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Striving Toward Racial Justice
Issue #9- Embracing the Journey and Continuing the Work
| TPCH released Striving Toward Racial Justice: A Call-to-Action for Pima County Community-Based Organizations, in partnership with the University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women in November 2021. As we begin 2022, we are calling on community organizations and our housing partners to deepen our shared resolve to advancing racial equity. This email series provides a summary of key concepts and strategies discussed in the Call to Action and i packed with useful resources and tools to help community organizations as they strive toward racial justice. In this issue, we introduce the final key actions defined in the Call to Action: Embracing the Journey and Continuing the Work. The work of advancing racial justice is ongoing and we are called on to commit long-term if the the seeds of equity we are planting within our organizations and communities are to take hold. Action 7: Embrace the Journey and Continue the Work Racial justice work is not easy or comfortable. Authentic work includes having difficult conversations, facing intense emotions and, potentially, losing colleagues. People have held their own personal belief systems long before they were asked to do this work in an organization. At times, it can feel as though the work is stalled and there is nowhere to go. However, that is part of the work and often a step along the path. Unfortunately, there is no endpoint to racial justice efforts. It is not as simple as creating a plan and completing the plan. Racial justice requires a long-term commitment and people committed to keeping a racial justice lens on all aspects of the organization. Fortunately, committing to racial justice makes the work more natural and easier to implement. Ultimately, the hope for more just organizations far outweighs the inevitable challenges. |
Watch “Sustainable Change Toward Racial Equity: Behind the Book with Robert Livingston”, author of The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations.
Recommended Strategies
Maintain the group that is created to focus on racial justice.
Though members may rotate out of the group, the work is perpetual, not a one-time initiative.
Provide ongoing opportunities for stakeholders to share information, perspectives, suggestions, and reports of racial bias.
Share organizational expectations of racial justice during the interview process of new hires.
Ensure that racial justice training and internal work is part of the onboarding process.
Create innovative strategies (book clubs, activism, cultural activities) for people to continue to engage in racial justice work in an informal way.
Review data and consider other elements to analyze.
Celebrate organizational and individual accomplishments
Resources for the Journey
Accountability Statement: What Does Accountability Look Like for Me and White People in General?
Robin DiAngelo
Bolstering Real-Time Learning and Course Correction
Dan Wilson and Marilyn Darling, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Signet Research & Consulting, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
Five Steps Toward Anti-Racism Accountability
Mavis Joy Manaloto et al, StageSource
How Can We Create Reasonable Expectations for the Success of the Group’s Strategies while Still Being Accountable?
Center for Assessment and Policy Development
How Can We Make Evaluation and Data Tracking Routine?
Center for Assessment and Policy Development
How Can We Use Evaluation Findings to Reflect on and Adjust Our Work?
Center for Assessment and Policy Development
How YWCA Boston is Using Data for Racial Equity
Kemarah Sika and Dr. Sarah Faude, Borealis Philanthropy
Authors
It is with the upmost admiration, respect and appreciation that we thank the authors for their critical contribution to this call-to action. In addition to their daily tireless commitment and relentless dedication to achieving racial justice in our community, they lent their expertise and passion to the hopeful notion that local organizations are willing to better serve their clients and better support their staff. Each of you makes our community a more just place.
Claudia Powell
Casey Chimneystar Limón-Condit
Marisol Flores-Aguirre
Anna Harper-Guerrero
Mildred Manuel
Andrés Portela III
Claudio Rodriguez