Background:

In 2016, the Office of Strategic Communications embarked on a concerted conversation about our commitment to advancing access and opportunity for all members of the university community. We were interested in what we could do to make this commitment a regular part of the way we do our work. We expressed a need to expand our perspectives and enhance our compassion and understanding for others’ experiences. That year, we each participated in an online Principles of Community course provided through the Learning Center. Later that year, we gathered collectively for an in-person, department-wide workshop and dialogue led by Mikael Villalobos, Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Campus and Community Relations.

We dedicated time during staff meetings in 2019 to conversations about what we learned in this workshop, in related readings and in our daily work.

By 2020, we were ready to move into a more active approach. We began by discussing our own values as a department, including how we wanted to interact with the UC Davis community at large. During a summer retreat, we outlined the beginnings of an action plan and committed to crafting an ally statement. The department continued to fine tune our action plan and ally statement over the rest of 2020.

What follows is our commitment to be intentional about our work.

We Are Allies

As employees, we are committed to practicing the Principles of Community in how we interact with one another, listen to each other, and in how we work to tell the broader stories about UC Davis.

We recognize that racism has led to systemic injustice and that social injustice more broadly has remained a core element in our society. We acknowledge that the land on which we work has been the home of Patwin people for thousands of years.

We appreciate that ideas can come from anyone and that diversity of perspective, background and experience is something we value and seek out. We strive to keep our work anchored in empathy while striving for excellence. We want our work to be accessible. We commit to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment. We aim to be a trusted partner in our work and interactions.

We will hold ourselves accountable for our actions. We may fail or falter at times, but we will be open to listening, learning and growing.

Overarching Goal:

Demonstrate our commitment by putting our values into action:

1. Improve our internal climate to improve interactions and develop a culture of mutual respect and inclusivity
2. Build stronger partnerships and collaboration within the department and externally
3. Evaluate progress and hold ourselves accountable

Steps:

• Within Strategic Communications:
  • Listen with intent to our communities to learn from all perspectives
  • Practice empathy
  • Be cognizant of the working climate and each of our roles in it
  • Identify opportunities to collaborate and build genuine relationships with our partners
  • Commit to pursuing opportunities to further learning about anti-racism, inclusion and history through ongoing training, reading, listening, etc.
  • Share lessons and best practices within our department
  • Review recruitment efforts to ensure we are reaching a broad set of audiences without discriminating against or giving preferential treatment to any individual or group
     
• For UC Davis:
  • Co-lead awareness campaigns around our Principles of Community, etc.
  • Co-create with our communities to ensure all perspectives are considered
  • Keep ourselves accountable by creating a more transparent presence online
  • Create video of our ally statement and our efforts to build an environment that is more inclusive and just
  • Share best practices of inclusive storytelling of other organizations
  • Tell stories that advancing access, opportunity, and institutional progress for all members of the UC Davis community