As a youth-serving nonprofit, Denver Kids acknowledges the historical oppression and marginalization that has resulted in ongoing disparities in the communities with whom we work alongside. These communities have long been investing their time, expertise and cultural wealth to uplift society. We honor their cultural richness and that of our stakeholders by centering their voices in our programming, celebrating their invaluable contributions and ensuring that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is the foundation of our mission of working with youth.
We will uphold these foundational statements and fulfill our commitment to stand as collective supporters and advocates for the Denver Kids community’s thriving success.
We believe that identities and experiences matter
We value and celebrate the range of diversity, culture, and unique differences among the Denver Kids community. We are committed to honoring the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of our diverse staff, students, stakeholders, and community members.
We believe in equity
Every student has the right to access opportunities, a quality education, and tools for their own self-empowerment. Every staff member and stake holder deserves systems that are founded on equitable and inclusive practices. As a community we must work together to address the consequences of a long history of prejudice that continues to negatively impact marginalized communities and intersectional identities.
We believe in fostering a culture of belonging
Denver Kids is invested in an organizational culture where individuals can be engaged, feel valued, and are encouraged to share their perspectives. We strive to create spaces of belonging that reflect the communities we partner with, and one in which everyone feels recognized and psychologically safe to be their full, authentic selves.
Learn more about Denver Kids’ DEIB Language here
Our Shared Language :
Denver Kids offers the definitions below to clarify its intent to include all individuals in ways that enable them to feel a sense of belonging to our community.
Accomplice: To be an accomplice, one must be willing to do more than listen; one must be willing to stand with those who are being attacked, excluded or otherwise mistreated, even if that means suffering personal or professional backlash.
Advocate: One who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or a marginalized group in society.
Ally: Being an ally doesn’t necessarily mean you fully understand what it feels like to be oppressed. It means you are taking on the struggle as your own.
Anti-Oppression is the strategies, theories, actions and practices that actively challenge systems of oppression on an ongoing basis in one's daily life and in social justice/change work.
Anti-Racism is the practice of recognizing and actively opposing racism in society with the goal to promote racial equity.
Belonging: Refers to the perceived support, feeling of connectedness, and experience of community among peers and colleagues within the association. Belonging is a process of building a foundation through diversity, equity, and inclusive practices that cultivates the cornerstone of engagement in our community
Bias: To give a settled and often prejudiced outlook toward a marginalized group.
BIPOC: An acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
Conscious bias: Known bias towards an individual or group.
Cultural Competence: The ability to effectively communicate and interact with people across cultures. It requires self-awareness, and developing positive attitudes towards other cultures.
Discrimination: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
Diversity: Refers to group social differences such as race/ethnicity, class,gender, sexual orientation, gender preferences, country of origin, dis/ability, cultural, political, religious, or other group affiliations.
Equity: Acknowledging and making adjustments to address the consequences of a long history of prejudice and discriminatory treatment that continues and has a negative impact on Black, Brown, Indigenous, and marginalized communities.
Emotional Tax: The combination of being on guard to protect against bias, feeling different at work because of gender, race, and/or ethnicity, and the associated effects on health, well being, and ability to thrive at work.
White Supremacy: The belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, especially the Black race, and should therefore dominate society.
Our commitment to DEIB is a long-term investment and an evolving learning process. Denver Kids’ Inclusivity Committee will review this document annually to actively uphold our commitments.
Inclusive practices are those that include an active, intentional, meaningful, and equitable engagement across the diversity of our Denver Kids community. Recognizing our diversity while meaningfully engaging it facilitates greater awareness, knowledge, understanding of the complex ways individuals engage within systems and institutions. Building these skills and abilities among individual members will begin to address past injustices and lay a strong foundation for equitable success for our students.
Intersectionality is the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.
Oppression: Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control.
Marginalize is to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position (that is, to the metaphorical margins of society). *includes, but is not limited to gender, race, sexual identity or orientation, abilities, language, immigration status, and religion.
Microaggression: A statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority
Micro-inequity: A theory regarding ways in which individuals are singled out, overlooked, ignored, or otherwise discounted based on an unchangeable characteristic such as race or gender. Micro-inequities are subtle, often unconscious, messages that devalue, discourage and impair workplace performance.
Privilege: A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group
Psychological Safety: A belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes.
Stereotype: A standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment.
Supremacy: The state or condition of being superior to others in authority, power, or status.
Systemic oppression: Refers to the mistreatment of people within a specific group, supported and enforced by the society and its institutions.
Threat to Pet: Refers to Black women being treated as a pet as opposed to a professional early in their careers. Upon Black women demonstrating resistance to this pet status, and the treatment that comes with it, they become threats (this term is coined by Kecia M. Thomas, Associate Dean, University of Georgia).
Unconscious Bias: An implicit association, whether about people, places, or situations, which are often based on mistaken, inaccurate, or incomplete information and includes the personal histories we bring to the situation.
Workplace Inclusion: An atmosphere where all employees belong, contribute, and can thrive. Requires deliberate and intentional action.
Denver Kids operates at capacity— we have a waiting list for admission into our program. Especially in these uncertain times, the need is greater than ever.
