Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Generations United, we believe that all levels of society are stronger when we build and support connections between generations. To be effective in our work, we are committed to using a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens that recognizes collective and individual cultures, values, norms, ages, and lived experiences. We cannot do this without addressing institutional racism and other forms of structural oppression. At Generations United, we have embarked on a journey to be intentional around DEI issues and practices across the continuum of our work. When we make mistakes, we seek to improve and adjust. We know that we must do more, so we will continue to evolve as we strive to identify and address issues that impact our mission, goals, and work. We are stronger together.

Learn more about how we put our commitment into action.

Generations United promotes DEI within our organization by:

• Providing regular training, resources, and discussions for staff, consultants, people with lived expertise, advocates, and volunteers to promote cultural responsiveness and best practices.
• Instituting recruitment and hiring processes that lead to diverse staffing and creating a welcoming workplace environment.
• Reviewing and updating organizational policies and practices to dismantle institutional inequities.
• Recognizing and valuing the lived experiences of staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders in organizational decision-making.
• Engaging our board of directors and management to use a DEI lens and to ensure equitable and diverse representation.
• Using a Racial Equity Impact Analysis (REIA) process to review organizational policies, procedures, programs, publications, and more.

Generations United’s outward-facing DEI activities include:

• Authentically engaging, including, and supporting the voices of individuals of all ages with diverse life experiences to inform our efforts.
• Educating and collaborating with formal and informal systems to address structural inequities by creating/disseminating publications, offering training, and providing technical assistance that promotes culturally responsive and equitable best practices for all.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Definitions

Diversity refers to the presence of different groups and/or different perspectives. Different people and perspectives are shown to produce better organizational results.

Equity is the outcome where all people can achieve a valued goal or circumstance. It is grounded in policies and practices that are informed by and inclusive of diverse people. An equitable setting, by definition, will be inclusive and is more likely to be and remain diverse.

Inclusion is a feature of a setting when voice is valued from the diverse people present and they have organizational power. Inclusion is a core feature of a respectful organizational culture; it is manifested in the setting itself and the dynamics of that setting. A diverse setting without inclusion is not likely to remain diverse.

A growing number of organizations pay attention to diversity, but far fewer pay attention to inclusion and equity. These do not substitute for one another. For example, having diverse personnel is not the same as having equitable policies.

Definitions from The Race Matters Institute.