UNAVCO's Statement on Equity, Inclusion, and Racial Justice

Written by UNAVCO staff
15 June 2020

Dear UNAVCO Community:

In light of the recent events that dramatically illuminate the inequities of our country, the staff of UNAVCO reaffirm our values and share actions we are planning to address inclusion. This means taking a hard look at our current organization and culture. We oppose racism in any form, and stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. We believe that the potential of human communities is best realized by bringing together diverse perspectives and diverse talents, including those of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color, people of all gender and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities. We seek to do this in advancing our goal of understanding the planet that we all share, and we commit to improving access to science and scientific support for all people.

We recognize that we have a long way to go. There are too few people of color in STEM fields, and Earth sciences are among the least diverse of all. At UNAVCO, we will do better to be more equitable and inclusive as well as more just in our practices. Our highest priorities for action include:

• Changing our hiring process to better recruit and employ workers from diverse backgrounds and perspectives,
• Making our employment practices and policies more transparent to everyone,
• Modifying how we work to accommodate different kinds of workers and lives, such as by allowing flexible hours, flexible locations, and more training and professional development,
• Building and reinforcing a corporate culture where differences are respected by undertaking a work culture assessment and establishing a diversity committee,
• Thinking creatively about how to maximize access to and use of our infrastructure and data products by underrepresented and undersupported groups, and
• Continuing our efforts to support existing community members and engage new ones through technical support, training, internship programs, community engagement, and innovative partnerships.

As members of the UNAVCO community, please join us in striving toward a better world. We are here to support you. Connect with us and share your perspectives: community@unavco.org.

This message was written by all UNAVCO staff collaboratively.