Project Avary’s Statement on Diversity & Inclusion:

Project Avary is committed to the wellbeing of the children and families of incarcerated individuals.  Our families reflect the diversity of our region, and we recognize the disproportionate incarceration of BIPOC locally and nationally.   The families we serve live that reality.  Avary remains dedicated to cultural humility as we focus to meet the needs of our families.

We have a long commitment to respecting the cultures of our families, which is often embedded into the “Avary culture” that promotes the dignity and uniqueness of our children.

We build our staff around those who have a passion for our mission, as well as their skills in working with our children and families, and the needs of our organization.  Our hiring process is focused in providing a familiar environment for our kids but also access to a diverse set of experiences. Our Board of Directors is formalizing our commitment to recruiting and retaining Board Members who represent our diversity goals, who can speak to the experiences of our families while bringing the needed capacities for outreach, fiduciary responsibility and understanding of program needs.

Our practices include partnerships with local community organizations, elevating our youth to leadership positions as they mature through the program, creating welcoming opportunities for feedback from staff on their experiences, and honoring the many voices and visions of our Board Members.  Project Avary understands that organizations thrive when all voices are important and respected.

Land Acknowledgment:

As we gather together across the Bay Area, Project Avary acknowledges the original inhabitants of this area, both past and present, and honors with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. We are on the traditional land of:

• In Marin & Sonoma: The Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (The Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo groups)

• In San Francisco: The Ranaytush Ohlone & the Muwekma Ohlone

• In the East Bay: The Muwekma Ohlone & Chochenyo

We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we revere their sacred spiritual connection to both the land and water. We make this acknowledgement as a first step in fulfilling our responsibility to critically look at colonial histories and their present-day implications . Please take a moment to honor these ancestral grounds and celebrate the strength and resilience all indigenous people have shown worldwide.