The third in an introductory series: equity
by Tim Herd, President
By that purposely provocative title, we mean that the People, Parks & Community Foundation works in matters that matter: creating more livable places and spaces for all people.
This short article addresses why we sanction multiple viewpoints and perspectives to enable everyone to enjoy the same access to quality public places, facilities, and programs that enrich their lives and their communities.
The first in this series defined our people-focused vision. The second addressed how we develop our social capital to empower change. This piece helps answer two questions you may consider before supporting the Foundation in a shared mission: 1. Why do we invest in equity-driven initiatives? 2. How can we together make a difference in people’s lives?
Everyone matters
“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”
― Jane Goodall
In the ecological sciences, it’s a foundational, life-sustaining principle: in diversity lies stability. Systems with diverse elements are more resistant to stresses and more resilient. They are able to withstand greater stresses because other components can compensate for the harm. The greater the diversity, the more durable and healthy its members are, and the more likely they all are to thrive.
The same diversity principle rules the functional success of many other realms. It applies in economics, where multiple industrial sectors and diversified portfolios protect it from collapse. It works in business, where diverse management teams innovate more often and outperform those with uniform groupthink. It relates in organizations, where those that are more inclusive have lower employee turnover, less operational costs, and higher productivity. And it pertains in society, where diverse perspectives of complex problems lead to more comprehensive and responsive problem solving.
So we affirm: everyone—in all our wondrous diversity—matters.
For our people, our parks, and our communities
“True to the very philosophy of public parks and recreation is the idea that all people—no matter where they come from, what they look like, the neighborhood they live in, or how they identify—have access to quality programs, facilities, places, and spaces that make their lives and communities great.” — National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)
The interrelated environmental, economic, social, healthful, and cultural components of a well-rounded park and recreation ecosystem produce extensive and resilient benefits for the greatest number and variety of people than any other approach to our modern quality-of-life issues.
To be relevant and effective in meeting the needs of our communities, we need to ensure that our facilities, programs, workforce, and leadership respects and reflects the diversity of those served, and are equitable, accessible, and welcoming to all people.
This, we recognize, is a grand and lofty statement; easier to assent to than to actually do.
It is, nonetheless, a grand and vital objective; worthy of the Foundation’s priorities and resources.
A community that prioritizes equity and inclusion of all people in its comprehensive services ensures that everyone will have welcoming, respectful, and safe access to what they need to thrive.
The Foundation supports equity-driven projects that improve our individual and collective wellbeing—and especially for those who are disadvantaged by public health threats, poor environmental conditions, or who are physically or socially isolated. Such of our number tend to have little voice in public decisions, but stand to benefit the most from the outcomes.
The benefit-filled outcomes of such equitable and inclusive matters include:
- growing trust between community members, service providers, and decision makers
- building community capacity through civic engagement and workforce development
- distributing funding more equitably across neighborhoods and jurisdictions
- creating more responsive parks and public spaces that reflect community needs
- fostering a sense of ownership and belonging of public lands and facilities
- decreasing potential unforeseen issues and conflicts
- improving the personal, environmental, economic, and social health of the community
- increasing neighborhood and community engagement in parks, public spaces, and other civic matters
An invitation
Everyone has a role to play in such worthy matters! If you have an interest in contributing toward equitable and inclusive community solutions on a local level—we invite you to help grow the Foundation’s capacity to improve our public lands, programs, and facilities that create positive differences in people’s lives. We ask you to consider giving a monthly or one-time tax-deductible gift to the Foundation, with our great gratitude!
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Thanks to the National Recreation and Park Association’s Community Engagement and Resource Guide for its resources in expressing this statement.