DEI Board Statement
FROM PIC'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PIC STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
JUNE 2021
WHY
A commitment to social justice and diversity have been core values at PIC since our founding. This past year’s social, health, and economic injustices have brought renewed attention to the systemic racism, white supremacy, and other forms of inequity and violence experienced by BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized communities—which has also brought a renewed urgency to responding to these profound challenges within our community.
WHAT
PIC’s mission and values are rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion among our children and families, teachers, staff, board of directors, and stakeholders. As a racially, culturally, and gender diverse community, we have worked to reflect these values in our classrooms in a variety of ways, including: expanding our Center to increase the socio-economic diversity of our families; providing financial and other support to teachers for educational and professional development opportunities; utilizing a multicultural and anti-bias approach to learning in the classroom; and advocating for equitable early childhood education policies at the local, state, and federal levels.
HOW
Building on this foundation and expanding our efforts toward equity and inclusion requires honesty about the context of our work. In particular, we recognize the social, political, and economic forces that influence neighborhood and resident demographics, and strive to expand access to high-quality early childhood education at PIC and in the broader community. We recognize that systemic racism threatens our community in many ways, including access to education and employment, and that it is our responsibility to understand its poisonous effects and work actively to dismantle it. We understand that this is an ongoing commitment that will require reflection and actively working toward fulfilling our valued commitments towards diversity, equity, and inclusion.
To ensure we are serving our community in accordance with our ideals of social, racial, and economic justice, PIC must engage in continuous and rigorous self-examination. Our Board and leadership are actively assessing PIC’s strengths and needs with respect to diversity, equity, and transparency, and we are seeking guidance on how best to incorporate anti-racist tools, language, reflection, and discussion into our daily practices. In addition, the Board is actively prioritizing this work through diversity and equity-focused committees and initiatives, as well as actively seeking out Board members whose experiences -- both professional and personal -- will support PIC’s ongoing work in this area. We welcome community reflection, conversation, and action in charting PIC’s course forward.