Mission Met’s Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion, and Justice Journey
Our DEIJ journey is A process that will never end
Mission Met has always been committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice and incorporate those values in our strategic planning processes.
That said, prior to 2023 we hadn’t formally captured our approaches and beliefs in a documented DEIJ statement. Below we share our statement, how we crafted it, what actions we are taking, what we are learning, and related resources.
Thank you for being on the journey with us. This page will continually change as we learn, grow, and evolve.
DEIJ Statement
Recognizing the need for social change, Mission Met is a team united in our commitment to making a difference and co-creating a world where every person feels seen, heard, and valued. Our journey towards diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice is a shared movement that we undertake together – as individuals and as team members, with our communities and clients. We prioritize empathy and understanding, learning from one another's unique experiences and cultures. We are committed to lifting up marginalized communities and promoting justice, including, but not limited to persons with diverse abilities, gender identities, gender expressions, socioeconomic status, national origins, races or ethnicities, sexual orientations, neurodivergences, and veteran statuses. By embedding these principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into our work, we forge a more dynamic, inclusive, and robust organization which will have a more far-reaching impact upon the mission-driven leaders and organizations we serve.
Our Personal Commitments to DEIJ
The Mission Met team shares a strong personal commitment to DEIJ and each member brings unique experiences and insights into their work.
Erin Sykes’ journey in service-learning through City Year, alongside her efforts to promote LGBTQIA+ understanding in her church, underscores her passion for inclusivity and education. Eric Ryan's background, deeply rooted in a family legacy of service and shaped by personal experiences with family mental health challenges, teaching in rural minority communities, and academic pursuits related to environmental justice, highlights a life dedicated to uplifting the underserved through education and direct service. Megan Drapcho brings her experiences from working in rural and underrepresented communities in Ohio and Appalachia, including focusing on empowering first-generation college students, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, and actively addressing homelessness and poverty. Myk Reyes’ personal journey with bipolar disorder and advocacy for those with mental and developmental disabilities showcases his depth of understanding and compassion needed to support neurodivergent individuals effectively. Paul Lamb’s narrative ties these themes together, drawing from a rich family tradition of social justice activism and professional dedication to serving underserved communities, including gang-active youth and incarcerated adults. His efforts to understand and combat systemic injustices, alongside a commitment to learning and action, reflect a collective aspiration within our team to enact meaningful change.
Together, our stories illustrate a shared dedication to creating a more inclusive, equitable, and just society through various paths of advocacy, education, and direct support. We aim to transform our understanding and experiences into impactful action within their communities and beyond. Our individual DEIJ journeys run deep. Our collective journey has just begun. We will continue to learn.
Definitions
In order to do this work successfully, we need to all be saying the same thing. To that end, we’ve written basic definitions with more expansive explanations so the team is saying and meaning the same thing.
Diversity
A diverse team brings together people with different identities and qualities like:
Race
Gender
Sexual orientation
Religion
Ethnic background
Ability/disability
Language
Class
Diversity initiatives also look for people who have been (and currently are) underrepresented or marginalized in the field and in the community as a whole.
Equity
Equity helps tear down roadblocks. This requires more than simple changes and gets at the very policies, procedures, and processes of an organization.
Equity differs from equality in a few important ways. Equality focuses on the same treatment of every individual. In a perfect world, that’d be fine, but people operate within broken and unfair systems, especially those who have any sort of minority status.
Equity is more about helping all people reach the same level of success, even if that means disenfranchised people are given opportunities that help get them to the same places that majority groups have historically operated within.
Inclusion
While diversity and equity are proactive steps, inclusion is an outcome of those efforts. Inclusion gets accomplished when diverse people actually feel welcomed and experience a sense of belonging.
This includes not just the presence of diverse individuals but their voices being heard in important aspects of the business. Diverse groups of people should participate in decision-making conversations and have professional development opportunities or ongoing training available to them.
Inclusion only works when the people in our business get behind it. Policies and procedure changes, while good first steps, will not change the hearts of staff and leaders.
Justice
The concept of Justice goes beyond addressing inequity; it's about challenging the systems of privilege, power, and oppression. It means creating a fair and equitable system for all individuals.
Considering justice in our efforts means to address systemic inequalities and ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities and resources.
Justice has had a historical focus on punishment, but we seek to focus on accountability and restoration.
It is important to recognize that justice is not an isolated concept but rather it is interconnected with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Together, these four pillars provide a framework for creating a more just and equitable society where everyone has an equal chance to succeed.