WSA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Values and Vision Statement
Values Statement
WSA exists to acknowledge, engage with and protect our natural resources by activating the brilliance of human resources. The values that fuel our work are:
Equity: We pursue safety and power for all.
Inclusion: We welcome all people in our work.
Connection: We connect communities with the resources, knowledge and information they need to thrive, allowing us to go farther together rather than faster alone.
Innovation: We challenge norms and our own ignorance to consistently evolve.
Restoration: We commit to protecting and revitalizing our natural resources, for this generation and the next.
deij vision statement
As we continue on the journey to fully incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion and justice into the DNA of our organization, we commit to the following DEIJ impacts:
We devote ourselves to reimagining WSA as an organization where people identifying as Black*, Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic or Latino**, and LGBTQ+, women, and other historically marginalized groups are represented on our staff, our board, our funders, among our Stewards and throughout the larger WSA community.
We reject unchallenged conformity, encourage diversity of opinion and welcome dissent.
We seek to have an active presence in every community throughout the County and promise to follow the lead of values-aligned partners already working on the ground.
We pledge to consistently review our own internal policies, practices and programs to ensure that our initiatives are accessible to everyone.
We strive for an environmental future where power is shared, knowledge is easily accessible and resources go to those who need them most.
We help to amplify Black*, Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic or Latino**, and LGBTQ+ voices, women’s voices, and the voices of other historically marginalized groups within the environmental community by creating spaces for their aspirations to be realized.
We intentionally direct organizational resources towards communities based on their needs to help them achieve their stated goals.
We commit to a future where the uniqueness of every community is valued, where their historical realities are acknowledged and where everyone’s role in strengthening our environment is embraced.
We build authentic relationships with community-led organizations by listening first and seek to understand the distinct needs of diverse communities.
We create spaces where staff, Board and community members feel safe to fully express themselves and know that their contributions are valued.
We dedicate ourselves to shaping a world where the environmental harm historically committed against communities of color is undone, present harm is dismantled and future harm is prevented.
We provide platforms for diverse groups to share and work toward addressing their environmental needs.
We support environmental practices which ensure that clean water, increased tree canopies and stormwater solutions are the standard, rather than the exception, in every community throughout the County and the region.
* We have chosen to use the term Black because it “encompasses both Black people and African Americans” (Glo Atanmo, Twitter). Black recognizes “the global nature of blackness . . . [and] is a more universal term” (Watkins-Hayes, CBS News).
** Some of our constituents have self-identified as Hispanic, while others use the term Latino. To respect these differing preferences, we have used the phrase “Hispanic or Latino.” We have elected not to use the term Latinx, due to the low number of individuals who identify and use that particular term (Pew Research).
WSA’s Vision and Values Statement was made possible by funding from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the Chesapeake Bay Program, Chesapeake Bay Funders Network, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and had been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement 96358101 and 96358201 to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endore trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document.