Foothills Blog

DEI Committee Work at Foothills

As part of our continued efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion at Foothills, the Faculty DEI Committee (pictured here) has been hard at work this year helping to build belonging at our school. Those who know our spaces and people well, share a sense of closeness that we’re told is palpable. This Spring, the committee’s attention turned outward as well.

We embarked on reviewing our outward-facing media tools to evaluate how what is posted to our friends and neighbors in the community reflects the authentic work we do in the school to build a sense of belonging for students, families, faculty, staff, and visitors.

The team compared the message our media tells with the values we distilled from our DEI Statement, which states:

--We believe in diversity

--Our learning environment is equitable and safe

--A Foothills education promotes acceptance and appreciation

--Individuals feel included and respected

--Individuals are able to express their opinions and learn from others' perspectives

--Students develop the skills and attitudes to understand each other and act with justice and compassion

What we discovered is that we are being intentional in our work and we still have a ways to go to make our powerful message visible. One member shared, “I feel grateful for the safe space that has been created within the DEI Committee to authentically grow and be helpful in this work. We started our meetings choosing to be vulnerable, admitting we have much to learn, and agreeing that growth and change needed to happen. We stumbled and paused a lot. We were kind and forgiving, and trust was created while ideas surfaced. Risk-taking and discomfort led to reflection and leaning in. Then we were able to challenge each other and be honest. The tasks we have taken on are only the beginning.”