CEF’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Throughout our region and across our country, people face systemic disparities in educational experiences based on race, gender identity, socio-economic status, ability, citizenship and other identities.

Therefore, CEF’s mission to protect and enrich quality public education in Claremont must go hand-in-hand with our commitment to understanding and addressing these barriers to progress for all. From board member and employee recruitment to grant programs and community engagement, we intentionally focus on cultivating and advancing inclusive opportunities that improve our collective and individual lives.

We believe we best serve the Claremont Unified School District community when we value and embrace one another’s differences as a critical component to our shared success.

Organizationally, we will take action by:

• Embracing and encouraging differences in color, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, language, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, ability status, family or marital status, mental health, educational level or background, political affiliation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that can be identified as recognizing or illustrating diversity.
• Including diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at the center of our ongoing work.
• Striving for greater diversity within our board, committees, staff, and volunteers that reflect the community we live in, and working to ensure that we have a wide-range of voices and viewpoints represented in our program development and implementation, leadership, and strategic planning.
• Treating one another with dignity and respect in all activities. We are committed to a professional environment free from any form of harassment including physical, psychological, sexual, or verbal harassment.
• Approaching inclusion as lifelong learners, committed to examining personal beliefs and biases and continuously developing as members of an organization devoted to equity. Providing training for staff, board members, and board leadership to support this commitment.
• Seeking out and purchasing goods and services from diverse vendors.

In the community, we will take action by:

• Believing that each community member, donor, volunteer, advocate, board member and employee brings a unique perspective and experience to advance our mission.
• Recognizing and working to assess the systemic gaps that create inequity within Claremont public schools and collaborate with the Claremont Unified School District to develop and implement programs that help close those gaps.
• Supporting grant-making decisions that create equity and equal opportunity for all students and educators at all schools in Claremont.
• Hosting a broad range of fundraising events and programs accessible to all, and creating opportunities that remove barriers to entry.
• Cultivating and strengthening business partner relationships by inviting a broad representation of organizations — especially local, minority-owned businesses — to increase their involvement with us. This includes seeking out partner organizations that have adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices of their own.

We consider this a living document and recognize that our goals will continue to evolve as we seek to uphold the highest standard of diversity, equity and inclusion practices.