What is Equity?

by Vicki Sedlack, Executive Director of AEF

Equity is a word we hear a lot these days, even more so since the pandemic.

But what exactly is equity? How do we achieve it? And how do we know if we have?

It is easier to say what equity is not, and it is not equality. The illustration below is often used to make this distinction.

Photo courtesy of mentalfloss.com

But does this illustration truly depict equity? I don’t believe so because it seems to indicate that the inequity is because of an individual deficit (being short in this case), rather than a problem with the system (the fence).

A better representation might be the metaphor below by Tony Ruth.

Even here some may question whether fixing the inequitable system is enough or if we need to completely rebuild it. One thing is for sure: it is a lot to think about! And just when you think you have it figured out, you learn something new. But that may be the whole point –  that there is not a single solution or a final fix but instead a new way to think about things in our everyday lives and work.

At AEF, our staff and board are thinking about this, recognizing equity work to be a process that does not have a definitive end but one that provides a lens through which to make decisions and do our board and program work.

What does equity work look like?

To figure this out, our board and staff engaged in a months-long project where we developed a shared understanding of equity and a draft of guiding principles with a commitment to apply these to board and program work. Some of the changes so far include:

• Focusing teacher mini-grants on those most in need
• Working directly with Title I school sites to ensure the school supply needs of more students are met
• Increasing the accessibility of mental health care through community collaborations
• Building our enrichment after-school program to increase offerings at Title I sites, develop financial sponsorships, and contract with a diverse body of instructors
• Creating a new visual arts program showcasing a diversity of artists and art projects that holds up people of color as role models
• Exploring new collaborations with an intentional focus on prioritizing representation and inclusion

This is just the beginning, because once you put on equity lenses you see whole new ways of doing things that were not always apparent before. You see that depth of impact is more critical than breadth of reach. And that it is not always easy or popular. But it is something that I as Executive Director of AEF feel very strongly about. I am fortunate to have a board and staff on this journey with me.

We will see where it takes us and we hope you will join us.