Board STATEMENT ON INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESS
The Ventura County Family Justice Center Foundation (“Foundation”) is committed to upholding the central tenets of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) in its mission to support the imperative work of the Ventura County Family Justice Center (“Center”). The Foundation unequivocally rejects all forms of discrimination based on race, sex, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, gender identity, immigration status, income level, disability, native language, education level, or other arbitrary attributes. We acknowledge that systemic oppression occurs and commit ourselves to root out injustice in the provision of support of the Center and its services.
Furthermore, we are cognizant of the systemic barriers to personal fulfillment that impede various members of our community, and we strive to dismantle structures of prejudice and inequality in the execution of our duties. We denounce the unjust treatment of any individual, and we consistently seek to hold ourselves to the highest possible ideals of antidiscrimination, fairness, and equity.
Furthermore, we are cognizant of the systemic barriers to personal fulfillment that impede various members of our community, and we strive to dismantle structures of prejudice and inequality in the execution of our duties. We denounce the unjust treatment of any individual, and we consistently seek to hold ourselves to the highest possible ideals of antidiscrimination, fairness, and equity.
Our Pledge to Support the Central Tenets of IDEA:
- Inclusion is the cornerstone of a healthy, functioning democratic society. The Foundation joins the Center in promoting inclusion within all aspects of our services. We will strive to give those individuals a seat at the table who have far too often been relegated to the margins.
- Diversity makes us stronger. We embrace and celebrate our differences and understand that our respective perspectives, cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs enhance our community and improve our services.
- We acknowledge that we live in an inequitable society. Thus, the mission of the Foundation is firmly rooted within the larger struggle toward equity for historically oppressed and disenfranchised groups.
- Every individual is entitled to equal access to high-quality, compassionate, and holistic services at the Ventura County Family Justice Center, and the Foundation aims to upholds these beliefs through its support of the Center.
Our Beliefs:
- The process of rejecting racism, sexism, xenophobia, and all other forms of discrimination is a constant unlearning process. We believe that it is imperative to assess how our implicit biases influence the execution of our duties. Therefore, the Board will participate in implicit bias training, have “uncomfortable” discussions around race and implicit bias, read materials to understand “white privilege” (i.e., White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo, Dear White America by Tim Wise, etc.) and support and foster activities that accomplish implicit bias awareness.
- We pledge open-mindedness, and we commit to foster honest conversations about structural inequities. If we commit harm to a specific community, we will seek to engage in meaningful dialogue with that community about how we can learn from our mistakes and improve our services.
- In the spirit of upholding the central tenets of IDEA, the Foundation champions transparency in communication, accountability to this Statement, and ongoing discussion about how to foster, promote, and advocate for progress and justice through our work.