Statement Upon the Anniversary of the Death of George Floyd — April 30, 2021
It’s been almost a year since the police killing of George Floyd, and only weeks since the death of Daunte Wright. In light of these tragic events, we want to share with you, our supporters, our continuing work and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Our vision is to create an AIDS-free world built on a foundation of equitable access to housing and health care. The need for that equity could not be clearer. Sixty-three percent of our residents are people of color. In 2020 in Minnesota, 61% of those newly diagnosed with HIV were also people of color.
The value of our work is apparent. However, because we know disparities are symptoms of a much larger problem – systemic racism – we commit to doing more than providing culturally competent housing and health supports. We have defined a three-point platform outlining our commitment to DEI and have taken action steps to further our work, though the work is far from done.
Racial Equity & DEI Platform: A Work in Progress
- We believe our agency’s mission is tied to racial equity, and as such DEI must be an ongoing discussion and part of our work.
- Because the work of improving DEI is ongoing and requires ample time to listen and hear varying perspectives, it is a lengthy process. And we realize it is necessary to take action now. Thus, our work is focused in two ways: assessment/planning, and action.
- The approach we’re taking now is not a definitive path, but an ongoing discussion with ideas and evolving priorities – a work in progress.
Work is underway. Here are a few of our current DEI tactics:
- Leadership staff are undergoing a lengthy internal assessment on practices related to DEI, from intake practices with residents to physical surroundings in our buildings. This helps us see things from a much broader perspective and enables us to prioritize our next steps.
- We are creating a more transparent and useful dashboard related to staffing, with a particular focus on equity among staff throughout the agency with respect to pay, promotions, and opportunities.
- This year, we launched an internal racial equity working group to focus and commit to racial equity within our day-to-day work. The group is setting their priorities, which includes recruitment of staff who are committed to issues of racial justice and finding outside help in moving the entire agency forward.
The death of our BIPOC neighbors at the hands of police, and the subsequent response, highlights the ugly and long history of racial injustice in the United States. Racism is a wound that stretches deep, back to the very bedrock of this nation. We know that systemic racism will not disappear overnight. We also understand that our continued impact as an agency is linked to health disparities that are a direct outcome of these inequities.
We know that if we want to be effective in our work, prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as culturally competent care is essential. We are humbled and inspired by the passion and hunger for justice within our community and are thankful for your commitment to addressing systemic racism by participating in our work as donors and supporters. We welcome your thoughts and input as we continue this journey. Thank you.
Don Mayo-Moschkau, Board Chair Phoebe Trepp, Executive Director