“Why” Equity
The Longmont Community Foundation is committed to creating an environment that is
inclusive, respectful, and equitable. A racially and ethnically diverse community is stronger
because everyone has an opportunity to prosper. The Longmont Community Foundation has a
sense of responsibility to build trust, repair historical harm, and help others understand how
race relations impact the community. The Longmont Community Foundation recognizes the
need to expand its focus in the future and will add other marginalized populations to its
priorities.
Definition of Equity
Equity is an approach whereby all people – including those who bear the burden of historical
and contemporary forms of marginalization, whether intentional or unintentional – have equal
access to opportunities to define and achieve goals. Equity is different from diversity and
inclusion. Diversity is the presence of differences within a specific context. Inclusion is about
people with diverse identities being valued and welcomed. Equity acknowledges unequal
starting places and addresses unequal needs, conditions, and positions of people and
communities created by institutional and structural barriers.
Equity Statement
The Longmont Community Foundation strives to improve life in the St. Vrain Valley through
philanthropy and charitable leadership. We acknowledge that to meet our mission fully, we
must address the barriers that exist for those marginalized in our community—because of race
and ethnicity—and commit to examining these barriers as well as ways our foundation’s work
can repair, heal, and renew communities to be places where diversity, inclusion, and belonging
is the norm and where equity, in all its forms, is the outcome. That commitment begins inside
our organization. We welcome difficult conversations and commit to learning how to improve.
Equity Initiatives
Learn more about our equity efforts in our Community Equity Audit Final Report
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LOCAL LIVES is a collection of stories from our neighbors in the Longmont community, assembled into a documentary series that paints small, framed portraits of their lives and experiences. These stories are personal, powerful, and pertinent – human stories – and they all come from right next door!