DEI: Anti-Racism in Action

A FoodCorps member with long dark hair leads an outdoor lesson, raising their hand as students follow along.

A Justice Organization

FoodCorps is a justice organization working at the intersection of the food and education systems. Through our DEI strategies and our justice-centered programming, we actively work to dismantle systemic racism, both within FoodCorps and in the world around us. We hold our staff, corps members, and partners to high standards when it comes to upholding our values. Tools like SHIFTING help us check our biases, “shift” our thinking, and do our best work.

S H I F T I N G

S

Shift

Shift power, resources, and/or access to those most impacted by systemic oppression and closest to the work that needs to be done.

H

Honor

Honor and trust the wisdom and expertise of grassroots leadership in the communities where we work.

I

Interrupt

Interrupt internalized, interpersonal, and/or systemic oppression.

F

Foster

Foster an environment that reflects the diversity of our partner communities and in which everyone can show up and feel brave, supported, and valued for their contributions.

T

Try

Try to create the world we want to see even when we know we might fail.

I

Invest

Invest in equity when it comes to budgeting, contracts and vendors, compensation, leadership development, recruitment, and promotions.

N

Name

Name and frame racism, transphobia, ableism, and other forms of oppression and marginalization when we see it.

G

Grant

Grant ourselves the time necessary to make decisions and do work that advances justice and minimizes harm.

DEI in Action: Our Anti-Racism Strategy

A Theory of Change for Justice Building

Our anti-racism strategy holds justice at the center. We know that food inequity is rooted in racism, and that we must radically reimagine the systems that uphold it. We prioritize humanity, efficacy, and accountability in our work, and we strive for a culture where all people feel seen, heard, and empowered. And we center Black voices and experiences with intention—it’s how we dismantle anti-Blackness at the root of unjust systems.

What will be different as a result? We hope that FoodCorps will contribute to a world where individuals feel psychologically safe and comfortable as their whole selves; where communities have the tools they need to advocate for their collective well-being; where our partnerships reflect culturally relevant programming and data-driven strategies, including DEI; and, ultimately, where children are nourished, celebrated, and well. Here are the key ways we hope to effect change.

Cultivate Our People: We will be a community of people who embrace their agency and organizational change with excitement and opportunity. We will see an increase in intrinsic motivation that will produce innovative, anti-racist, and equitable outcomes in support of our 2030 goal. Our staff, inclusive of race and role, will be positioned to engage in justice-centered work for the remainder of their lives.
Disrupt and Shift Our Systems: We will be a community of people who experience a workplace culture that actively disrupts white supremacy culture and centers well-being. Our staff, inclusive of race and role, will understand, embrace, and act on the power they do and do not have to change and challenge systems.
Maximize Our Impact: We will be a community of people who execute our work in a way that honors the communities we serve, while maintaining fidelity to our values, vision, and mission. Our staff, inclusive of race and role, will deepen relationships with our partners and intentionally build new relationships that will transform our outcomes, and further empower students, families and caregivers, schools, and communities to create environments in which every child knows the joy and power of food.