Adopting a DEI Lens: Moving from Organizational Learning to Action

Continuing AFN's emphasis on helping Network members to strengthen their inclusive practices throughout all aspects of their organizations, AFN presented a speaker event on June 21,2022, featuring Anna Cruz, Managing Director of Strategic Learning, Research, & Evaluation at The Kresge Foundation. The Kresge Foundation is a national foundation that works to expand opportunities in America's cities through grant-making and social investing in arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, and community development. 

During this members-only speaker event, Anna conveyed the story of how Kresge moved its internal DEI work from a place of learning to action. Both leadership and staff have had clear roles to play in implementing their “heads, heart, and hand” philosophy and adopting their 5-part “organizing framework" for making and tracking institutional DEI commitments. Spearheading Kresge's internal Equity Task Force and their grant-making racial equity baseline project since 2020, Anna was well equipped to review learnings about how to gather organizational data that illuminate biases in processes and decision-making. She also reflected on how place and class intersect with race when we consider using our role as funders to overcome disparities.