We strive to be an anti-racist space, which we understand to mean one that is actively working to dismantle white supremacy culture and lift up the voices and insights of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color in our community. Guided by SVARA’s Justice & Equity committee we are committed to:
- donating 1% of our earned income each year to organizations and projects that lift up and center BIPOC identities
- building and deepening relationships with BIPOC SVARA-niks and members of the broader queer Jewish community to develop a pipeline of folks joining our learning community, the Teaching Kollel, and SVARA’s board
- creating a protocol for addressing racist acts and speech if and when they arise in our programs or through interpersonal interactions in our spaces
- creating a safety and security plan with built-in alternatives to policing that we will put into action when we gather again in person
- reviewing and updating our hiring practices to ensure that they are anti-racist and liberatory
- ongoing assessment and advancements to SVARA’s culture, policies, and programming
