Structural racism – and the persistent inequalities that follow – cannot be undone without significant commitment. More than a decade ago, in an effort to confront all forms of racism – particularly structural and institutional – CSSP committed to being an anti-racist organization. This commitment goes beyond the policy and practice work we do – and includes CSSP’s infrastructure and the policies and guidance we use to direct our work.
All of our equity work is done in close partnership with the organizations and agencies we work with – our public policy partners, our accountants, the sites we work with and our funders. One such organization is the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Their publication Operationalizing Equity: Putting the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Racial and Ethnic Equity and Inclusion Framework into Action, focuses on their own journey to promote race equity and inclusion, highlighting their experiences and sharing lessons learned for other foundations. Their experience is similar to CSSP’s and many others in the field – and we share their strong commitment to both internal and external efforts to advance equity and achieve their goals. As they highlight in this publication, the work is ongoing, always in progress and a journey that is not ever fully completed. Nonet Sykes, the Director of Racial and Ethnic Equity and Inclusion, emphasized this in her assertion that “Casey’s journey has been more like running a gauntlet than traveling a clear road.”
As CSSP continues our journey toward advancing equity, inclusion and justice – we will continue to learn from and grow with others who share this commitment. We will continue to advance equity and work to reduce discrimination and disparity based on sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, ability and immigration status – and toward promoting optimal outcomes through policy and practice for every child and family.
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Megan Martin is a vice president at CSSP.