United Way of Missoula County (UWMC) stands committed to the practice of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) in all of our endeavors.
We recognize that we currently occupy land stolen from the Selis (Salish), Ksanka (Kootenai), and Qlispe (Kalispel) peoples as well as many others who passed through and cared for this valley. Those original Indigenous inhabitants were forcibly removed and their family and community systems purposefully disrupted by acts of colonization.
We also acknowledge the resilience of those Indigenous peoples, their continued presence as our neighbors and community members and our commitment that UWMC is an organization that invites the membership, participation and leadership of Indigenous neighbors.
We further recognize the historical marginalization of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) folk in multiple incarnations and the impact this relegation has had and continues to have in the realization of our collective full potential.
Finally we acknowledge and recommit ourselves to our mission statement that reads: United Way of Missoula County brings people together to identify problems and craft creative, lasting solutions that change lives and build a stronger community for everyone.
To this end we resolve the following:
- To consult with members of the BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other historically marginalized and underrepresented groups in assessing UWMC policy impact and implementation issues
- To engage in thoroughly examined fair and equitable practices in the recruitment and selection of UWMC staff positions and Board Membership
- To support BIPOC LGBTQ+ and other historically marginalized and underrepresented groups through amplifying their voices in the manners in which they deem most appropriate
- To aid in providing and participating in multicultural learning opportunities between UWMC and impacted communities
- To ensure our list of community stakeholders includes BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrant and other historically marginalized and underrepresented groups, and that our programmatic initiatives are guided in part by BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrant and other historically marginalized and underrepresented groups and people with lived experience
- To recognize and operationalize the particular experience of BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other historically marginalized and underrepresented individuals in our three focus areas of health, education and financial stability
- To move forward via a transformative process that recognizes the historic trauma endured within BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other historically marginalized and underrepresented groups understand its impact, release the associated pain and ultimately transcend the damage
- To regularly (not less than every three years) evaluate, assess and review our core documents, policies and procedures through a JEDI lens in order to effectively gauge in which areas we have met success and which areas require improvement
- To develop and disseminate an annual “UWMC JEDI Report Card”
Updated in 2022
