Hygiene Bank Association™ First Ever Expert Speaker Series, “Equity & Diversity in Program Planning”
The Hygiene Bank Association™ recently hosted our first ever Expert Speaker Series, one of the many educational benefits that come along with being a certified HBA member. Our first Expert Speaker featured Shakirah Simley, a writer, seasoned organizer, and community development and policy strategist with over fifteen years of experience working on social justice and equity issues.
Shakirah shared her expertise and discussed her experience as the Inaugural Director of the Department of Racial Equity in San Francisco including establishing the department, addressing internal equity issues, and her work as the Executive Director of Booker T. Washington Community Service Center.
Members were invited to join the interview between Shakirah and Simply the Basics, which provided valuable information and strategies for how to ensure programming is developed and evaluated with a lens on racial equity.
You can not have external equity if you do not have internal equity
One of the key takeaways was what success looks like for an organization with racial equity at its core, including less turnover, engaged and productive staff, positive outcomes for those served, no racial equity gaps in operational processes, and a communication strategy rooted in authenticity and inclusivity. We also emphasized the importance of safety, inclusion, and belonging for employees and those served. As Shakirah shared, “We cannot afford not to”.
Racial equity should be at the core and center of mission, theory of change, strategic planning process, fund development process, program plans, service modules, evaluation metrics, hiring and onboarding, and staff training.
We are so grateful to Shakirah for providing her time and expertise and by implementing the strategies and insights shared, we can continue to create programs that are inclusive, supportive, and effective for all participants and staff.
We are excited that the Hygiene Bank Association is in full swing and we can’t wait for the second talk in our HBA Expert Speaker Series on the topic of “Power of Relationships” with Kevin Adler in August, 2023.
If you interested in learning more about becoming a Member of the Hygiene Bank Association, please reach out to Simply the Basics or visit our HBA Page HEREs://www.simplythebasics.org/hygiene-bank-association.