BoardSource Blog: Lessons From a Cross-Racial Team About Building Belonging

Just diversity, or recruiting board members from different racial backgrounds alone, is not enough. Boards of historically white-led organizations must do more to intentionally work to build diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into board culture

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Four racially diverse adults - two men and two women standing side by side look off into the distance

 The need for board guidance and support with regards to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) has been steadily growing over the years.  The majority of boards are committed to understanding the diversity of the community it serves yet have not been able to raise their awareness and understanding of the relevance of racial inequality to the organization’s mission.

There is no longer a choice. The world is changing and to stay relevant, ethical, and just, nonprofits have a responsibility to look inwards and critique their leadership, positions in the community, and poor behavior when it comes to building trust with People of Color. This includes board members, staff, volunteers, donors, and clients.

Learn more about what boards should do once they recognize that their practices and cultures are out-of-sync with new realities

Published on

June 5, 2024