Kama shirika lisilo la faida linalohudumia vijana, Denver Kids inatambua ukandamizaji wa kihistoria na kutengwa ambao umesababisha tofauti za kuendelea katika jamii ambazo tunafanya kazi pamoja. Jamii hizi zimekuwa zikitumia muda wao, utaalam na utajiri wa kitamaduni ili kuinua jamii. Tunaheshimu utajiri wao wa kitamaduni na wa wadau wetu kwa kuelekeza sauti zao katika programu zetu, kuadhimisha michango yao ya thamani na kuhakikisha kwamba utofauti, usawa, ujumuishaji na uwiano (DEIB) ni msingi wa utume wetu wa kufanya kazi na vijana. Tutaendeleza taarifa hizi za msingi na kutimiza ahadi yetu ya kusimama kama wafuasi wa pamoja na watetezi wa mafanikio ya jamii ya Denver Kids. Tunaamini kwamba utambulisho na uzoefu ni muhimu, tunathamini na kusherehekea aina ya utofauti, utamaduni, na tofauti za kipekee kati ya jamii ya Denver Kids. Tunajitolea kuheshimu sauti, mitazamo, na uzoefu ulioishi wa wafanyikazi wetu tofauti, wanafunzi, wadau, na wanachama wa jamii. Tunaamini katika usawa: Kila mwanafunzi ana haki ya kupata fursa, elimu ya ubora, na zana za kujisaidia. Kila mfanyakazi na mmiliki wa hisa anastahili mifumo ambayo inategemea mazoea ya usawa na ya ujumuishaji. Kama jamii lazima tufanye kazi pamoja kushughulikia matokeo ya historia ndefu ya ubaguzi ambao unaendelea kuathiri vibaya jamii zilizotengwa na utambulisho wa msalaba. "Kutokana na utamaduni wa ""kujiunga,"" Denver Kids inawekeza katika utamaduni wa shirika ambapo watu wanaweza kushiriki, kuhisi thamani, na wanahimizwa kushiriki maoni yao." """Tunajitahidi kuunda nafasi za kuwa na uhusiano na jamii ambazo tunashirikiana nazo, na moja ambayo kila mtu anahisi kutambuliwa na salama kisaikolojia kuwa wao kamili, wa kweli." Jifunze zaidi kuhusu lugha ya DEIB ya Denver Kids hapa: Lugha yetu ya Pamoja: Denver Kids inatoa ufafanuzi hapa chini ili kufafanua nia yake ya kujumuisha watu wote kwa njia ambazo zinawawezesha kuhisi kuwa ni wa jamii yetu. Ili kuwa mshirika, mtu lazima awe tayari kufanya zaidi ya kusikiliza; lazima awe tayari kusimama pamoja na wale wanaoshambuliwa, kutengwa au kutendewa vibaya, hata ikiwa inamaanisha kuteseka kwa kibinafsi au kitaaluma. Mtetezi: Mtu anayesaidiana au kukuza maslahi ya jambo fulani au ya kikundi fulani kilicho kando ya jamii. Mshirika: Kuwa mshirika haimaanishi lazima uelewe kikamilifu jinsi inavyoonekana kuwa unanyanyaswa. Inamaanisha kwamba unachukua mapambano hayo kuwa yako mwenyewe. Kupinga ukandamizaji ni mikakati, nadharia, vitendo na mazoea ambayo huchambua mifumo ya ukandamizaji kwa kuendelea katika maisha ya kila siku na katika kazi ya haki ya kijamii. Kupinga ubaguzi wa rangi ni mazoezi ya kutambua na kupinga kikamilifu ubaguzi wa rangi katika jamii kwa lengo la kukuza usawa wa rangi. Kuwa na uhusiano: Inahusu msaada unaotambuliwa, hisia ya kuunganishwa, na uzoefu wa jamii kati ya wenzao na wenzake ndani ya chama. Kuwa na uhusiano ni mchakato wa kujenga msingi kupitia utofauti, usawa, na mazoea ya kujumuisha ambayo hulima jiwe la msingi la ushiriki katika jamii yetu. BIPOC ni kifupi cha Black, Indigenous, na People of Color. Upendeleo wa fahamu: Upendeleo unaojulikana kuelekea mtu binafsi au kikundi. Uwezo wa kitamaduni: Uwezo wa kuwasiliana na kuingiliana kwa ufanisi na watu katika tamaduni. Inahitaji kujitambua, na kuendeleza mitazamo chanya kuelekea tamaduni nyingine. Ubaguzi: Matibabu yasiyo ya haki au yenye ubaguzi kwa makundi tofauti ya watu au vitu, hasa kwa sababu ya jamii, umri, au jinsia. Tofauti: Inahusu tofauti za kijamii za kikundi kama vile jamii, jamii, jamii, jinsia, mwelekeo wa kijinsia, upendeleo wa kijinsia, nchi ya asili, ulemavu, utamaduni, kisiasa, kidini, au ushirika mwingine wa kikundi. Haki: Kutambua na kufanya marekebisho ili kushughulikia matokeo ya historia