Our mission and our vision compel us to put diversity, equity, and inclusion first as we deepen our commitment to shaping a more equitable and just world in which evidence drives decisions for global impact.
Planning for the future often calls us to look to the past for guidance, and for many people, the experiences of last year brought the pervasive issues of systematic inequities and injustices into sharper focus. The global pandemic challenged our way of doing and being, impacting all facets of our personal and professional lives. It exposed racial health inequalities and the complex structures and systems in place that reinforce them. It called on us to better understand and learn from the challenges of racial injustice and to expand our view to include more and different ways of thinking about and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. And it raised the important question of how we become more engaged in addressing the critical social issues impacting our Mathematica colleagues, our partners, and the communities we serve.
The events of last year affected individuals in vastly different ways and brought to light the role that lived experiences play in the ways that we adapt—as individuals and as an organization. We are immensely proud of and humbled by the many ways that our colleagues came together to collaborate and support one another. And although it was a difficult year, we grew in our respect for one another and our resolve to work and lead with empathy, compassion, and flexibility, while respecting and valuing each other’s experiences and perspectives.
Throughout April, as part of Celebrate Diversity Month, we’re honoring the richness of our diversity as our greatest asset by featuring online content designed to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion through reflection, discussion, and sharing.
This post is just the start of that conversation. Throughout April, we invite you to learn more about:
- How our diversity, equity, and inclusion journey is changing who we are; how we relate to each other, our partners, and our communities; and how we approach our work
- The passionate people who bring their lived experiences to strengthen our work
- The importance of inclusive language in creating a workplace that fully welcomes and respects our transgender and nonbinary colleagues
We also encourage you to watch for upcoming reflections and conversations later this month and beyond:
- How our vision for the future requires us to advance equity and social justice through changes in the workforce, in the field, and in the research process
- The role that climate change is playing in exacerbating health inequities
- Ways we can deliver on the promise of diversity, equity, and inclusion in policy research
- What philanthropic leaders can teach the research community and others about both equity and evidence
We understand that diversity, equity, inclusion, and resiliency together form the cornerstone of what makes us better and stronger as individuals, and more impactful as an organization. But we also understand that being committed is not enough. Putting our commitment into action, sharing our progress along the way, and encouraging our partners and other stakeholders to hold us accountable are important parts of our journey. So, this Celebrate Diversity Month, we’ll pause to reflect on our progress. But more than anything, we’ll recommit ourselves to the hard work ahead.
