Our Commitment to Equity
We are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. To ROSE, equity means creating conditions that enable everyone to reach their full potential. We strive to make equity part of our everyday operations and embed it within our mission.
In order to advance equity, we engage under-represented communities as we make decisions and take action, while understanding history and considering how bias and oppression impact individuals, institutions, and systems.
Since ROSE organized in the early 1990s, our neighborhoods have evolved, becoming more racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse. Outer southeast Portland has been and continues to be home to immigrant and lower income communities who experience some of the greatest burdens of racism.
Racism and housing are linked throughout U.S. history. Racial discrimination led to redlining, which deprived people of color access to housing and wealth creation. Other public policies, like urban renewal, pushed out thousands from their homes. Discrimination persists despite passage of fair housing laws decades ago.
ROSE must continue to evolve, so that our people and actions reflect the ideals of community-led neighborhood revitalization. With that in mind, ROSE commits to addressing the root causes of disparities and displacement faced by our most marginalized and vulnerable communities by:
- Engaging under-represented communities and seeking input directly from the communities we serve
- Promoting a culture that de-centers whiteness, celebrates difference, enhances equitable communication, and nurtures relationship building
- Centering ROSE’s vision, leadership, and strategy around advancing and engaging in equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Ensuring that internal policies and practices impacting employment cultivate leadership and career development opportunities for staff
- Building strong community partnerships that promote equitable public policies
Operating and building equitable affordable housing that reduces further displacement
ROSE pledges to track the outcomes from our organizational Equity Plan and publicly report on our progress. We are invested in this process and recognize that it will be an ongoing journey.