance, citizenship, color, culture, education, gender expression, gender identity, health, military status, national or ethnic origin, neurotype, race, parental status, relationship status, religion, sexual orientation, and/or socio-economic background. We are nothing without our members, and encourage everyone to volunteer, to serve on the Board, and to participate in our community.

Ruth Mullen Memorial Scholarship

The EFA has partnered with the UNCF (United Negro College Fund) to launch the Editorial Freelancers Association Ruth Mullen Memorial Scholarship program to support current students and alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) pursuing future careers in publishing and communications. The entire publishing industry has not equitably provided careers for marginalized groups, and especially not for Black professionals. Supporting this scholarship program is one step in helping right that wrong, so please consider giving generously through our Donate page on the UNCF website and sharing the link with your friends and associates. The more money we raise on behalf of the program, the greater the number of scholarships we can provide!

Diversity-Focused Events

The DEB supports EFA-wide events that focus on diversity. To see our recent and upcoming events, visit the Events calendar and use the Diversity, Equity & Belonging category filter.

Education and Professional Development

Self-Paced Courses

Editing for Conscious and Inclusive Language

Recorded Webinars

EFA Booklets and Other Resources

Meet the EDIT Committee

Smiling Black woman with glasses and a blue dress, sitting with her hand propping up her chin

Andrea Reid, Co-chair

Andrea Reid is a published author and editor, and a proud graduate of Howard University, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing. She is the founder of Proofreiding, Inc., a proofreading and editing boutique that offers editing services for nonfiction books, blogs, biographies, newsletters, marketing materials, proposals, website content, and more.

As an active member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, she is chairperson of the Ruth Mullen Memorial Scholarship program, which offers scholarships to HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She also chairs the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Transformation committee to center diversity, equity and belonging within the EFA. She’s a member of the Board of Directors, the Governance task force, and the Executive committees for the organization.

Andrea has edited several published books and is currently working on her second book, a sequel to her memoir, Treasured by God.

Smiling woman with a black shirt in front of green shrubbery

Sheryl Holmberg, Co-chair

Sheryl is a published poet and author with a background in journalism, media, and literature. She has worked as a freelance journalist (a stringer) and as editor-in-chief of a suburban newspaper group, producing weekly, biweekly, and monthly publications in cities across Oakland and Macomb counties in Michigan. She served two school terms as poet-in-residence at Bagley Elementary in Detroit with the InsideOut Literary Arts Detroit program, where she also edited and helped produce two student anthologies. As a freelancer, Sheryl has edited more than twenty published books, fiction and nonfiction, working as book designer for many of these. She serves clients across genres and fields, including academic and professional scholarly work, and creates marketing materials for authors and businesses—website copy, print and digital collateral, book cover copy, book blurbs, datasheets, and FAQs. Sheryl currently serves as PR chairperson, editor of the Freelancer, and is also a committee member for the Ruth Mullen Memorial Scholarship program. She loves reading, especially mystery novels, researching genealogy, hanging out, and yelling things at the TV.

Read about the EDIT committee members.