Development and Implementation of a Diversity Team

Challenge

We recognized that our organization lacked a formal commitment to the integration of DEI internally with staff and leadership, and externally with our outward facing programs.

Actions

In 2017, we convened a cross-functional Diversity Leadership Team to build and support the organization in  seeking and embracing diversity and equity and fostering an environment of inclusion. Within our first 18 months, the  DLT developed a team charter to guide our actions and ensure our work was advancing both internal and external  activities. We wrote a formal Statement of Commitment to DEI for the organization to adopt in order to provide  accountability at all organizational levels, including staff and Board of Directors, and to support our external efforts in addition to our hiring practices. We also hired third parties to conduct employee surveys on DEI-related topics to collect data and metrics to further guide our work and inform opportunities for professional development.

Outcomes

Our DLT has continued to thrive and advance our organization's DEI efforts. In summer 2019, after executive leadership and our Board of Directors reviewed and approved the Statement of Commitment to DEI, we formalized the work by posting it on our website. Doing so ensures extra accountability in maintaining our commitment. Additionally, we conducted outreach to identify community members for a professional development panel for all staff around how we can intentionally improve our work for underserved communities. We've also strengthened our organization's strategic plan to be more supportive of DEI by explicitly integrating underserved school communities and culturally appropriate language across our organizational goals and strategies. Lastly, we developed 14 new community-based roles filled by parents to improve our work on engaging and mobilizing other parents within underserved communities. The parents selected for these roles are 92% female, 17% Spanish speakers, 50% people of color, and 25% from rural communities.

In 2020, we developed a specific and intentional anti-racist, intersectional framework to operate within for the 2020-2021 calendar years, address 4 key objectives and generated/aggregate meaningful data to measure progress around DEI objectives and initiatives. To build capacity of staff and board members and create a shared understanding of our individual and collective role within advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, we began hosting quarterly Day of Understanding workshops to tackle unconscious bias and build a foundation for meaningful action both at AFHK and in our communities. Our DLT also scheduled a recurring weekly space to facilitate conversation and reflection around DEI related issues and began recruitment of a Director of Community Engagement position to be onboarded by end of Q1 2021.

Contact

Latrie Marshall

Quote

The work of our Diversity Leadership Team is integral to the growth of our organization and the accomplishment of our mission. It's challenging work, but at the end of the day, our entire organization is growing stronger with each action we take. I'm thrilled to bring another nonprofit sector voice to these important efforts through this public pledge.

Robert Bisceglie
CEO, Action for Healthy Kids
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