Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI)
EnCorps staff, with the support of our Executive Director, established the JEDI Working Group in June 2020 after the recurring unconscionable attacks amidst a pandemic that disproportionately impacted Black and Brown communities.
The JEDI Working Group isn’t a separate entity within EnCorps. A representative from each functional area is part of JEDI in order to inform decisions across the organization, from program development, tracking of impact data to hiring practices.
For EnCorps, words are not enough. We commit to:
- Evaluate the impact of our programs
- Understand the needs of students in under-resourced communities
- Identify how we can do better
We are committed to living by our beliefs and we know that the work of the JEDI Working Group will never be done. Please take a moment to review the Why of the JEDI Working Group, learn what Actions we’ve taken and what Goals we have set, as well as the Milestones achieved to date.
Meet the 2023-24 JEDI Working Group
Carolyn Fernandez
Los Angeles / Orange County Program Coordinator
Amy Kim
Executive Director
Ramiro Lobo
STEMx Tutor Coordinator
Ashley Josias Sejour
Recruiter
Our Why
EnCorps recognizes that systemic racism in this country is pervasive. We acknowledge that under-resourced communities are most often communities of color. And we believe that education is the single most powerful tool for breaking the cycle of generational poverty. That is why we are fully committed to our mission to end the inequities within STEM education. We understand that by supporting and celebrating young people from diverse backgrounds, we affect positive change for society as a whole. It is not enough to be an ally; we must be disruptors.* We aim to disrupt the biases, policies, and structures that perpetuate inequities, injustice, and hate; and we aim to elevate the tenets of inclusion, opportunity, and understanding.
*Dr. Sheldon Eakins, Leading Equity Center
Our Goals
Each year we set goals to ensure that our actions meet our Why. For the 2022-23 academic year, we have committed to the following and are on track to meet our goals.
DEI TRAINING
We provide on-going professional development opportunities for EnCorps Educators that focuses on providing students of all backgrounds with equitable opportunities in the classroom, such as Teaching to Meet the Needs of All Students, Framing Brave Conversations About Race and Ethnicity, and Teaching Strategies for a Culturally-Sustaining Pedagogy in Middle and High School STEM.
During Quarterly Meetings, EnCorps staff take part in training to develop a collaborative work environment where everyone feels heard.
- In January 2023, Dr. Eakins, founder of the Leading Equity Group, led EnCorps staff in a session entitled: High Performing Teams – Restorative and Courageous Conversation Strategies.
- In March 2023, staff took part in a JEDI Working Group-led Lunch & Learn to discuss How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race by Kwame Christian.
- In April 2023, the all-staff team retreat will be led by Emily Roh, Antiracist Coach, Facilitator and Principal of My Invisible Knapsack. The EnCorps leadership team and Emily Roh are developing the day in collaboration with all staff.
INTERNAL POLICIES
- We created communication channels that improve connection between remote-based employees and contribute to a culture of inclusion.
- We have formed subcommittees within the JEDI Working Group, to focus on community-supporting passion projects that better connect us with our school partners.
- We will have a Volunteer Day for each EnCorps Staff member to give back to the community in their own way.
- We created recruitment metrics tied to increasing diversity among our educators. We aim to recruit 50% educators of color.
BOARD DIVERSITY
EnCorps’ has a seven-member Board of Directors. In the 2022-23 academic year, EnCorps made a concerted effort to diversify its Board with the addition of three new members who identify as people of color and who understand the communities where our EnCorps Educators work. Meet Our Board.
SHARED VALUES
The application process includes discussion on the applicant’s views on diversity and inclusion to ensure that EnCorps Fellows and STEMx Tutors are aligned with EnCorps’ mission and visions. Read Who We Are for more information.
CELEBRATING STEM
We celebrate year-round the achievement of STEM professionals of all genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, and physical abilities on our social media channels. Follow Us on Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter
Our Milestones
Countering COVID-Caused Learning Loss
Our Program staff, all of whom are educators, acted with urgency to counter the negative impact of the pandemic in under-resourced communities. In September 2020, EnCorps piloted the STEMx Tutors program. The program matches STEM professionals and STEM college students with middle schoolers struggling in math. Volunteers virtually tutor students one hour, twice a week for a minimum of one semester.
As of the end of the 2022-23 academic year, the STEMx Tutors program had made a tremendous impact: 84% of the students in the program improved their math proficiency.
Expanding Our Reach
The national STEM teacher shortage is especially felt in under-resourced communities. In Spring 2023, EnCorps will expand its STEM Teachers Program work in the Greater Sacramento and Riverside areas by partnering with high-needs schools where EnCorps Fellows can complete their 10-week volunteer guest teaching in Fall 2024.
In 2022, we launched the EnCorps STEM Teachers Program in New York City with the collaboration of the New York Academy of Science (NYAS), following our launch with Denver Public Schools DSST in 2021.
To learn more, visit one of the following sections of our website:
