Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Taskforce

If you’d like to join our mailing list, click here.

We organized and  protested from the Spring of 2020 until October of 2021 to give Ballard neighbors an opportunity to come together and express our solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.  We did not intend to compete with other actions and protests around Seattle. 

During the winter months we encourage you to read and reflect on the messages in our reading list.

The Sustainable Ballard DEI Taskforce needs you!

Sustainable Ballard DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Taskforce identifies ways that we can incorporate more BIPOC supports and ally activities into the organization. This group meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays over Zoom and would love some more members! Please e-mail Andrea Faste to be added to our taskforce list.

The DEI Taskforce is currently:

  • Following these groups now by reading their newsletters and calls for action: Black Lives Matter Seattle King County, WA BLM Alliance, King County Equity Now
  • Looking internally to see if there are ways to better welcome BIPOC Ballard residents into the organization and leadership
  • We have reviewed and amended our Sustainable Ballard Mission & Vision and our By-Laws for discriminatory language and policies and changed them as appropriate
  • We are working on posting more social media articles supporting local efforts and speaking out against instances of local racism.  For example, supporting King County Equity Now’s calls for action against Seattle Children’s Hospital’s history of discriminatory treatment of staff and patients.
  • We are looking at ways to integrate racial justice into existing Sustainable Ballard projects and/or to create policies for new projects that account for this.
  • We have created a list of Ballard area businesses that are BIPOC led to encourage patronizing, and a book and movies list of titles to increase our awareness of racism and anti-racist work
  • We are assembling a list of local BIPOC-lead organizations to support with your year-end giving

We have information from the NEO Law Group available at http://nonprofitlawblog.com/governance-documents-diversity-equity-inclusion-nonprofits/ that will be helpful, but first we have a lot of listening to do!

If you are interested in being part of this Taskforce, please email Andrea: andrea@sustainableballard.org.