As part of our work with consultant Marcelo Bonta, he encouraged us to draft an inclusion statement. To some staff and board participants, the process initially felt superficial and unnecessary. Why spend time on word-smithing when there was so much more real and urgent work to be done? Once underway, however, the process proved invaluable, forcing us to stop and think about what inclusion truly means for River Network, identifying points of difference, and having difficult, but necessary, conversations.

“Marcelo’s facilitation helped us pinpoint, and work through, areas of anxiety and discomfort. When we found ourselves disagreeing about word choices, we stopped to explain the reasons behind our feelings. The process became less about finding the right words and more about addressing our assumptions. Something as simple as crafting an inclusion statement led us to a sense of deeper understanding of our shared goals and values.”

-Jumana Vasi, River Network Board Member

Read our definition of inclusion, and more about all our Core Values.