Anti-Racist Commitment
WITS is a community of readers who promotes literacy, builds communities, and finds strength in sharing stories, perspectives, and empathy as pathways to dismantling racist behaviors and mindsets.
WITS is committed to connecting people across various boundaries as we believe cultivating relationships between diverse groups of people builds empathy and understanding. These key steps serve to dismantle ideologies that oppress People of Color and are foundational to the future we aspire to create.
We are and remain committed to being an anti-racist organization. We acknowledge that racism has pervaded our public education system, from punishing enslaved people who sought to learn to read and write, to Separate but Equal education laws, to housing discrimination that often maintained school segregation and perpetuated unequal distribution of funds.
Our community building will continue to include and elevate the voices of People of Color. We acknowledge the dynamic that can exist if our staff, Board, and volunteers are predominantly white and the students we serve are predominantly People of Color.
With these acknowledgements, WITS commits to:
- Continue to develop a staff, Board of Directors, Associates Board, and volunteer corps that is more reflective of the communities we serve;
- Offer annual antiracism education to our community members and volunteers through WITS Talks and other resources;
- Partner with companies whose cultures align with our antiracist values and practices;
- Promote books by Authors and Illustrators of Color to foster conversation and build a culture of antiracism in our work with students, teachers, and the public; and
- Assess internal processes that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
As a member of our community, we ask you to be an active part of this awareness and commitment with us, and to meaningfully uphold our values – Community, Empowerment, and Consistency.
