This guide outlines steps that organizations should take to proactively incorporate race equity principles into their programming. Some of the steps include: having a shared understanding of how to define diversity, inclusion and equity; involving and listening to affected populations before making any changes or trying any new approaches; and adopting a systems-based method of examining and solving problems of inequity. Finally, it reiterates the message that this type of work is iterative and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

The guide astutely observes that when your race equity efforts are reacting to real time incidents, your efforts are on a smaller scale and have a short-term impact. For large scale and long-term impact, organizations need to adopt a multistep approach that addresses racial inequality at its deepest level. This guide isn’t a traditional ‘how to guide’ filled with checklists. Instead, it requires you and your organization to do the hard work of determining what approaches you want to take and why. It encourages organizations to outline what a successful diversity and inclusion effort will look like, and to articulate a customized approach that is specific to that vision.

Copyright 2014. The Annie E. Casey Foundation.