Emerging scholars from groups that have been historically excluded from and are currently othered in research careers are vital to developing innovative approaches to studying and remedying the world’s most challenging equity and social justice issues. In predominantly white institutions, scholars from othered groups may feel tokenized and pressured to conform to the status quo if employers do not commit to support them in thriving. The Emerging Equity Scholars (EES) program is a belonging intervention created for people from othered groups embarking upon professional research careers that was piloted from 2022 to 2023 at RTI International. This paper explains EES’s conception of holistic mentorship, which builds belonging by focusing on well-being, equity-centered research, community building, honoring diverse perspectives and lived expertise, and sharing power and resources. We describe how EES centers well-being by cultivating practices among program participants that support mindfulness, healing, and joy, and discuss EES’s research mentorship strategies that recognize emerging scholars’ knowledge, honor their experiences, and support their exploration of novel research approaches. We conclude with reflections from pilot participants about how EES cultivates a sense of belonging within the program, the broader work environment, and the field of research, and how the EES program will be adapted for future cohorts.
