Mission & Values
Our Mission
We aim to increase cultural competence in youth-serving organizations by equipping youth and adults to challenge the societal standards that uphold white supremacy.
Our Vision
We envision an anti-racist society with those in power and those most marginalized collectively working together to create systemic change.
Our Approach
Diversity Talks trains youth to lead conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion with adults in their communities. Our highly-trained youth and staff facilitators lead professional development workshops, seminars, and affinity groups for participants of all backgrounds and identities.
Our Values
Authenticity
We cherish our authenticity. We recognize we are all unique—bringing our own strengths, gifts, experiences, and assets to the table to better our work and forward our mission. We are unapologetic about who we are, we share our identities boldly, and we admit our limitations and vulnerabilities. We recognize that in order for this work to be sustainable, we must foster friendship and joy through sharing who we are and what makes us, us. It is in this way that we make others comfortable with being who they are too.
Courage
When we are being courageous, we lead with integrity, prioritizing our organizational identity over the preferences of power brokers. We name the truth, accept when things don’t work the way we hoped, and imaginatively forge a new path forward. We bravely initiate conversations with ourselves, our clients, our partners and our stakeholders that others may avoid, embracing discomfort, knowing that this is essential to growth and change.
Disruption of Power
We regularly disrupt power structures by pushing back on white supremacy culture in all we do. We are vigilant, and are not afraid to speak up when we observe systems of oppression replicating, even when that may challenge positional power holders. We also are transparent in our decision-making around partners, policies, and funders, recognizing that we must be true to our mission, even when there is risk.
Empathy
When we are practicing empathy, it means we are centering people in our practice, leading with grace, and prioritizing our connection. We embrace each other’s humanity, collectively celebrate our wins, and support one another through challenges. Our people are our power and we intentionally reinforce this core belief in the way we work together.
Personal Accountability
We are accountable to our team and the people we serve—our actions must match our words. This means taking responsibility for our work and our outcomes, recognizing that mistakes are an opportunity to become better. In order to be supportive to one another, we must be reliable, following through on our commitments and clear in our expectations for others to do the same. We know that becoming more effective means admitting hard lessons and changing course when necessary. Our goals are not more sacred than our intended outcomes.
Youth Leadership
Youth leaders are central to our mission, and their perspectives and experiences drive our decision-making because they are invaluable. Because we value youth leaders, we strive to include them in our daily work as co-conspirators and partners—providing them the space to lead and the tools and support to do so. We dismantle traditional power dynamics and position youth as valuable educators in this work.