The Mind Trust Launches Equity Cohorts
(photo courtesy of The Mind Trust)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based The Mind Trust has launched Equity Cohorts with two tracks for nonprofit organizations and schools. The education nonprofit says Beloved Community will lead cohort participants in training on diversity, equity, and inclusion and support each organization with creating a three-year plan to put their commitments into action.
Beloved Community is a nonprofit consulting firm that implements regional, sustainable solutions for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Equity Cohorts give our city’s nonprofit and school communities an opportunity to examine the ways we can take actionable steps to live out our commitments to antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Patrick Jones, senior vice president of Leadership and Equity at The Mind Trust. “Dismantling oppressive systems cannot be done in silos. Equity Cohorts help us build a community that can work together to create real, systemic change in our schools, neighborhoods, and city.”
During the 10-month experience, The Mind Trust says participants will complete Beloved Community’s Equity Audit, examine bias in talent practices, and build capacity to lead their organizations’ work.
This Equity at Work Cohort will build capacity for participants to successfully implement the structural changes that lead to an equitable environment and practices for their entire staff and the people they serve. Each organization has a group of several team members participating in the cohort training.
“Through the Equity in Schools cohort, we are auditing current policies and practices through a more focused lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure that the next 20 years, and beyond, strengthen those tenets and help us build a more inclusive, more welcoming school culture,” said Loryn Venekamp, principal of Irvington Community Middle School.
The cohort is launching with six local school and school network participants, including Cold Spring School, Global Preparatory Academy, Irvington Community Schools, Neighborhood Charter Network, Purdue Polytechnic High Schools and United Schools of Indianapolis.
The Equity at Work cohort has launched with six local nonprofit organization participants, including Girls Inc. of Indianapolis, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, Relay Graduate School of Education Indianapolis, Stand for Children Indiana, Teach For America Indianapolis and The Mind Trust.
Beloved Community is delivering training for both cohorts. The Mind Trust says it is also partnering with Beloved Community to provide training for Innovation and Charter School Fellows to build their capacity and knowledge of DEI in the context of launching and leading a school.