At Race Forward, we believe that a just, multiracial, democratic society is possible.
Achieving a just, multiracial, democratic society requires addressing structural racism in all its manifestations—policies, institutions, and culture—along with redefining and popularizing what that society truly looks like. It also requires harnessing our collective power to transform systems and culture so we can advance proactive and long-lasting solutions for equity and justice.
Our work is urgent. White Nationalism and other authoritarian movements are gaining power across the globe. They are stoking fear and division, particularly against people of color and those who are transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary. To counter these movements, we must be absolutely clear about our vision and how we will achieve it.
We embrace:
- Plurality—that our society is stronger because of our differences.
- Intersectionality—that we must focus on those most impacted by the intersections of oppression, including, but not limited to, structural racism.
- Equity and Justice as transformative elements that will lead us toward our vision of a just, multiracial, democratic society, in which people of color thrive with power and purpose.
We work within an ecosystem of social justice movements.
This well positions us to transform systems and culture to steward our vision into reality. To do this, we realize the interaction of four elements is needed to enact change and build the society we envision.
We Embrace:
Plurality
that our society is stronger because of our differences.
Intersectionality
that we must focus on those most impacted by the intersections of oppression, including, but not limited to, structural racism.
Equity and Justice
as transformative elements that will lead us toward our vision of a just, multiracial, democratic society, in which people of color thrive with power and purpose.
Race Forward, working within an ecosystem of social justice movements, is positioned to transform both systems and culture to steward our vision into reality.
We realize that we need the interaction of four elements to enact change and build the society we envision.
Our Theory of Change directs us to continually examine our work within a racial justice ecosystem.
Specifically, the ecosystem:
- Demands that we first learn from the people we work with and the environments we work in.
- Insists that we continually think about our role as a national intermediary, so we are positioned to contribute to and multiply efforts towards racial justice in a particular place.
- Informs how we think about collaboration across our organization and with organizations outside of Race Forward.
