Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Shifting and strengthening the power of proximate leaders at the forefront of social justice isn’t just about the work we do. It’s about who we are.
Why JEDI?
Everything we do starts with justice. Without it, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives appear equitable without actually working to dismantle the harmful power dynamics inherent in traditional philanthropy. Our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) is a commitment to action and accountability that helps shift resources and power to community leaders and organizations that have been historically denied both.
Our JEDI Principles
Our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) shapes our work — from the culture we build across our teams to how we approach social justice philanthropy, advise funders, and partner with changemakers.
Justice
We dismantle oppressive structures that act as barriers to resources and opportunities so that everyone can live a full and dignified life. This calls for removing barriers to achievement within the organization and ensuring that policies and practices are fair and human-centered.
Equity
We seek to recognize and remove implicit and explicit barriers and biases within procedures, processes, and distribution of resources. Tidesters believe in ensuring everyone has the information and resources they need to perform in their roles to the best of their abilities.
Diversity
We put intentional focus on groups who have been traditionally marginalized in dominant society. This means valuing the diversity of our teams and colleagues, and leaning into learning about other identities besides our own. Our collective diversity is an asset to organizational effectiveness because it compels us to integrate our varied backgrounds into our daily work.
Inclusion
Tides creates safe and welcoming environments in which every person can be and feel invited, respected, supported, and valued to fully participate. Our responsibility is to ensure that Tidesters feel safe enough to openly share concerns without fear of retaliation.
Our JEDI Commitment
JEDI is a journey, not a destination. Our commitment is to continue to develop partnerships through which we can shift and strengthen the power of communities historically denied power and direct the resources they need to make sustainable systems change a reality.
What does this look like in practice? Championing social justice philanthropy, mobilizing resources to support leaders positioned to serve communities historically denied power, supporting community-centered change, and working to develop clear JEDI indicators to hold ourselves accountable.
