Equity Statement
Interwoven into the foundational values of Youth180 is equity which we carry with us into the community. Racial injustice is the most pervasive and entrenched form of injustice permeating the institutions and systems in our society. Focusing a critical eye on the systems of oppression in our world that deny fair and equal treatment to multiple races, religions, gender, ethnicities, cultures, conditions, and experiences is a necessity. By coming together and prioritizing our attention to racial equity, we are elevating the voices and stories of everyone.
Youth180 is committed to racial equity both internally through our work environment, and externally through our services and programs as well as in our hiring practices, policies, and procedures. We are committed to advocating and advancing policies which reflect democratic principles of equity and justice.
We believe bringing together board members, funders, staff, community partners and clients with differing backgrounds and life experiences will enhance our ability to increase opportunities for all community service organizations to succeed.
All Youth180 policies, programs, and activities will be administered to identify and avoid discrimination and barriers to access, and to avoid disproportionately high and adverse effects on communities of color.
Accountability to our grantees is of central importance to us. We understand the significance of evaluating the impact of our services in the community and accurately reporting this to our grantees, ensuring we all remain committed to just and equitable disbursement of resources.
We will obtain the following information from clients and use the data when relevant and appropriate to evaluate the impact of our equity goals: race/ethnicity, gender, age, zip code, education level, family income, and household size.
Building a race equity culture requires intention and effort. Youth180 hopes this Racial Equity Statement will inspire greater collaboration between government agencies, schools, non-profits, businesses, law enforcement, and the public to develop and maintain a strong commitment to advancing equity. Youth180 uses this Racial Equity Statement as a guide to fully integrate race equity into every aspect of our operations and programs while working toward dismantling of structural racism wherever we encounter it, ultimately serving as a light in our community that brightens the future for all people.