Page 13 - Open Sky Annual Report 2020

Coping, Responding and Reimagining
Race Equity At Open Sky Community Services
For Open Sky the topic of race equity has assumed its rightful place as the top
priority for the agency. In the months following the death of George Floyd, Open Sky President and CEO Ken Bates held a series of listening sessions to learn more about what employees were thinking and feeling about the current state of race equity in the agency.
From these discussions, a central group of employees emerged, providing leadership and support for a Race Equity Assessment, conducted by Race Equity consultants Maria Latimore and Stewart Lanier.
The Assessment took place over three months and included interviews, focus groups and a survey of all staff. The results of the Assessment are in the process of being shared with all stakeholders and a Race Equity Design Team has been formed to develop strategies to address recommendations in the Assessment.
According to Ken Bates, President and CEO, he is firmly committed to Open Sky becoming an anti-racist organization, not only serving as a welcoming and inclusive employer and service provider, but also leading the way in ensuring that race equity is at the forefront of all that we do.
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