Five Takeaways from Fostering Belonging Through DEI with Eman Salem

On October 16th, a group of SVP Partners and staff gathered for an “Fostering Belonging Through DEI”  session with Eman Salem from IronSelf Consulting. It is part of SVP’s strategic plan to further embody equity in our work as a foundation, recognizing that without actively working to change the systems that hold societal inequities and inequalities in place, we aren’t fully enacting or working toward our vision of helping children and youth thrive. We want to ensure we are serving our community in the safest, most inclusive way possible.

Eman led us through a deep dive into the topic to understand the principles behind Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, the terminology used within this work, and explore how these principles apply to our work at SVP. As one participant put it, Eman led us through this work in a way that was both incredibly accessible and comfortable, but also just uncomfortable enough to know that we were really digging into it. 

We asked our partners to share a takeaway from the session and how it resonated with them personally: 

“My takeaway from the Intro to DEI session with Eman Salem was that some of the things SVP prides itself on: taking risks, innovation, partnerships, being okay with not being perfect, are very much embodied in the work of DEI. It is really clear to me how aligned this work is with what SVP does and wants to do. It’s really important that we do this work as an organization and as individuals. I encourage all partners to participate in DEI work.” – Nicole Geyer

“After this session, the principles behind diversity, equity, and inclusion feel more tangible and actionable. It feels like there are low-hanging fruit–easy, small changes we can think about, brainstorm, and easily make at SVP that would make a big difference. I feel ready and prepared to have conversations with others at SVP (partners and staff) about this.” – Meagan Sutton

“The key takeaway for me was how we can get started right away in reviewing and reframing some of our programs, practices and policies using a DEI lens, and how that can help SVP in better serving children and youth.  We can start with some small changes that can have a big impact.” – David Ferguson

“A takeaway from this session for me was that it is about the importance of belonging and how we can make changes to ensure that folks feel like they belong.  Furthermore, it showed how every SVP Partner, regardless of their background, experience, or business acumen, has something of value they can offer the SVP community.” – Ursula Bowditch

“I think what our small group learned about such an important topic and the need to understand and eliminate our unconscious biases is something that all Partners should be discussing and thinking about in support of the youth from many varied backgrounds that our Investees work directly with. I strongly encourage all Partners to attend one of these workshops the next time it is offered.” – Dan Bowditch

Are you interested in attending or hosting the next conversation like this? Get in touch!