Our Approach to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Since the beginning, we have had a deep desire to immerse ourselves in the experiences of the people we serve. In 2016 this looked like Tessa, our Founder and Executive Director, sitting in the back of Beth Lakin’s 11th grade English class at Denver’s North High School and awkwardly soliciting student feedback (students thought she was new to their school so they were more willing to talk to her). To us, the heart and soul of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) is ensuring everyone feels seen, heard, and represented in our program.
As we’ve grown, this desire has stayed the same but looks different (and is more systematized). The communities that we serve continue to be deeply involved in our thinking and design. Because of this, we treat our program as a living, breathing, and evolving entity.
We practice DEIA in the following ways:
Creating and editing the curriculum through Culturally Responsive and Universal Design for Learning frameworks so our tools resonate with all students irrespective of socio-economic status, neuro-diversity, ability, and identity.
Regularly including and amplifying student voices in our curriculum through our Student Task Force.
Studying and learning from focus groups, surveys, site visits, and interviews with stakeholders to understand how the program impacts their lives.
Engaging with DEIA experts, disability advocacy organizations, and community partners to inform our organizational strategy.
These DEIA practices culminate each summer when we conduct a comprehensive program review and integrate learnings and feedback. Ultimately, through this process, we are able to create a program that is so capacious that everyone can find a tool that meets their unique needs.
