Our mission to provide supports and advocate in every manner possible for people who have intellectual and other developmental disabilities is best fulfilled when we embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as a value and a practice throughout The Arc New York. The value of diversity, equity and inclusion extends beyond the people we support to their families, our employees, our leadership, our management and our governing bodies. The Arc New York will make it part of its mission to take appropriate measures and actions to move positively towards achieving diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we are and do.
It is The Arc New York’s position that:
- We must foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment that is responsive to the interests, and needs of the diversity of people who reside in New York. This may include but is not limited to race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, language spoken or method of communication;
- No person should be defined by a single attribute or characteristic, but rather by the sum or combination/ intersection of their unique qualities and life experiences;
- Every effort will be made to incorporate culturally and linguistically competent policies, structures, and practices in all components of the organization (e.g. supports, programs, operational structure, leadership, staff, and governance);
- Individualized supports require the capacity to respond to cultural diversity. This may include but is not limited to race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, language spoken or method of communication;
- Culturally and linguistically competent (the ability to understand difference across cultures and languages) approaches, procedures, and assessments are used to determine supports and services;
- We respect, value, and celebrate the unique attributes, characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives of all our members and recognize that historically marginalized viewpoints enrich the entire organization;
- We are committed to expand the cultural competence of leadership and staff with regard to difference in cultures, languages, and other methods of communication.
