Streator Area United Way Anti-Racism/Ethnic Discrimination Statement
We recognize structural racism, ethnic discrimination and other forms of oppression have contributed to racial disparities that have existed in the past and persist in the present. We acknowledge those inequities are the result of policies and practices that work to marginalize entire populations of people. We unequivocally denounce racism/ethnic discrimination because it undermines the well-being and vitality of our communities. Our United Way seeks to dismantle disparities and strives to engage residents and community members, especially those whose voices have traditionally been marginalized, in the shared work of fortifying equity and empowerment. We work with public and private partners to co-create solutions that ensure everyone has the resources, support, opportunities and networks they need to thrive. We commit to leveraging all of our assets (e.g., convening, strategic investments, awareness building, advocacy) to create more equitable communities.
Equity is the foundation of our work, from our engagement with donors to our investment of community resources to our interactions with the public. We define equity as the presence of justice and fairness within the procedures, processes and distribution of resources by institutions or systems. We commit to equity as a core value and practice to advance our mission of connecting people, resources and organizations to create a thriving community for everyone. 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 county. We acknowledge that we can only be successful if we recognize, raise up and support leaders from underrepresented neighborhoods. United Way is committed to engaging these leaders as partners, donors and volunteers. Further, we commit to intentionally creating pathways for them to be included in decision-making and leadership roles within our own and other organizations. We can only eliminate inequity when all individuals reach their fullest human potential. We maintain that building and sustaining equity in our county 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.
