BIP Winter 2025

NABIP in Action

A national movement for cultural inclusion in benefits

The Coalition for Inclusion in Benefits and Insurance helps brokers serve diverse communities.

One of NABIP’s newest national initiatives began the way many great ideas do — with industry leaders identifying a shared gap in access and equity. At BenefitsPro 2024, conversations among Jasmine Keating, Ruby Ulloa, Melissa Burkhart and others highlighted that too many communities still lack culturally relevant benefits education and tools. Within weeks, that spark ignited the creation of CIBI, the Coalition for Inclusion in Benefits and Insurance, powered by the NABIP Foundation. “We saw underrepresented communities working twice as hard just to access the same basic information,” says Keating, NABIP’s director of strategic growth. “CIBI is our commitment to closing gaps with meaningful tools and a sustainable, scalable structure.” CIBI’s first pillar centers on the Spanish speaking community, pairing language access with cultural competence. “It isn’t only about vocabulary,” says CIBI board member Angie Wilson. “Culture

member, has opened doors with groups like the Latin American Association of Insurance Agencies and the National African American Insurance Association, while chapters are raising their hands to pilot resources with Creole-speaking and Asian American communities. “We’re building a strong foundation first,” Keating says. “Then, we’ll adapt the blueprint for additional cultures.” CIBI’s leaders envision a national committee with chapter “tentacles” in every state, feeding data, stories and solutions back into NABIP’s advocacy. “Eventually this is about policy, too,” says Ulloa. “If we want a system that works for everyone, culturally inclusive design has to show up in legislation.” Adds Keating, “Our commitment to inclusion is both practical and measurable. Every person deserves access to clear guidance and affordable care and CIBI is how we make that a reality in every community we serve.”

drives trust. You can misplace a verb and still connect when you understand the community you’re serving.” That philosophy anchors CIBI’s first signature resource, the Spanish Language Benefits Education certification for benefits professionals, developed with Futuro Sólido. [See ‘When benefits speak the same language,’ p.6, for more.] The CIBI is also building a shared toolkit of checklists for client meetings, sample social posts and email scripts, conversation guides and a plug-and-play presentation deck. “Members have looked for quality resources and found very little,” says Rosamaria Marrujo, CIBI board member. “We’re packaging what works.” Momentum is spreading through potential partnerships. Ulloa, also a CIBI board

Members who work closely with specific cultural communities are encouraged to connect through NABIP’s feedback app using the CIBI tag to share ideas, needs and partnerships.

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10 bip magazine Winter 2025