An Initiative of the VOICES Network to Address Racial and Ethnic Disparities among America's Children
It is the vision of Voices for America’s Children that public policies at all levels of government—federal, state, and local—must further the positive and healthy development of all children in America. VOICES believes that realizing this goal means that all children are able to achieve their full potential in a society that endeavors to close opportunity gaps, while recognizing and valuing diversity.
VOICES Commitment to Racial Equity
As the only multi-issue child advocacy organization with a national network spanning 46 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands—VOICES Board of Trustees, leadership, and members are committed at all levels of government. In short, VOICES believes:
- All children have the right to the equal opportunities and resources in order to realize their full potential.
- Race and ethnicity matter independent of socio-economic concerns; almost every indicator of child and youth well-being shows troubling disparities that are disproportional by race and/or ethnicity, even when socio-economic status is taken into consideration.
- Disparities are often created and maintained both intentionally and inadvertently through policies and practices that contain barriers to opportunities. We call this structural racism. The economic, physical and emotional effects of structural racism can persist throughout the life span.
- Equity gaps can only be closed by intentionally focusing on race and structural racism.
VOICES as a National Leader on Racial Equity for Children
The conversation has already begun in communities across the nation, as close to a dozen VOICES members are addressing racial disparities in public policy analysis as well as their own organizational effectiveness. The foundation for this conversation is the Race Matters Toolkit , which was designed by The Annie E. Casey Foundation to help policymakers, advocates, and elected officials achieve better outcomes by providing more equitable opportunities for children of color. The Race Matters approach is based on the concept that policies and practices contribute to inequitable outcomes for children, families, and communities. The toolkit presents a specific point of view on addressing unequal opportunities by race and provides simple, results-oriented steps for conducting public policy analysis, taking an organization assessment, and examining communication strategies.
To learn more about the Race Matters Toolkit: