Constructing a 21st Century Research Agenda required centering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Project workgroups agreed to maintain equity as the end goal, and to consider the consequences and implications for those who have long been at the mercy and hands of those who have traditionally held power. As diversity and inclusion are necessary components equity, ensuring diverse people and perspectives have the power and voice to define, interpret, decide, and change must drive what we see as pressing gaps, how we name problems, and who and what is needed to address those problems.

While researchers may strive to be neutral and objective, they have biases, values, backgrounds, and experiences that affect the way research is conducted and evidence is cultivated. To address this reality, we invited three DEI experts to join this project. They constructed a comprehensive DEI framework that guided each aspect of our work. The framework consists of four guiding principles for identifying where inequities exist, examining our own biases, contextualizing findings, and guarding against implicit or explicit assumptions:

1. Recognize, assess, reassess, and respond to our internal biases, assumptions, and privileges that we bring to identification of research questions

2. Avoid further harm, marginalization, and oppression

3. Contextualize differences across groups when analyzing data

4. Scrutinize programming and services through a DEI lens

This Research Agenda is the result of the genuine inclusion of diverse and divergent voices and perspectives, including but not limited to diversity in ability, experiences, racial and ethnic identity, nationality and tribal status, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE), education and employment background, socioeconomic class, religion, and geography (e.g., rural, urban; various U.S. regions).