Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEI)
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
CWC LA schools are built on the belief that the diversity of our communities, and of the world at large, is necessary to develop true Citizens of the World. . Through targeted outreach and recruitment, our charter schools are intentionally designed to reflect their surrounding communities and the larger society in terms of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and all other forms of diversity, both seen and unseen. By learning, interacting and growing in a diverse setting, our students are preparing to thrive in the world around them.
At CWC Silver Lake, our students (starting as young as transitional kindergarten) experience our program to build these skills in a variety of contexts. Students engage in cross-cultural projects together, sharing perspectives from their own rich heritage.
Morning Meetings in elementary school or ROOTS classes in middle school might bring up a topic from the news so that students can process together and hear different points of view in a well-facilitated, safe environment. Our curriculum reaches into a variety of cultures for lessons, including social studies, the arts, science, readings, field trips, and the celebration of a multitude of holidays. CWC Silver Lake is committed to ensuring that our students, staff, and families are validated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to our community.
Regional Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Belonging
Our community has documented our commitment to DEI through the following vision statement and supporting documents. These definitions were developed through staff and caregiver community feedback. CWC’s regional Head of DEI will start in the 2022-23 school year. Regional staff and a DEI Leaders Council, made up of staff and caregivers from each school, meet regularly to discuss and actualize multi-year DEI goals, as well as outline annual priorities and initiatives.
Regional Multi-Year DEI Goals
Ensure all stakeholders feel a sense of belonging.
- Recruit, retain and provide leadership opportunities for diverse students, staff and families
- Ensure programs, people, processes and practices are accessible and equitable for all stakeholders
- Build the skill, will and capacity for all stakeholders to engage in DEIB learning, growth and development
Regional DEI Expansion Fund
The DEI Expansion Fund is an initiative to sustain and expand regional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments that will also scale and sustain our school communities’ DEI work. We hope to build on existing DEI investments and strategies across the region to amplify and deepen our work, as well as ensure our DEI priorities are funded on a multi-year horizon.
Example DEI Practices at CWC Silver Lake
DEI can look different with each school community. School leaders and staff work with students and caregivers to learn about, celebrate, and support diverse experiences and cultures.
Events and activities at CWC Silver Lake have included:
Champions for Change
This family-led volunteer group operates with equity, leaning on compassion and community to bring the mission and vision of CWC into practice to promote inclusion through caregiver workshops, trainings and immersive engagements that highlight our natural diversity.
In 2021, CWC Silver Lake’s Champions for Change hosted its first regional Latinx Heritage Festival!
Affinity & Accountability Spaces
Our staff has created student and caregiver spaces for advocacy and community and change. Affinity groups are a designated “safer space”, where everyone in that group shares a particular identity (based on race, gender, sexual orientation, language, nationality, etc.) Accountability groups are a learning space for members of dominant or privileged groups where participants are accountable to each other and the community for continuous progress on their individual and collective journeys to unlearn oppression.
