DIVERSITY, EQUITY + INCLUSION AT YESTERMORROW

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DIVERSITY, EQUITY + INCLUSION

2020 WAS A YEAR FOR INTROSPECTION. OUR STAFF AND BOARD INITIATED A SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS TO EXAMINE THE STEPS YESTERMORROW CAN TAKE TO BECOME A MORE INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATION. THE PROCESS IS OUTLINED BELOW BY RACHEL WYLIE, OUR STUDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR.

The Diversity, Equity + Inclusion statement and Indigenous Land Acknowledgement came from many conversations throughout the last year.

We at Yestermorrow felt it was important for us to make a supportive statement that is reflective of the culture and mission of Yestermorrow. Beyond expressing support and providing that culture with room to grow and evolve, we also wanted to show our commitment to taking real action to shift our school culture to greater inclusion and equity.

The Indigenous Lands Acknowledgment was written with structural guidance from articles online and examples from other organizations. It felt important to, however briefly, share some of the culture and history of the Abenaki people in Vermont. The final version reflects feedback from Judy Dow, a local Abenaki educator and friend of Yestermorrow.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement was written to be both timely and timeless, a statement to help hold us accountable to continuing to learn, evolve, and do better. It felt important to offer transparency of the steps we are taking to make Yestermorow a place where everyone - especially those historically harmed by systems of oppression - feel supported to thrive. The final Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement was crafted throughout many months and countless iterations, incorporating invaluable input from staff, board members, alumni and BIPOC colleagues.

As noted in the statement, it will evolve alongside the organization, and any feedback is welcome by using the online feedback form at bit.ly/DEI-YM or by scanning the accompanying QR Code. “We are committed to re-orienting this organization towards greater safety, equity, and opportunity for historically harmed, mistreated, and excluded groups...”

Scan the code to share your feedback.

STEPS WE ARE TAKING AS AN ORGANIZATION

Requiring Diversity, Equity & Inclusion training for our staff and board members. Revising our course welcome/orientation to include sharing our pronouns, indigenous land. acknowledgment, equity statement, and student feedback channels. Sending out our DEI and ILA statements to all students before arriving on campus, as well as reading the statements during class orientations. Providing multiple means for students to give feedback on their experience at the school so that we can address inequities immediately. Developing curriculum on racism in design and architecture, spatial justice, environmental justice and design justice. Developing and offering courses that incorporate two-eyed seeing, an equitable framework that brings together indigenous ways of knowing with scientific ways of knowing. Actively seeking BIPOC individuals to join our teaching team, board, staff, and student body. Supporting and, where appropriate, seeking membership with minority-led organizations. Growing the BIPOC scholarship fund to begin to address financial barriers. Uplifting and amplifying BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, and female voices through our online programming, social media, and on our website. Creating accountability to our commitment through regular DEI Committee meetings, which includes staff, board, and BIPOC friends of Yestermorrow.

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Yestermorrow is a leader in Design/Build education

in no small part thanks to the thousands of incredible individuals who have graced our campus. And yet, by not addressing systemic barriers to attending our programs, we have missed out on the creativity and brilliance of folks who have been targeted by the systems of oppression. That is why Yestermorrow is committed to intentionally centering, honoring, and integrating the presence and knowledge of Black, Indigenous, and all People of Color, and individuals from other marginalized communities. We believe that our mission to “inspire people to create a better, more sustainable world” is not possible without the valuable perspectives, lived experiences, energy, and resilience that these communities carry.

We are committed to re-orienting this organization towards greater safety, equity, and opportunity for historically harmed, mistreated, and excluded groups including BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, people with disabilities, and women. We also know that this commitment requires more than putting well-intentioned words on our website. It requires an internal reckoning, an examination of how structures of white supremacy, patriarchy, heteronormativity, and classism have influenced America in general and our organization in particular, and then actively working to dismantle and rebuild those structures.

We recognize that this will not happen immediately or even quickly. We know it will not be graceful or easy. We believe that by centering the knowledge, lived experiences, and brilliance of BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, and disabled leaders, educators, and students, we all benefit. We pledge to continue working on this for the entire ‘morrow’ of Yestermorrow.