By Katy Spence and Cari Kimball
In 2023, MEIC board and staff commissioned an anti-racism audit from WiderStand Consulting. WiderStand is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide anti-racism training and consultation to predominantly White institutions in both online and in-person formats.
In this process, WiderStand consultants reviewed MEIC materials, work procedures, board and staff policies, and conducted focus group discussions to identify organizational elements that might be alienating or even harmful for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color on our staff, on our board, in our community of partners and supporters, or by those impacted by our work. This process was challenging, but important – MEIC has long worked to be non-discriminatory, but some practices and language can be so embedded that they’re hard to see unless someone points it out. Remedying those practices and language is another process entirely.
At the end of this exercise, WiderStand gave MEIC board and staff a detailed report of areas for improvement, with suggested timelines as short as “immediately” and as long as 12 months. Since that time, we have been working to address some of these areas. We’ve started with some of the most easily addressed issues (such as updating language on our website or talking publicly about the anti-racism efforts we’re pursuing) and foundational issues like revising board and staff policies. We’re also digging into continued learning for our board and staff in order to make our work and workplace safe and productive for employees and board members of color.
We’re grateful to WiderStand and our Equity and Justice board committee for their work and guidance through this process. We will endeavor to be transparent and communicative about this process as we work through the recommendations we have received. As we do so, we realize that there may be growing pains and we’re not going to get it right overnight. We are open to feedback about this process and other parts of our work, which can be submitted anonymously if desired through our website: www.MEIC.org/about/contact-us.
This article was published in the July 2024 issue of Down To Earth.
