Animal Friends Alliance continues to pursue our commitment to stand up for justice in Northern Colorado and the field of animal welfare and we continue to work to ensure our organization is a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone in our community. We made progress toward our goal of a more welcoming organization and a more just community since our last update in January 2021 and would like to provide a report on our most recent progress.
Accomplishments throughout 2021:
- Our JEDI Council coordinated organization-wide implicit bias training at our April all-staff meeting. The training, based on the Kirwin Implicit Bias Module Series, encouraged staff education, reflection, and provided resources about how implicit bias impacts animal welfare.
- Our JEDI Council created a library of resources for staff on topics related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, particularly as they relate to animal welfare.
- Our JEDI Council established vision and mission statements to guide the group’s focus and priorities. These are:
Mission: We value diversity and promote justice, equity, and inclusivity within our organization, community, and industry. We raise the voices of animals and people and remove barriers through conversation, education, and implementation of positive change.
Vision: Animal Friends Alliance is a welcoming resource where every person feels valued, cared for and respected.
- Animal Friends Alliance improved internal communication with and access to JEDI Council by creating a JEDI Council email address, soliciting anonymous feedback at our October all-staff meeting, providing regular staff updates, and inviting all staff to join meetings virtually.
Next steps for 2022:
- Increasing training and cultural education for staff
- Creating communication guidance for staff
We welcome feedback on how we can do better and will continue to inform our community of our progress, goals and vision. You can email feedback to jedi@savinganimalstoday.org. We are so grateful to be part of a community that supports our ongoing dedication to ensure that every person is welcomed and included at Animal Friends Alliance.