See Positive Tracks Diversity & Inclusion Statement
At the core of changemaking is creating diverse and inclusive Challenges. When you are making decisions, consider how to include and respond to the needs of people from a range of:
- Ages
- Cultures
- Ethnicities
- Financial backgrounds
- Genders
- Physical abilities
- Races
Suggested Ways To Make Your Challenge More Inclusive and Diverse:
1. Representation
Start by asking yourself:
- Who am I reaching out to? Are they outside of my usual circles?
- Do those involved in my Challenge reflect the diversity of the organization or cause I am supporting?
Take Action:
- Reach out to people with diverse backgrounds, even if your Challenge is not open to the public and you are only seeking donations.
Remember:
- Non-diverse fundraisers could undermine the giving potential of diverse groups.
2. Sharing Stories About Your Cause
Start by asking yourself:
- Does the story I’m sharing about someone else reflect my organization’s voice or the voice of the people they serve? Both are legitimate! It’s key to make sure you’re speaking truth to someone else’s feelings and personal story.
Take Action:
- Try to move away from stories that focus on people’s struggles and needs to stories that talk about their resilience and strengths. For example, avoid using words like “needy” or “disadvantaged” when talking about people and instead lift up what’s causing the need or disadvantage to exist.
- Instead of saying: For my Challenge, I’ll be supporting the needy people at (organization). Say instead: For my Challenge, I’ll be supporting the resilient people at (organization) through educating my community about (insert issue impacting group or root cause).
3. Improving Accessibility & Creating Equity
Start by asking yourself:
- Am I promoting my event across social media that represents diverse people?
- Can people donate or pay the registration fee in different ways?
- Am I using abbreviations that people might not understand?
- Do I need to have information in other languages?
- Am I offering different options or modifications for different physical abilities?
- Do I have a free or reduced rate for registration fees?
- Does everyone have equipment available that they’ll need to participate?
Event Accessibility questions to ask yourself:
- Is my venue wheelchair accessible?
- Is my venue accessible by public transportation?
- Are my signs easy to read?
- Do I need signs in different languages?
- Do I have options for people with allergies and/or dietary or faith-based restrictions?
Take Action:
- Consider the lists above and try to tackle as many of these as you can. Ask for help when you need it.
4. Support Beyond Donations
Start by considering:
- People face different financial realities, but that doesn’t mean they can’t support or help.
Take Action:
- Research ways people can support your organization or cause beyond financial support and promote these options.
- Alternative ways to help:
- Volunteering
- Signing a petition
- Joining a protest
- Following on social media
5. Challenges With Themes
If you’re using a theme for your Challenge (ex: Halloween, Christmas, Carnival, etc.), try to be sensitive and avoid cultural appropriation.
6. Showing Appreciation
Share appreciation and honor donors, team members, and volunteers regardless of how big or small their contribution. Make sure to offer the option to keep the appreciation anonymous for those that prefer to keep their contribution secret.
7. Services and Goods – Where Are You Getting Them?
If you need to rent a venue or sound system or purchase food and beverages etc., try to engage minority-owned businesses or businesses whose mission and workforce represents people from diverse backgrounds.