Giving Compass' Take:

• Teach For All is a global organization that focuses on addressing the root causes of unequal outcomes for children. The authors share experiences working on DEI efforts in local contexts. 

• What do DEI efforts look like at your place of work or in your community? One of the four lessons stated is that diversity is less valuable without inclusion. How does inclusion play a substantial role in these types of community initiatives?

• Read about how funders can support diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Teach For All strives to develop the collective leadership needed to ensure that all children have the opportunity to fulfill their potential, by focusing on the root causes of unequal outcomes for children.

Teach For All also has undertaken significant efforts to ignite conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which affect every aspect of how the global network and organization operate—from attracting and retaining diverse staff to creating visions for student success hand-in-hand with families and communities.

The four most important lessons Teach For All has learned through this process are common at a global level, even though they rooted locally, with each community’s racial demographics and history being specific to its context.

  1. Define Equity Teach For All defines equity as removing the predictability of failure or success based on social background or factors. However, each partner in the network has grappled with what equity looks like within its local context.
  2. Value Lived Experience More Than Concepts Teach For All considers in its DEI work a definition of white supremacy as a system that places European beliefs, aesthetics, ways of working, social organization, and contributions above all others. Given white supremacy’s deep entrenchment and its role in creating the systemic barriers that children face today when it comes to their education and healthcare, DEI work requires its discussion.
  3. Center Local Voices Teach For All’s network partners engage in extensive relationship building, beginning with learning from families and community members about their histories, beliefs, assets, and aspirations for their children.
  4. Diversity is Insufficient Without Inclusion While it is important to have diverse voices at all levels of an organization, diversity is insufficient if marginalized people feel less valued or included, or do not have meaningful roles in decision-making and leadership.

Read the full article about DEI efforts by Anasstassia Baichorova & Samantha Williams at Stanford Social Innovation Review.