ndefu ya ubaguzi na matibabu ya ubaguzi ambayo inaendelea na ina athari mbaya kwa jamii nyeusi, kahawia, wenyeji, na marginalized. "Mfuko wa ""mshahara wa kihisia"" ni mchanganyiko wa kuwa makini ili kujilinda dhidi ya upendeleo, kuhisi tofauti kazini kwa sababu ya jinsia, jamii, na au ukabila, na athari zinazohusiana na afya, ustawi, na uwezo wa kustawi kazini." Utukufu wa Wazungu: Imani kwamba wazungu ni bora kuliko watu wa jamii nyingine zote, hasa jamii ya weusi, na kwa hiyo wanapaswa kutawala jamii. Ujumbe wetu kwa DEIB ni uwekezaji wa muda mrefu na mchakato wa kujifunza unaobadilika. Halmashauri ya Ujumuishaji ya Denver Kids itakagua hati hii kila mwaka ili kutekeleza kwa bidii ahadi zetu. Mazoea ya kujumuisha ni yale ambayo yanajumuisha ushiriki wa kazi, wa makusudi, wenye maana, na wa haki katika utofauti wa jamii yetu ya Denver Kids. Kutambua utofauti wetu wakati wa kuuhusisha kwa maana huwezesha ufahamu mkubwa, maarifa, uelewa wa njia tata ambazo watu wanajihusisha ndani ya mifumo na taasisi. Kujenga ujuzi na uwezo huu kati ya wanachama wa mtu binafsi utaanza kushughulikia ukosefu wa haki wa zamani na kuweka msingi thabiti wa mafanikio ya haki kwa wanafunzi wetu. Intersectionality ni asili ya kuunganishwa kwa makundi ya kijamii kama vile jamii, darasa, na jinsia kama inavyotumika kwa mtu au kikundi fulani, inayochukuliwa kama kuunda mifumo ya kuingiliana na kutegemea ubaguzi au hasara. Uonevu: Matibabu au udhibiti wa kikatili au usio wa haki wa muda mrefu. Kutengwa ni kuondolewa katika cheo kisicho na maana au kisicho na nguvu (yaani, katika pembe za jamii kwa njia ya mfano). *Ni pamoja na, lakini si mdogo kwa jinsia, jamii, utambulisho wa kijinsia au mwelekeo, uwezo, lugha, hali ya uhamiaji, na dini. Microaggression: Taarifa, hatua, au tukio linalochukuliwa kama mfano wa ubaguzi wa moja kwa moja, wa hali ya chini, au usio wa makusudi dhidi ya wanachama wa kikundi cha marginalized kama vile jamii au jamii ndogo ndogo ya kikabila. - Microinequity: Nadharia kuhusu njia ambazo watu huchaguliwa, kupuuzwa, kupuuzwa, au vinginevyo kupunguzwa kulingana na sifa isiyoweza kubadilika kama jamii au jinsia. Micro-ukosefu wa haki ni subtle, mara nyingi subconscious, ujumbe kwamba devalue, kukatisha tamaa na kudhoofisha utendaji mahali pa kazi. Haki maalum, faida, au kinga inayotolewa au inapatikana tu kwa mtu au kikundi fulani Usalama wa kisaikolojia: Imani kwamba mtu hatatozwa adhabu au kudhalilishwa kwa kusema juu ya mawazo, maswali, wasiwasi au makosa. Stereotype: Picha ya akili ya kawaida inayoshikiliwa kwa pamoja na wanachama wa kikundi na ambayo inawakilisha maoni rahisi sana, mtazamo wa upendeleo, au hukumu isiyo na uchambuzi. Utukufu: Hali au hali ya kuwa bora kuliko wengine katika mamlaka, nguvu, au cheo. Ukandamizaji wa mfumo: Inahusu unyanyasaji wa watu ndani ya kikundi maalum, unaoungwa mkono na kutekelezwa na jamii na taasisi zake. Tisho kwa Pet: Inahusu wanawake weusi kutibiwa kama pet kinyume na mtaalamu mapema katika kazi zao. Wanawake weusi wanaojaribu kukabiliana na hali hii ya mnyama, na matibabu yanayohusiana nayo, wanakuwa tishio (neno hili lilitengenezwa na Kecia M. Thomas, Mshirika wa Dean, Chuo Kikuu cha Georgia). Upendeleo wa Unconscious: Ushirika wa wazi, iwe ni kuhusu watu, maeneo, au hali, ambayo mara nyingi hutegemea habari isiyo sahihi, isiyo sahihi, au isiyo kamili na inajumuisha historia ya kibinafsi tunayoileta kwa hali. Kuingizwa kazini: Hali ambapo wafanyakazi wote wanahusika, kuchangia, na wanaweza kustawi. Inahitaji hatua ya makusudi na ya makusudi. Denver Watoto kazi katika uwezo <unk> tuna orodha ya kusubiri kwa ajili ya uandikishaji katika programu yetu. Hasa katika nyakati hizi za kutokuwa na uhakika, uhitaji ni mkubwa kuliko wakati mwingine wowote.