SSA Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion policy
Because we believe we are stronger when all of us have a seat at the table, and acknowledging a community-wide movement toward creating a more inclusive Alexandria, Senior Services of Alexandria (SSA) commits to:
-Supporting and promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in Alexandria
-Interacting with Alexandria’s diverse population in a respectful and meaningful way with an eye toward dedicated service to our client population
-Promoting policies, practices, and procedures that create an open and welcoming environment in our organization and its programs
-Prohibiting and preventing discrimination against any client, volunteer, staff member, or member of the community based on race, religion, national origin, culture, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or veteran’s status
-Acknowledging the past inequity, injustice, and physical and economic harm experienced by Alexandrian in our BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities
-Demonstrating a willingness to identify and discuss without defensiveness where we fall short or how we might improve
-Seeking feedback from clients, volunteers, staff, and community members about how our policies and programs impact various parts of the community and members of populations we serve
-Being mindful of how Board discussions and decisions about policies and programs contribute to promoting equity and building an inclusive Alexandria
-Continuing to pursue learning about the needs of invisible or under-served populations in our community
-Collaborating with other profit, non-profit, and governmental entities in ways which advance our common goals of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
While members of this organization may have different strategies and ideas about issues that are at the same time critically important on a public level and deeply personal, we commit to the immediate and ongoing work of equality and inclusion both personally and in our professional lives. Because, in the words of the poet, “we are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond”*, we affirm our commitment to an Alexandria that is just, equitable and fully inclusive.
*From “Paul Robeson”, a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks, 1984
Approved May 25,2022
