Welcome to Our 2020 Annual Report
We do this work in partnership rooted in equity, and we must be clear what we mean when we say “equity” and how it differs from “equality.” Equality is defined as “the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.” More pointedly, treat everyone the same. Everyone has access to the same resources, the same opportunities, the same capital, healthcare, and treatment by law enforcement. Your upbringing doesn’t matter, your zip code doesn’t matter, the color of your skin doesn’t matter. All people are created equal.
We know this is not the case. This country was built on the foundation of racial inequality and the legacies of slavery continue to permeate every major sector of our society. Equality doesn’t catalyze change. We must, instead, act equitably. Equity is defined as “the quality of being fair and impartial.” This means doing more for historically-marginalized communities that we know are paid less for the same labor, have higher mortality rates, and are arrested, jailed, and die in police custody at alarmingly higher rates. It means creating partnerships, programs, and initiatives aimed at breaking down the systems, structures, and practices that have made it notably harder for communities of color to thrive.
We don’t have all the answers, and we know that these complex issues won’t be “solved” in short order. But to make demonstrable progress on gaps in equity and access that have been compounded generation after generation, and highlighted by COVID, we have to be more inclusive in how we speak about them, and actionably address their root causes.