Kids are at the heart of what we do. We believe that every child has the right to grow up in a world that honors their whole selves and offers every opportunity for health and wellbeing. Equity is fundamental to the community we want to build together. ReadyKids’ strives to become a more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization where every person, especially individuals marginalized by race and other identity characteristics, belongs. As a 100-year-old organization, our history is interwoven with historic and systemic racism in our community. Our past continues to shape our organization and the individual experiences of the people we serve. As a result, we must actively stand in opposition to systems, practices, policies, and behaviors within ReadyKids and our community that perpetuate discrimination, racism, anti-Semitism, and white supremacy in all their forms. It is only when we break down these systems that we can ensure the best outcomes for all our community’s kids, families, and early childhood educators. This is our vision for that work.
To meet our mission of getting kids ready for the future, ReadyKids invests in and commits to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion work because:
- We must understand and acknowledge that structural oppression and racism was intentionally designed to achieve unequal outcomes and maintain inequity. These practices cause harm that will continue unless they are intentionally changed.
- Systemic racism causes a lack of opportunity that lasts for generations, pushes children and families further toward the margins, and creates barriers to success.
- As part of this community, it is our responsibility, individually and collectively, to consistently speak up and stand up when we see injustice and racism of any kind.
In order to redesign systems using an equity-centered approach, ReadyKids aspires to:
- Foster an equitable environment for all staff and board that celebrates difference and values each member’s unique contributions to meeting our mission, while preparing them to effectively meet the needs of a diverse group of participants and partners.
- Partner with our participants with humility and cultural responsiveness so they are actively included in shaping our programs and activities, particularly those activities in which they are taking part.
- Seek, invite, and elevate voices and experiences of individuals and communities marginalized by race and other identity characteristics.
We understand that equity work is ongoing, and we will not stop here. ReadyKids is invested in listening, learning, evolving, and taking actionable steps to ensure a more equitable, just, and inclusive community where every child is afforded the same opportunities, now and in the future.
