Race Equity Statement

Racial Equity is a state in which race no longer predicts outcomes.

In Support of this Definition

  • We envision a vibrant organization and community where people of all races enjoy resources and relationships equitably.
  • We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.
  • We research and develop pathways to increase participation and amplify the voices of participants.
  • We actively challenge policies that perpetuate the systems of oppression.
  • We speak out and challenge narratives that run counter to our human rights mission.
  • We acknowledge that varying experiences and participation within systems of power and privilege make discussions challenging but valuable.
  • We believe every person brings a unique perspective and experience to enhance our mission.

Equity Accountability Process

  • We acknowledge our professional responsibility to remember that along with privilege comes the expectation to be decent, fair, respectful, and civil.
  • We mine institutional history for past efforts and lessons learned.
  • We audit our organizational policies and activities to align with best practices for promoting race equity.
  • We create regular opportunities for reporting on our progress, mistakes, and plans by prioritizing budget and staffing to support equity work.
  • We collaborate with other organizations committed to race equity and promote this lens at joint tables.
  • We utilize up to date research about race equity, and evaluate our progress toward becoming an equitable organization and community.
  • The Board holds the CEO/President and the leadership team accountable for making measurable progress.
  • We commit to this statement as a living and evolving guide for organizational and community practice.

“Words and their multiple uses reflect the tremendous diversity that characterizes our society. Indeed, universally agreed upon language on issues relating to racism is nonexistent. We discovered that even the most frequently used words in any discussion on race can easily cause confusion, which leads to controversy and hostility. It is essential to achieve some degree of shared understanding, particularly when using the most common terms. In this way, the quality of dialogue and discourse on race can be enhanced.”

Source: Project Change’s “The Power of Words” Originally produced for Project Change Lessons Learned II, also included in A Community Builder’s Toolkit – both produced by Project Change and The Center for Assessment and Policy Development with some modification Racial Equity Tools.org.