Racial Equity Reflection Questions

Transcription

1 Overview: The following questions are presented to help a group within an organization reflect on the progress of the organization s racial equity efforts and consider what support may be needed in the next 1-2 years. While these questions are not required to complete, we encourage you to use them. We have found that preliminary internal reflective discussions help organizational teams make better decisions about what services they need because the discussions yield greater understanding and allow for unknown needs to emerge. We believe that the discussions will lead to a stronger match to the services and build excitement about participating in Racial Equity Learning Program. For those who choose to respond to the Reflection Questions, we will request that you upload your responses in your organization s application to the Program. (See below for how the information will be used) Instructions: Please use the questions below to guide a conversation among your leadership team and/or a designated team to understand your current racial equity efforts in your organization and identify places where you could need additional support in the future. There are two sections of questions the first are for you and your teams to consider the organization overall. The second section are questions for each individual who is participating in the organizational discussion to answer. The individual responses will help your organization understand where there are different perspectives in the organization as you consider potential learning options. For questions where there is disagreement within the group, please note that in the comments. Please do not name individuals in the comments, but briefly outline the viewpoints expressed. Please consider uploading your responses to the Program application (which will be sent to you by May 11 th ) How Responses to Reflection Questions Will be Used If you choose to upload your responses to application, Community Wealth Partners (CWP) will use the information to inform the matching process and help ensure you receive the service you are most interested in and that aligns most with your organization s needs and goals. As the program manager and learning partner for the Racial Equity Learning Program, CWP will also review submitted responses across grantees to understand more about how grantees applying for the Program are thinking about their racial equity work at the start of the program. Service providers who are being considered for the Program will have an opportunity to see responses from the organizations that they are likely to be working with to guide their understanding of potential partners progress, needs and interests around advancing racial equity and customize services to meet organizations where they are. Your organization s responses to these questions will NOT be shared with The Kresge Foundation. The Foundation will only see aggregated results and themes across grantee responses.

2 Reflection Questions Organizational Reflection: 1. How do you define racial equity in your organization? We do not currently have a definition for racial equity. 2. What portion of your staff is aligned on the definition of racial equity? (select one) 3. What portion of your senior leadership is aligned on the definition of racial equity? (select one) 4. What portion of your board is aligned on the definition of racial equity? (select one)

3 5. What are your organization s strategies for achieving equitable climate resilience outcomes? 6. What are your organizations racial equity specific strategies for achieving equitable climate resilience? We do not currently have racial equity specific strategies for achieving equitable climate resilience outcomes. a. If you do not currently have racial equity specific strategies, what has motivated you to learn about and/or integrate equity into your work now? 7. What portion of your staff is aligned on equity specific strategies? (select one) 8. What portion of your senior leadership is aligned on racial equity specific strategies? (select one)

4 9. What portion of your board is aligned on racial equity specific strategies? (select one) 10. In what ways do your organization s internal practices integrate racial equity? 11. Which of the following best aligns with the racial equity work your organization has focused on in the past year? (you may choose more than one option) a. Absorbing Context: Gaining knowledge and becoming aware of systemic and structural racism, diversity, equity, and how history and root causes impact communities b. Making Cognitive Connections: Building confidence and applying skills to integrate and model racial equity internally in day-to-day work and make intentional choices around race c. Taking Collective Action: Leading organizational change while continuing to learn and become more racially equitable. This may involve defining organizational role around equity, changing processes and practices, and developing more inclusive decision-making processes d. Strengthening External Strategies and Partnerships: Executing on an intentional, racially equitable approach to engaging & developing partners & constituents

5 (particularly those on the frontline of climate change) that builds on strong internal systems, practices & credibility around racial equity e. Other (please describe): We are not currently focused on racial equity work. 12. What racial equity goals do you have for the next 1-2 years? 13. Which of the following best aligns with the racial equity goals your organization will focus on in the next 1-2 years? (you may choose more than one option) a. Absorbing Context: Gaining knowledge and becoming aware of systemic and structural racism, diversity, equity, and how history and root causes impact communities b. Making Cognitive Connections: Building confidence and applying skills to integrate and model racial equity internally in day-to-day work and make intentional choices around race c. Taking Collective Action: Leading organizational change while continuing to learn and become more racially equitable. This may involve defining organizational role around equity, changing processes and practices, and developing more inclusive decision-making processes d. Strengthening External Strategies and Partnerships: Executing on an intentional, racially equitable approach to engaging & developing partners & constituents (particularly those on the frontline of climate change) that builds on strong internal systems, practices & credibility around racial equity e. Other (please describe): We are not currently focused on racial equity work. 14. What support does your organization need to achieve your racial equity goals?

6 15. Who is critical to include in the racial equity learning work? Why are they critical? 16. In a couple of sentences, please share what your organization wants to achieve through participation in the Racial Equity Learning Program to support your organization in advancing racial equity. Individual Reflection: 1. If you were to participate in the Racial Equity Learning Program, what would you personally want to get from this Program? 2. What is one question about advancing racial equity that you would want answered?