- being actively anti-racist to break down systems of oppression and rejecting forms of discrimination and bigotry towards BIPOC communities, both in process and outcomes;
- acknowledging the histories of the communities we work with, such as ancestral land, immigration, redlining, and environmental racism;
- focusing on projects that reduce disparities in public health, such as providing access to shade and cool environments for residents impacted by extreme heat;
- ensuring transit and green infrastructure investments are benefiting low-income and historically marginalized populations and addressing the housing crisis by advocating for inclusionary and anti-displacement policies;
- partnering with community-based organizations to build trust, share opportunities, and distribute resources;
- conducting outreach and communications in accessible languages and approachable formats;
- supporting BIPOC voices in decision-making processes, especially around safety, resilience, and neighborhood designs;
- prioritizing contracts with BIPOC-led businesses for supplies and event production;
- educating grantors and clients to commit to equity principles;
- influencing researchers to have BIPOC perspectives inform their foci and make their research actionable for community advocacy;
- maintaining a majority of BIPOC leaders on our Board of Directors;
- hiring staff who are reflective of the communities we work with, have a range of lived experiences, and are committed to promoting equity; and
- conducting racial equity training and providing educational resources to staff.
We understand that this is not an exhaustive list of equity commitments, and pledge to continue to learn from our staff and community partners to move towards climate justice.