New 2010 Diversity & Inclusion Initiative Grantees

The following organizations have received Diversity & Inclusion Initiative grants totaling $162,000 for 2010. Grants are a mix of planning and implementation funds that will support internal work ranging from consultant facilitated conversations, development of diversity committees and organizational assessment tools to implementation of aspects of existing diversity action plans.

Ballet Theatre of Boston $15,000

For 24 years, the José Mateo Ballet Theatre has been singular in its success at developing and implementing a new model for a dance organization. The model focuses on the alignment of artistic excellence, innovation and creativity and social responsibility. It focuses also on ensuring financial sustainability to facilitate the civic engagement of the community at-large and participation by nontraditional artists, students and audience members.

José Mateo Ballet Theatre was founded on the premise that ballet has intrinsic benefits to all people and has sought to make ballet more inclusive. With DII support, the organization will assess its internal structure to identify barriers to staff diversity and inclusion practices.

Family Equality Council $15,000

Family Equality Council advocates ensuring equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families. It does this by building community, acknowledging the incredible amount of diversity within the LGBT family community and advancing social justice for all families. The organization envisions a future where all families, regardless of creation or composition, will be able to live in communities that recognize, respect, protect, and celebrate a diversity of family constellations.

The nonprofit also works to support communities that respect individuals for supporting one another and sustaining loving families. The organization will assess its internal structure to identify barriers and challenges to inclusion of its broad constituent base.

Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) $15,000

As a civil rights legal organization, GLAD seeks to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression.GLAD is working to address several diversity challenges. It is challenging racism by incorporating an anti-racist framework into its work.

With DII support, GLAD is also seeking to increase diversity in terms of gender identity and expression by recruiting staff and board members from the transgender community -- as well as incorporating sensitivity to gender identity issues into its practices and culture. The nonprofit is also seeking to increase diversity in terms of age. All senior leaders and board members are over 40, and the organization believes that recruiting younger board members would broaden perspectives in GLAD’s work.

Homes for Families (HFF) $15,000

Homes for Families is a statewide membership organization of homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Members are primarily women who are also heads of household, homeless services provider staff and advocates. The organization engages formerly and currently homeless people in leadership development in public policy advocacy campaigns at the state level. These campaigns aim to secure additional resources and changes in policies and regulations that would improve the quality of life and access to housing for the homeless.

Women of color are overrepresented in the family shelter and “shelter-poor” population. Yet, they are underrepresented in positions of management and as identified leaders in advocacy, program and policy work. HFF is challenged to maintain staff and provider committees that reflect the constituent population. With DII support, HFF will formalize an internal understanding, vision and commitment to inclusion and diversity, including identifying barriers, differences and strengths.

Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC) $15,000

Since 1993, Interaction Institute for Social Change has consulted nationally and internationally, practicing and teaching facilitative leadership. The nonprofit’s model is rooted in shared power and decision making, consensus building, collaborative skill and servant leadership. IISC continually strives to deepen its capacity to address issues of power, privilege, and oppression while designing culturally appropriate processes and services that consciously address power dynamics.

IISC aspires to become an anti-racist, anti-oppression, pro-liberation organization (AAPO). The organization is currently in the process of defining and codifying what this means in concrete terms. This includes operationalizing their social justice values by challenging the insidiousness of structural racism which creates blind spots on the part of any dominant group and determining what is success.

Mass Audubon $15,000

Mass Audubon understands that nature is essential to quality of life in the Commonwealth – whether in a city park, deep inside the forests of western counties, within an urban greenway or along 1500 miles of coastline. The nonprofit works to help people live with an appreciation and respect for the complex ecological systems that sustain life on earth. The organization’s work also includes helping residents ensure that these systems are protected. Like most traditional environmental organizations, Mass Audubon has a board and staff that is largely white. This is, in part, the result of the organization being reflective of the communities in which it is headquartered and in which the majority of its suburban and rural sanctuaries are located.

