“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history…If we do not act [,] we shall surely be dragged down…”

  -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., April 4, 1967

Equity in the Center recognizes the second annual National Day of Racial Healing (#NDORH) on January 16, 2018. Organized by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as part of its Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation effort, #NDORH calls on people, organizations, and communities throughout the U.S. to engage  in racial healing, celebrate common humanity, and take action to create a more just and equitable world.

The urgency and timeliness of #NDORH is amplified by an American president whose hateful, vulgar rhetoric embodies the historic and contemporary effects of structural racism. Today, and every day, Equity in the Center encourages social sector leaders to generate action that will bring our communities and our country together to generate focused, positive action in defiance of today’s political climate, and in fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream:

• Find ways to reinforce and honor our common humanity and create space to celebrate the distinct differences that make our communities vibrant.
• Acknowledge that there are still deep racial divisions in America that must be overcome and healed.
• Commit to engaging people from all racial, ethnic, religious and identity groups in genuine efforts to increase understanding, communication, caring, and respect for one another.

By taking one of these recommended actions in recognition of #NDORH, or as an Equity in the Center stakeholder supporting leaders and organizations in creating a race equity culture, our individual and collective work will not only create the space to name and begin to heal the deep racial divisions that still characterize American life, but will also generate the “type of constructive, nonviolent tension” Dr. King believed was necessary to the growth of American society and culture. In his ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail’, King wrote of both literal and figurative tension; literal in the form of nonviolent collective action, and figurative in terms of a tension within the mindset, values, and culture of individuals and communities:

“…the kind of tension in society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood.”

To generate this constructive tension, and inspire the healing opportunities that #NDORH promotes, Equity in the Center issued a Call to Action, challenging social sector colleagues to dismantle white supremacy and institutional racism, and to adopt specific tactics on the four levels at which racism operates: personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural. Our aim is to compel nonprofit and philanthropic organizations to build a Race Equity Culture that values the humanity and lived experience of all persons equally, and proactively counteracts social inequities internally and externally.

Our Race Equity Cycle provides a framework for building a Race Equity Culture within organizations. In the next few months, we will release additional research that outlines specific management and operational levers that leaders and organizations can employ in this effort. Click here to become part of Equity in the Center’s network and to be notified about our new research,resources, and future convenings.

The post Towards Racial Healing: Equity in the Center’s reflection on #NDORH appeared first on Equity in the Center.

In the Podcast, Woke Is an Action Word, Kay discusses why diversity, equity, and inclusion are key priorities for social sector leaders and organizations, and how Equity in the Center’s collaborative approach is poised to make a difference.

You can listen here, starting at 17:25: Podcast: Woke Is an Action Word

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Originally posted on www.commonfuture2017.org

HOW TO GET FROM TRANSACTIONAL TO ACCOUNTABLE ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
By Kristina Gawrgy Campbell

On Friday, October 27, Our Common Future attendees will have a chance to participate in a session titled, “Creating a Culture Focused on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity.” We asked one of the speakers, Kerrien Suarez, director of Equity in the Center, a program of ProInspire, to answer some questions about the initiative, the session, and why this is a topic that deserves more attention from sector leaders.

KGC: Tell us a little about ProInspire’s work in this space.

KS: ProInspire’s bold goal is that social sector organizations have high performing leaders at all levels in order to fulfill their missions. We believe that developing leaders, creating career pathways, and prioritizing talent, equity, and inclusion will catalyze social sector performance. Equity in the Center is a project of ProInspire, and a key initiative of our strategy to influence the sector to prioritize talent, equity, and inclusion.

Equity in the Center dialogue session hosted by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Washington, DC in June

KGC: Equity in the Center’s mission is all about putting race and equity in the center of the conversation as we chart our sector’s future. What’s the project doing to help fulfill that mission for the sector and how will this session help?

KS: Equity in the Center is embracing a truly collaborative approach in supporting social sector leaders in moving from talk to action in their work to achieve inclusion and equity within organizations. We have identified levers for culture change that can be pushed to generate progress. Through research interviews and working sessions with nearly 100 practitioners, thought leaders and executives, we have identified levers for culture change that meet organizations where they are in this work.

We will be publishing a framework on the Equity Cycle that outlines key steps for organizations to execute as they evolve toward a culture of equity–shifting culture:

• From transactional (building a staff and board comprised of people from different racial backgrounds and perspectives)
• To transformational (creating a workplace culture where different backgrounds and perspectives are valued and used in advancing organizational missions)
• To accountable (holding themselves responsible for ensuring that policies and practices ensure racially equitable opportunities internally and externally).

We will publish The Equity Cycle this fall as a tool for those leading internal initiatives on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Just before Our Common Future this October, we will convene our advisors and funders to discuss how Equity in the Center will partner with stakeholders between 2018 and 2020 to align programs and initiatives that generate sector-level progress on equity.

The Our Common Future session will provide a foundation of knowledge for those who are somewhat new to the issue, as well as examples and resources for those who have been focused on and are knowledgeable about the topics of culture change and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Click here to read the remainder of the post.

The post Equity in the Center in the News: Kerrien Suarez featured in Independent Sector’s podcast and blog appeared first on Equity in the Center.