Our Equity Pledge With the cultural and national crisis that came from the unjust death of George Floyd and many others before and after him and now with the rise of hate crimes against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, we feel it is important to take a stand against racism and the appalling injustice that people of color and minority communities face every day. As an organization with a long history of serving a diverse population, we want to foster an inclusive environment for our staff, the people we serve, and the organizations we partner with.
With this in mind, we make this pledge to our community and staff:
TEL HI NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER'S
EQUITY PLEDGE
- TEL HI Neighborhood Center wholeheartedly condemns racism in any form, and pledges to speak out against any racism we see in our community, among the schools where we work, or in companies with whom we partner.
- TEL HI Neighborhood Center condemns all other forms of discrimination, including but not limited to discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, and will not tolerate actions that are unfair, unjust or inequitable against its staff, board, service partners or community.
- TEL HI Neighborhood Center condemns any form of institutional violence against its stakeholders and will commit to opposing these actions unceasingly.
- TEL HI Neighborhood Center will require all staff to participate in professionally delivered training courses to recognize implicit bias and promote anti-racist practices to ensure we are creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of our community.
- TEL HI Neighborhood Center will provide resources and education to address the questions and concerns of our participants and neighbors, particularly our youth, using culturally responsive teaching and learning approaches and materials in our program.
TEL HI Neighborhood Center will not be complicit with racism and we will work every day to make our community a safe, equitable, and loving place for all.
Creating a Shared Vision
1
Our Equity Pledge was developed at the height of a social and political movement taking place in our country against the deeply embedded systematic racism that people of color face every day.
2
The shooting of Jacob Blake and the unjust deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other African Americans and people of color generated a wave of frustration, concern, and anger among our staff and Board of Directors.
3
Our program directors met with staff to discuss their mental health and concerns in relation to these deaths and the nationwide protests.
4
It was collectively decided that TEL HI needed to respond with not only a statement but also a long-term pledge so that it was clear to the current and future TEL HI community where TEL HI stood in the fight against systemic racism.
5
Directors, staff, and board members worked collaboratively to write and rewrite a statement and equity pledge. Every member of our staff and board had a hand in the process.
6
After the Board of Directors and staff gave final feedback and approval, TEL HI’s statement on racism and our Equity Pledge became official.
7
We will continue to refer to our equity pledge as a reminder of the staffs' and boards' desires and intent for the organization.
