United Way of Dane County: Racial Equity

Achieving our mission means being an equity leader and striving for outcomes that reflect a more inclusive community.

United Way of Dane County IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access) Statement reflects our commitment to support transformative social change and to address structural inequities and oppression.

Our commitment to IDEA means that all staff are treated with fairness, dignity and respect regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, ability or religion.

Our processes for management, promotions, feedback and grievances are transparent, and when we fall short, we welcome and incorporate critical feedback from staff and volunteers that helps us align more closely to that promise.

IDEA is reflected in our commitment to engaging and involving diverse communities, especially those racially and ethnically diverse, in decision-making, leadership and action to achieve equitable outcomes in Education, Income and Health.

Alongside racism we oppose sexism, hetero-sexism, trans-phobia, able-ism, classism, ageism, and religious discrimination across our collective work.

We embrace the responsibility, and lead by example, for creating a more just and equitable organization, community, state and nation.

For over 30 years, United Way has taken an intentional approach to naming racial disparity in our community and working to measurably reduce inequity. Starting with Schools of Hope (literacy), advancing through the Agenda for Change (education, income and health) and now taking that nationally recognized work forward to coordinate 2Gen (caregivers and children together), we frame community issues, mobilize community support and invest in effective community programs to increase progress on complex issues in Dane County.

There is still so much to be done. We continue to work towards addressing the historic and present forces that suppress racial injustice.

We understand the need for every organization to become an equity leader and an inclusive workforce, we suggest the following steps on the road to equity:

•  Have a dual focus on operationalizing equity internally and in our community work

•  Include and prioritize the voices of those most affected

•  Ensure that decision making is transparent and involves staff and communities who are most affected

•  Be informed by history and data

•  Be creative and non-linear

•  Provide continuous training to refine knowledge, commitment, skills, practice and reflection

•  Acknowledge that successful outcomes will manifest in different forms, including better internal policies,
   stronger community results and improved relationships and processes

•  Involve CEOs, board leadership and members, and staff

•  Be about action as well as talk

Below you will find Equity Resources we hope will guide your progress to become an informed partner for the betterment of our community.

Together, we are The Power of Many. Working for All.over

United Way and Equity

Join your fellow Dane County Residents in the 21 Week Equity Challenge

Equity Resources

Resources for white parents to raise anti-racist children:

Articles to read:

Videos to watch:

Podcasts to subscribe to:

Books to read:

Films and TV series to watch:

•  13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
•  American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix
•  Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975Available to rent
•  Blindspotting (Carlos López Estrada) — Hulu with Cinemax or available to rent
•  Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) — Available to rent
•  Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix
•  Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent
•  I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc) — Available to rent or on Kanopy
•  If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu
•  Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent for free in June in the U.S.
•  King In The WildernessHBO
•  See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) — Netflix
•  Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent
•  The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the RevolutionAvailable to rent
•  The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax
•  When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

More anti-racism resources to check out:

This document was compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein in May 2020. The original document can be accessed here.