Hi Friend,
I’m so honored to be writing to you today, as we at Children’s Home & Aid celebrate Black History Month.
I am Ellen Ross, the Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) here at Children’s Home & Aid. I wanted to reach out to you to introduce myself as we celebrate Black History Month. I came to this position after spending 10 years as a caseworker and supervisor in our foster care and child welfare programs, so I saw firsthand the impact institutional racism has on the children, youth and families we serve.
That is why I am so proud to lead our agency’s EDI efforts, along with a team of two other dedicated staff. Children’s Home & Aid has made a commitment to becoming an antiracist organization, starting with our own staff. As Director, my job is to support these efforts, as defined in the EDI Charter we developed back in 2019:
We believe as an agency we have a collective and individual responsibility to create equitable opportunity and an inclusive community where we actively adopt and embrace an antiracist culture; where we can be our authentic selves; where our differences are celebrated, respected and valued; and where our voices are supported, encouraged and hold influence in decision making.
The theme of the 2023 Black History Month is Black Resistance, celebrating the achievements that have been made by Black and African American people in the face of oppressive systems and tremendous barriers.
In programs and in our staff offices around Illinois, we are taking time to commemorate some of the greatest achievements of Black and African American people in our American history and our world – from inventors and innovators to civil rights activists and many more trailblazers in music, sports, the arts, sciences, education and philanthropy.
At Children’s Home & Aid, we partner with families and communities to dismantle systemic barriers and build a more equitable future where everyone has access to the resources and support to thrive.
If you have questions about Children’s Home & Aid’s EDI work, or how we are commemorating Black History month, please reach out to me by replying to this email – I would love to hear your thoughts!
Thank you for being part of Children’s Home & Aid’s family!
Best,
Ellen Ross