Pledge of Anti-Racism

At Abode, we believe that homelessness is inextricably linked to structural racism. This pledge outlines our commitment to ensure that, in support of our staff and our participants, our work to end homelessness is also a fight against racism.

FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS BY FIGHTING RACISM

We acknowledge:

  • People of color experience homelessness at disproportionate rates.

  • Homelessness is inextricably linked to structural racism, as people of color have historically been denied many of the

    housing and financial resources and opportunities afforded to white people, and they face numerous other barriers

    in education, employment, housing, and criminal justice systems.

  • Systems of care for homeless people reflect racial bias, showing that even though households of color are more

    likely to be homeless, white households experiencing homelessness are more likely to get housed.

  • A system may have discriminatory or racist effects, even when it was not designed specifically to discriminate.

  • The participants of color we serve have likely experienced the compounding effects of racism and trauma and

    serving them effectively requires acknowledging those experiences.

  • Racism, discrimination, bias, and privilege exist, and gravely and negatively affect the lives of Abode employees.

  • Racial and cultural diversity among staff are of tremendous value and allow us to serve our community better.


We pledge to:

  • Gather a deeper understanding of the people of color we serve by elevating their voices in agency leadership and decision-making and listening to their input with humility.

  • Critically examine our program outcomes by race and ethnicity to determine if and where bias and discrimination exists with respect to access and outcomes.

  • Restructure and redesign programs and interventions to address racial bias, continually monitoring for improvement, and adjusting accordingly.

  • Engage with partner agencies to inspire them to fight racism with us.

  • Review how our funding sources impact the people we serve and how we serve them.

  • Commit to this work on a long-term and ongoing basis and acknowledge that this depth of change takes time and continual training, investment, and reinforcement.

  • Discuss racism openly, providing channels for employees to have courageous and honest conversations.