United Way of White County Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement
We value, champion, and embrace diversity in all United Way activities; recognize the distinct differences of individuals and organizations and capitalize on the strengths of each; and support equal employment opportunity programs throughout United Way of White County, Inc.
The pursuit of equity is critical to our work, from our engagement with donors to our investment of community resources and our interactions with the public. Equity is not just the absence of discrimination, but it is also about the presence of values and systems that ensure fairness and justice. We commit to equity as a core value if we are to create a thriving community for everyone.
We recognize structural racism, ethnic discrimination and other forms of prejudice have contributed to disparities that have existed in the past and persist in the present. We acknowledge that those inequities are the result of policies and practices that work to marginalize entire populations of people. We unequivocally denounce racism, ethnic discrimination and prejudice because they undermine the well-being and vitality of our communities. Our mission compels us to prioritize historically marginalized and systematically excluded people. It is necessary to focus on race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, as well as other intersectional identities, to end the historical , social and systemic inequities that persist in our communities.
We acknowledge that we can only be successful if we recognize, raise up and support leaders from underrepresented neighborhoods. United Way of White County, Inc. is committed to engaging these leaders as partners, donors and volunteers. Further, we commit to intentionally create pathways for them to be included in decision making and leadership roles within our own and other organizations. We can only guarantee equity when all individuals reach their fullest human potential. We maintain that building and sustaining equity in our communities requires an ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion that is fully expressed in our organizational culture, values, norms and behaviors and those of our partners.
