Cultural Responsiveness Training
Why This Work is Important
Systemic racism, also called structural racism, is embedded in our economic and social systems including government, criminal justice, education, and nonprofits. In Black, indigenous and other communities of color (BIPOC), we must have democratic and equitable systems where the experiences of all people are valued, where their lives are respected, and their contributions are encouraged – not dismissed, stifled, or controlled.
Racial disparities in the nonprofit sector contribute to the perpetuation of poor outcomes and ongoing disparities in BIPOC a fact magnified by recent social and systemic events. Stronger accountability is needed among mainstream organizations in terms of how well they are serving communities of color, with a heightened emphasis on the cultural responsiveness of the entire organization.
What We Do
Cultural Responsiveness programming supports organizations with training, facilitation and consultation to build understanding and capacity. We focus on racial equity and cultural responsiveness integrated into the community engagement, service delivery, workplace culture, policies and practices, data collection and evaluation mechanisms of organizations, all in support of mission success.
While our program focuses on the many intersections of marginalized populations, our immediate efforts focus on Anti-Black Racism and how it has systemically contributed to poor outcomes for BIPOC. We strongly believe that the root of all racism and oppression is centered in Anti-Black Racism. Therefore, an intentional focus on improving outcomes for Black people will subsequently disrupt other types of racism and marginalization, improving outcomes for everyone.
Who We Serve
Our Cultural Responsiveness program works with nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and businesses who seek to improve their ability to employ, engage and serve communities of color in ways that are respectful of and relevant to their unique needs.
Training Sessions
We partner with Advocates for Action, a Black, women-owned consulting firm, to produce our programs that include:
Introduction to Cultural Responsiveness
Build a baseline of knowledge to create a shared vision and common language to normalize conversations of race, equity and cultural responsiveness within the organization.
Leading from a Racial Equity Lens: Five Strategies to Begin Racial Equity Work
To build an organizational culture that embraces racial equity, leaders must set the tone and drive progress of the work. This course is designed for leaders who are beginning their work around racial equity and cultural responsiveness. Education focuses on helping organizations identify what they need to create the conditions for adopting equitable strategies.
Power, Privilege & Responsibility
Interested in exploring your relationship to power and privilege, abuse of power and historical oppression within white-led organizations? This session examines how the social construction of race contributes to negative outcomes for communities of color. Participants learn to develop racial stamina in order to be effective allies in racial equity work, understanding that we did not choose this system, but we have a responsibility to address it within our organizations.
Facilitation
We are available to support internal meetings and community convenings centered around equitable best practices in planning and service delivery.
Consultation
Hire us to lead your team through a planning process, build training programs, integrate racial equity into policies and procedures. We provide executive coaching and organizational development to help align the staff culture, financial structure, program priorities, and strengths of the organization.
For more information on Impact Foundry’s Cultural Responsiveness portfolio: