Black Lives Matter Progress Report

Aspirations

• Working with DEI consultants, complete review of our policies and procedures. We want to assess and then assure that our policies align with our goals of racial equity.
• Evaluate and transform the structure and activities of the company to further social and racial justice.
• Seek opportunities to celebrate and elevate under-represented voices in our company and incorporate them more broadly in our internal and external communications.
• Seek opportunities to work with our nonprofit technology community and more widely with the technology sector to combat racism, elevate under-represented leaders, and promote equity.
• Engage with local organizations to support actions to end police brutality. 

In Progress

• Continuing engagement with partners and consultants for Racial Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work internal to Community IT.
• Review our employee equity plan from hiring to compensation to professional development with DEI/Justice lens.
• Planning ongoing and prioritized employee workshops on race, diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion, focused on learning how we can talk to one another about difficult topics.
• Changing internal processes and structures such as meetings and scheduling to be inclusive spaces.
• Exploring external partnerships with organizations promoting racial equity and justice and decreasing police violence.
• Undertaking first annual website review to decolonize language and images.

Actions Taken

• Formed an internal BLM working group, currently made up of 7 selected employee volunteers, CEO, and other resource staff.
• Our BLM working group reports internally on progress to make sure the process, timeline, and goals are fully transparent.
• Began with internal conversation and reflection. Have ongoing discussions led by experts and internal staff about why Black lives matter to us.
• Started reviewing our policies and procedures in March 2021. In April surveyed staff to get a baseline of where we are as individuals in anticipation of group discussions in the months ahead.
• Community IT will observe Juneteenth as an official company holiday starting June 19, 2022. This will increase the total number of company holidays from 9 to 10. The cost of adding a tenth holiday is well worth commemorating this important occasion in our nation’s history. Taking this step is one manifestation of the work our BLM working group is doing to orient Community IT toward equity and inclusion and to further social and racial justice.

Actions Taken

• All staff visit to Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture as part of ESOP employee-ownership team building.
• Intentional internal community building, including creating more inclusive meeting formats, times, and ability to include remote and in-person staff together.
• Celebration and elevation of women at Community IT and within our larger network during Women’s History Month.
• 4-part staff open discussion centered on High on the Hog.
• Celebration and elevation of Black History Month.
• Presented Diverse Perspectives on Nonprofit Tech Careers at NTC conference and as part of our monthly webinar series.
• Changed all-staff meeting formats. Created Ask Me Anything AMA short weekly meetings to increase transparency internally, promote collaboration and community.
• Held all-staff workshop and education activities fall 2021.
• Created “Community IT Voices” to highlight and promote employee experiences and give examples of diverse career paths to under-represented communities.
• Held a company-wide education and celebration of Juneteenth in 2021.
• Created and will maintain this post updating ourselves and our community with our dreams, the progress we are making, and the outcomes achieved.
• Added BLM banner to website, with link to company statements and updates.