IDEA COMMITMENT

Detroit Institute for Children Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Hate Policy and Commitment

Detroit Institute for Children is committed to an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and anti-hate organization where clients, their families, employees, trustees, and all those with whom we interact, feel respected and valued regardless of race, age, physical and mental abilities, physical attributes, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender expression, education, religious affiliation, socioeconomic status, geographical location, marital or parental status, or veteran and military status.

As an organization, we are all committed to non-discrimination and providing equal opportunities in all aspects of our work. However, we strongly believe that non-discrimination is just the beginning of an equitable and inclusive organization. We will embrace and celebrate all aspects of diversity present in each individual because only then can we deliver the highest quality of service to our clients and their families.

The Detroit Institute for Children commits to the following actions to promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate, in our work:

1. We realize that diversity is a reality, created by individuals and groups from a broad spectrum of demographic and philosophical differences. We believe it is extremely important to support and protect diversity by valuing individuals and groups, free from prejudice, and fostering a climate of equity and mutual respect.
2. We will create new learning opportunities and formal transparent policies as we strive for inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate throughout our organization.
3. We will identify resources for our underrepresented constituents by networking with other organizations that are also committed to efforts for inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate.
4. We will develop internal resources that measure our progress in moving to more inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate.
5. We will develop systems to create awareness and address biases during our recruiting, hiring, and evaluating processes.
6. We will advocate for policies in the public sector that promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate and we will challenge systems and policies that describe inequity, disparity, and oppression.

The Board of Trustees will support achieving the DIC’s inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate goals with the following actions:

• We will see inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate as intrinsic to our vision and mission for the benefit of those we serve.
• We will actively look for and address inequities in our policies, programs, and services.
• We will measure and document progress on our inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate practices.
• We will actively challenge underlying assumptions that interfere with our inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate goals.
• We will address systemic inequities that impact our work at the board level and address them transparently and in accordance with our mission.
• We will be open about our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-hate in all our interactions.
• We will dedicate our time and resources to achieving greater diversity within our board and leadership positions.

March 24, 2022