DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Our Commitment

At United Way of Blount County, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to achieving our mission to improve lives in our community.

We oppose all forms of discrimination. We recognize diversity as an asset that enables our organization to understand and value differences. We actively seek collaborations with differing identities, including race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and age. By bringing together individuals with unique backgrounds, experiences, and ideologies, we can collectively and more effectively address the issues facing our community.

Equity ensures everyone access to a healthy, well educated, and self-sufficient life. We recognize that structural advantages and barriers exist, and that, as a result, we all do not start from the same place. Equity is a process that continues to address the imbalance, and we are devoted to actively participating in this crucial process. We place a priority on the most vulnerable in Blount County with our investments and partnerships, including offering educational opportunities and cross sector trainings for all nonprofits serving our local community.

We strive to maintain a collaborative, supportive, and respectful environment that increases the participation and contribution of all. Our United Way values inclusion – the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity within a culture that enables all people to be welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. Through partnerships with nonprofits, local government, businesses, community advocates and volunteers, we are building a just and fair community in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. The United Way of Blount County Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and community partners must reflect and genuinely demonstrate these core values because diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of what it means to Live United.

A Webinar Series

We presented the Advancing Equitable Change Webinar Series, with the overall goal to build the knowledge, skill and competency to advance equity in our nonprofit work and in the community. This learning experience helped nonprofit workers, volunteers and board members integrate this framework into their efforts to create more equitable organizations and communities. The series covered the most critical aspects of each resource, highlighted best practices and featured voices of equity leaders. All nonprofit staff, regardless of level and position, have a stake in advancing equity work.

Please visit equity.unitedway.org for the latest resources, tools, and webinars to guide your equity work. This website brings the Equity Framework and the Equity Toolkit to life.

This cross-functional learning experience is for everyone. Check out the presentation slides from each session below!

Preparing Yourself to Facilitate Racial Equity Work

Nurture a Diverse, Equity-Minded Board

Leveraging Community Engagement and Mobilization to Advance Equity

Leveraging Policy and Advocacy to Advance Equity

WORKING DEFINITIONS OF I.D.E.A.

INCLUSION Including people who have historically been excluded (as because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability) into authentic and empowered participation. A true sense of belonging.

DIVERSITY Differences among social groups such as ethnic heritage, class, age, gender, sexuality, ability, religion, and nationality. Reflected in historical experience, language, cultural practices, and traditions.

EQUITY The quality of being just, impartial and fair on a structural or systemic basis in society. Involves trying to understand and provide people what they need to enjoy full, healthy lives, even if when individual needs differ.

ACCESS Accessibility is recognizing individual differences and providing access to everyone along the vast continuum of human ability, experience, and need.

STRATEGIC STATEMENT FOR I.D.E.A.

To support the most vulnerable in Blount County, we are committed to advancing, inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in everything we do. We advocate for the intrinsic worth of everyone through educating, leading, partnering, and accountability.