Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Values
Feb 26, 2021 communities Kim Callinan Kim Callinan author
Last summer proved to be a profound inflection point for our country. The tragic and senseless deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and many others reminded us that the fundamental human and civil rights shared by many Americans are regrettably, not shared by all. While their deaths were shocking, they serve as a catalyst for us to review and reassess our values as an organization.
In 2018, members of our staff and Board of Directors drafted Compassion & Choices’ first ever Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) values statement. We believed then, as we do now, that it is critical for us to document the importance of DEI principles to our work. In light of the events in 2020 and the continued commitment to racial equity in 2021 and beyond, we decided it was time we revise and publicly recommit ourselves to the pursuit of equity and inclusion.
Our values statement is a roadmap towards empowering people and advocating for equitable end-of-life options for all Americans regardless of who they are, where they are from, who they love, or what they believe. When we talk about “ideas that make us stronger,” we are recognizing that the norms and attitudes of everyone, especially those from underserved communities, may be different. In order to honor and affirm those differences, we must be committed to listening and learning.
Our values statement goes far beyond symbolism to address these issues head on. That’s why we are continually creating programs and modifying our goals to meet the changing needs of people across the country. In line with this commitment, we are growing and evolving alongside and with our strategic plan. We are cognizant of the urgent need to address the health disparities in end-of-life care and planning for marginalized communities as well as the importance of advancing legislation to address equity in end-of-life care.
