Chester County United Way

Chester County United Way’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Culture Statement

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Culture are core to all we are and all we do. We deploy our resources to build communities of belonging, empathy and empowerment. In doing so, we must apply a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion and culture to all internal and external systems and be the change agents needed to realize the vision of an organization and community where every person belongs and every person thrives:

We stand against racism, discrimination and social injustice and are dedicated to dismantling these epidemics in all forms.
We advocate for concrete policy and systems changes and invest in work that advances diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice for all communities, including marginalized populations.
We commit to equitable service delivery and funding practices, ensuring that organizations that receive United Way funding are committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Culture and can demonstrate that commitment in meaningful and measurable ways.
We strive to ensure a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace in which staff and volunteers reflect the broadest community, can contribute fully, and share the responsibility of putting the values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Culture into daily practice.

This statement is intended to be a living document that will drive our culture and services, and will be reviewed annually to ensure its inclusion in all strategies, actions and outcomes.

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The Exton Region Chamber of Commerce DE&I Council is building a community where people and small businesses can meet challenges in diversity and inclusivity.

The DE&I Council meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 9:00 AM in the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce office, located at 310 Exton Square Parkway, Exton.

Vocabulary

Diversity: The condition of being different or having differences. Differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, health, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical size, education level, job and function, personality traits, and other human differences.

Equity: Fair treatment for all while striving to identify and eliminate inequities and barriers.

Inclusion: an outcome to ensure those that are diverse actually feel and/or are welcomed to participate fully in decision-making processes and development opportunities within an organization or group.

Diversity v. Inclusion v. Belonging: Diversity typically means proportionate representation across all dimensions of human difference. Inclusion means that everyone is included, visible, heard and considered. Belonging means that everyone is treated and feels like a full member of the larger community, and can thrive.

Cultural appropriation: Originally coined to describe the effects of colonialism, cultural appropriation generally entails adopting aspects of a minority culture by someone outside the culture, without sufficient understanding of its context or respect for the meaning and value of the original. Cultural appropriation done in a way that promotes disrespectful cultural or racial stereotypes is considered particularly harmful

Racism: A belief that racial differences produce or are associated with inherent superiority or inferiority. Racially-based prejudice, discrimination, hostility or hatred. Institutionalized racism, also known as systemic racism, refers to forms of racism that are engrained in society or organizations. It is when entire racial groups are discriminated against, or consistently disadvantaged, by larger social systems, practices, choices or policies.

Glossary of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) Terms

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