Katz Amsterdam Foundation Racial Equity Commitment Statement

The Katz Amsterdam Foundation strives to be a catalyst for eliminating inequities, increasing access to opportunity, and improving outcomes for all. We believe that all members of our community are needed to build a future where justice, inclusion, and social-wellbeing are achieved in order to fulfill our commitment to:

• ensuring civic engagement;
• advancing reproductive justice; and
• improving mental and behavioral health.

As an organization, we are working to reinforce the alignment between our values and actions.

In order to advance racial equity, build trust, and pursue justice internally and externally, we acknowledge and are working to address:

• the inequitable history of our healthcare system and our democracy;
• the current practices in our culture that limit the voices, leadership, and participation of people and communities of color;
• the structural racism, systemic racism and oppression that is both historic and currently present in philanthropy; and
• how our Foundation was founded from a position of power and privilege and how that may impact our decision-making and operations.

Our recognition of systemic inequities must lead us to continually evaluate our policies and practices to determine if we are working towards:

• the democratic principles of equity and justice;
• identifying and addressing discrimination and barriers to access; and
• avoiding disproportionately high and adverse effects on communities and people of color.

Therefore, we are committed to:

• the just and equitable disbursement of resources and prioritizing practices that engender trust and transparency;
• building a culture of inclusion that is responsive to the needs of our grantee partners, staff, board, communities and collaborators of differing backgrounds and life experiences;
• implementing practices that reflect these commitments with intention and effort.

We recognize that as we implement these commitments there will be competing tensions that will need to be resolved in a way that honors our values and our stakeholders. Our work around this commitment is a long-term journey and we understand the significance of evaluating the impact of efforts over time and adjusting as needed to stay aligned with these commitments. Through a commitment to ongoing learning and change we can build a foundation that supports communities and ourselves to engage in the work of racial equity.