Racial Equity

Racial Equity and Carpenter’s Shelter

In our mission to support people experiencing homelessness, Carpenter’s Shelter recognizes the impact of racial inequity on housing stability. As a result, we commit to providing shelter, guidance, education, and advocacy that is… 

  • ROOTED in our location and history: Prior to the Civil War, the City of Alexandria hosted one of the largest slave-trading operations in America. The story of profound, traumatic homelessness is our story.
  • ANCHORED in context: Homelessness is an outcome of racist policies. Lending and hiring discrimination; redlining; income, wealth, and home ownership gaps; over-policing of black communities; criminal sentencing disparities; immigration restrictions; limited access to medical and mental health care; and social network impoverishment increase the vulnerability to homelessness of people of color.
  • DRIVEN by concrete change at every level: 
    • As Individuals: We will engage in ongoing self-reflection, conversation, and professional development. We will continue to serve and empower every person in need of our services.
    • As an Organization: We will examine our procedures and data with a racial equity lens, recruit and elevate diverse staff and board members, invest in businesses led by people of color when possible, and continually center the issue of racial equity in all that we do.
    • As a Community Leader: We will expand our advocacy work to better address systemic racism through building partnerships and coalitions that focus on racial equity, using our privilege and position within our community to further social justice.

With intentionality, accountability, and action, Carpenter’s Shelter will pursue racial equity in the City of Alexandria. We remain humble and dedicated to the journey ahead as we stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and all those who fight for justice.

Carpenter’s Shelter Board Belief Statement

 

 

We invite you to learn more:

Watch this excellent video to understand the historic racial inequity faced by many of our clients.

Systemic racism is defined in this series of short videos. 

Please check out our Racial Equity Learning Series Compilation.

 

 

Image credit: Interaction Institute for Social Change | Artist: Angus Maguire