G(irls)20 Equity Action Plan

June 2020 will be known for the month when communities around the world mobilized in support of #BlackLivesMatter. One crowdsourced map identifies 4,071 cities or towns in which a demonstration in support of the movement was held in July alone. 

The nonprofit sector has a unique role to play in this movement. Within the sector, discrimination is reproduced in various ways. Research has pointed out how Black, Indigenous and Women of Colour (“BIWOC”) are over-represented on the frontlines and not in leadership positions in the sector. When there are BIWOC leaders, they have less access to philanthropic dollars. 

As a nonprofit organization dedicated to the full participation of young women in leadership, G(irls)20 has an important role to play in removing systemic barriers facing the BIWOC in our network. We have taken this responsibility seriously in the past; using evaluation and participant-driven programming to be honest and reflective about the different barriers diverse young women will experience. 

Since June, we  have also spent more time reflecting on our work within the organization and identifying our own gaps. 

On June 4th, we committed on our social media channels to doing the work of examining our operations and programs and to better understanding how to support BIWOC in our organization. In that announcement, we noted:

G(irls)20 stands in solidarity with Black communities around the world. As an organization that promotes diversity & inclusion, we support the Black Lives Matter movement and all activists working to dismantle anti-Black racism.


We know it’s not an “American issue”. It’s not a “Canadian issue” either. Anti-Black racism is global. We have been fortunate to learn from Black female leaders from France, Brazil, Japan, and more to better understand the universality of institutional and structural racism.


This week, young women in our network are in pain. We are enraged alongside you and devastated with you. Right now, our approach is to listen, amplify the voices of Black leaders, and share resources that provide support.


In the coming weeks, we will highlight the work of young women in our community are doing to fight anti-Black racism.


In the coming months, we will examine and adjust our operations and programs to further amplify the voices of Black (as well as Indigenous) women.

While doing the slower, reflective work we also wanted to use our platform to rapidly mobilize. Since June, we have been amplifying the voices of black leaders (click here to read one blog post), provided a mental health workshop for our Black activists and advocates, and facilitated a closed-door conversation for Black program participants.  With feedback from our Black community members, we developed an action plan to adjust our operations and programs to address equity gaps. 

COMMUNITY FEEDBACK

G(irls)20 used past program evaluations and feedback from delegates and Young Directors to understand our gaps.  Here is a summary of the feedback we learned:  

  • Leadership: A representative and leadership figure who is a woman of colour is needed, who represents the organization, has regular contact with participants, and is aware of race and power dynamics present.

  • Support: A mental health practitioner and/or Elder on-site during programs who is able to support Black, Indigenous and/or women of colour dealing with imposter syndrome related to race and power dynamics. 

  • Address English privilege among delegates at the Summit. 

  • Additional equity measures when designing programs (e.g. additional provisions for Summit delegates who have to travel extensively, who cannot regularly access WiFi, etc.)

  • Boards participating in Girls on Boards must be vetted and educated to ensure they will not reproduce inequities towards Young Directors related to microaggressions, racism, sexism. 

  • Tools for Young Directors to challenge or navigate microaggressions, tokenism, racism, sexism, etc. on boards. 

ACTION PLAN

Our entire team (including Heather Barnabe, currently on maternity leave) and Board of Directors looked at the feedback received and played a role in developing an equity plan setting goals for the next 24 months. We determined G(irls)20 will take the following actions related to leadership, staffing, programs and communications. 

LEADERSHIP AND STAFFING

Timeline: 12-24 months

  • Ensure nominations of Black and Indigenous women onto the G(irls)20 Board of Directors

  • Build secession plans to ensure the leadership team at G(irls)20 is more diverse in the future

  • Organize anti-oppression/anti-racism training for all staff and board directors

  • Build better HR practices to recruit more BIPOC staff

PROGRAMS

Timeline: Immediate – 12 months

  • Provide additional support and assistance to delegates from more marginalized backgrounds

  • Hire mental health professional with anti-oppression framework for consistent, on-site support

  • Research and implement strategies to reduce power dynamics between “global north” and “global south”  

  • Consult on program design and delivery with advisory group of Ambassadors, ensuring representation from all regions and identities

  • Greater diversity among workshop facilitators (e.g. “Imposter Syndrome” workshop)

COMMUNICATIONS

Timeline: Immediate – 12 months

  • Consistently providing a platform to BIPOC program participants

  • Highlight Black and Indigenous role models and mental health professionals

  • Promote advocacy efforts of BIPOC community partners Provide 3 months’ lead time for participants and community partners to use G(irls)20 platform and to provide advice for important dates, such as: Black History Month, UN Indigenous People’s Day, National Indigenous History Month

Many of these action plan points are underway and we expect to have all points completed within a year’s time.  

The G(irls)20 Board of Directors and staff are committed to doing better for Black, Indigenous and women of colour through this approach. In the meantime, we thank the many young women from our community for their feedback as these changes will create better programs and a better organization for our community. 

Humbly,

The G(irls)20 Team:

Heather Barnabe, CEO

Miriam Buttu, Acting Co-CEO

Bailey Greenspon, Acting Co-CEO

Evelyn Chan

Taylor Piotrowski

Atifa Hasham

Almeera Khalid

Fora