There has been significant progress in attracting culturally diverse audiences to the Boston sanctuary and other urban sanctuaries located through partnerships with organizations in urban communities. With DII support, Mass Audubon seeks to replicate these successes throughout the entire organization. The changing demographic profile of the state suggests new opportunities for, and obligations to, diversifying the board, staff, volunteers, membership, program participants and visitors – and changing the impression of exclusivity.

Opera Boston $12,000

Opera Boston is committed to making opera accessible to the widest possible audience. And it is striving to create an atmosphere that is open and welcoming to all members of the community. Toward that goal the organization works to combat certain stereotypes that have been applied to opera. That is the belief that an individual must have a specialized education to understand opera, that tickets are expensive or that one must dress in a certain way to attend the performances.

In order to combat these stereotypes, Opera Boston will work with its board, staff and community partners to create the circumstances and environment that will engage new communities. Current education programs provide the opportunity to introduce young people and children to opera. With support of the DII, Opera Boston will address the challenge of creating a company culture that will support and sustain a more inclusive philosophy. This winter Opera Boston has partnered with Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center for the production of Madame White Snake, the opera.

Perkins School for the Blind $12,000

Perkins School for the Blind has, since 1832, focused on the challenge of preparing blind and deaf/blind students to become independent. Perkins’ vision of inclusiveness has been defined as recognizing, valuing and utilizing the unique talents and contributions of people from many backgrounds.

Among the specific goals that DII support can help Perkins reach are:

1. Increasing the number of Perkins staff that reflect a wide range of diversity including ethnicity, racial background, gender, sexual orientation and disability status, at all levels of employment
2. Improving staff retention rates by developing support and mentorship programs for people of color and people with disabilities
3. Ensuring access to information and communication to all employees, students and constituents in the appropriate format for their sensory and language needs
4. Developing resources for teachers to introduce multicultural information into the curriculum for students at all levels and
5. Increasing the cultural competence of staff

RFK Children’s Action Corps (RFK) $15,000

RFK is a statewide child welfare agency dedicated to core values and beliefs defined by the legacy of Robert F. Kennedy. It embodies the belief that society has a responsibility to the poor and disadvantaged. The nonprofit also stirves to promote respect for the dignity and individuality of every human being, the right of all children to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment, and the right of every person to reach his or her full potential.

Major goals for the planning and development of strategies that will come from diversity and inclusion work include:

• Building upon differences by developing a workforce at all levels of the organization that reflects the populations served through the creation of diversity-success benchmarks highlighted in the organization’s strategic goals;
• Developing and aligning systemwide policies, practices and standards to allow and encourage the delivery of culturally competent services without the risk of counter-productivity or any perception of favoritism
• Demonstrating the organization’s commitment and cross-cultural strengths to constituents and other public and private youth serving agencies

The Theater Offensive $15,000

For 20 years, the mission of The Theater Offensive has been to form and present the diverse realities of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) lives in art so bold it breaks through personal isolation and political orthodoxy to help build honest, progressive community. Despite the fact that diversity has always been pursued actively as a goal, The Theater Offensive has never executed a diversity assessment or a plan. Currently the board and staff are drafting a new strategic plan that is meant to address with even deeper conviction the diversity and inclusion values within the mission.

Year Up $15,000

Year Up's vision is that, in the future, every urban young adult will have the access to the education, experiences, and guidance that is required to realize his or her true potential. To ensure that this inclusiveness can be accomplished, Year Up believes that unearned privilege must be acknowledged and that barriers to opportunity that exists currently must be removed. This vision must also include partnerships with employers and community organizations that are committed to the larger movement of economic justice and social change, as well as a well-trained and diverse staff who can provide the everyday support and training to empower youth.

Year Up seeks to define and implement cultural competency as a lifelong process to:

• develop self-awareness of one's culture; understand other cultures;
• facilitate understanding among people of different cultures;
• confront inconsistencies and assumptions of other cultures; and
• take action to ensure fairness and access.