Responses to 2020 Racial Tensions.

We established a new agency advisory group, the Racial Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee, to identify and recommend steps, policies and strategies as it relates to racial equity to strengthen our commitment and impact in our efforts to prevent all forms of child maltreatment. We convened an agency-wide “conversation”, hosted by an external consultant in the racial equity field, to create a common understanding about our starting point and how we can work together to create a stronger and more effective organization. The REDI Committee is developing a survey of all staff to help us better understand how our existing histories, attitudes and behaviors can shape strategies to move ahead. And we are listening to and sharing ideas across many other community and national partnering organizations to identify “actionable steps, consistent with our mission, of building a brighter future for all children."

While our agency’s mission and goals include a foundational commitment to diversity and inclusion, following the death of George Floyd, we recognize there is more we can do to strengthen our understanding about racial equity and social justice, and we are just getting started in this renewed effort. Our Board and leadership share the commitment to this critically important cause and we have already identify a number of promising actions we will be taking in the coming months. Creating safe spaces for difficult conversations, listening and addressing the issues of unconscious bias we all have are early starting points… and thus a wonderful opportunity to join such a valuable advocacy and sharing effort of the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion.