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Race & Social Justice

Solid Ground’s race and social justice efforts build on the understanding that undoing poverty means undoing racism and other oppressions.

Solid Ground’s Land Acknowledgement & Resources for Deeper Engagement

Why we’re dedicated to race and social justice

Over half of the people Solid Ground serves are people of color. Many face challenges as a direct result of institutional racism: housing discrimination, benefits denial, predatory lending, employment barriers, and disparities in the education and criminal justice systems. Simply put: we can’t be an effective anti-poverty organization without tackling racism!

Square infographic with purple and lavender header backgrounds above red, blue, orange, and olive green hands overlapping, and Solid Ground's logo. Text reads UNDOING RACISM: Connections between race and poverty... and what we can do about it.Racism & intersectionality of oppressions

Our work to undo oppressions starts with racism, because throughout our country’s history, Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) have experienced a different United States than that of white dominant culture. Still, our approach is intersectional. We look at the impacts of all forms of oppression, including but not limited to: sexism, ableism, genderism, homophobia, and others. We acknowledge and respect that everyone has multiple social identities, which complicate, inform, and often compound each individual’s experience of poverty.

What we’re doing about it

Through Solid Ground’s Anti-Racism Initiative launched in 2001, we identify conditions that lead to inequities and work to undo them – both internally at Solid Ground and in the broader community. Together we identify, learn about, and connect the policies and systems that perpetuate poverty and racism to the lives of our program participants and in our day-to-day work.

  • Anti-racism workshops, work groups, caucuses, affinity groups, and individual goal setting support staff in doing this work.
  • We listen to and honor input from people we serve; we believe in and trust their experience. We listen through our Community Needs Assessment, Poverty Action Listening Sessions, Community Accountability Council, and other means. The three-fold structure of our Board of Directors gives people with lived experience of poverty and oppression decision-making power in the organization.
  • Solid Ground’s hiring panels all have racial/ethnic diversity and include both management and frontline staff. We ask potential candidates values-based questions about poverty and racism during their interviews, such as “What are the root causes of poverty?”
  • Our advocacy work focuses on removing service system and policy barriers that people of color and low-income communities face. We support people to share their experiences with those in power to advocate for equitable policies.
Collaborating for justice in our broader community

No one organization can end poverty or undo racism and other oppressions on its own. We develop strong collaborations with individuals, partner agencies, and coalitions to build movements that make our community stronger for everyone.

We join with NPARC (Non-Profit Anti-Racism Coalition), the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), King County Equity & Social Justice, the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Planning for Equity network, the Social Justice Film Festival, Seattle Arts & Lectures, and others in doing and promoting anti-racism work.

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People often ask us what they can do to get involved in making change – so we compiled this Undoing Racism Brochure to provide some resources and suggestions.

Contact

For more information on Solid Ground’s Race & Social Justice work, contact us at antiracism@solid-ground.org.

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Square infographic with purple and lavender header backgrounds above red, blue, orange, and olive green hands overlapping, and Solid Ground's logo. Text reads UNDOING RACISM: Connections between race and poverty... and what we can do about it.

Square infographic with blue and light blue header backgrounds reading: In the United States... Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) are more likely to live in poverty than white people.

Square infographic with orange and light orange header backgrounds reading: In King County, WA... Poverty and homelessness disproportionately impact BIPOC.

 

Square infographic with green and light green header backgrounds reading: In Solid Ground’s work... We witness firsthand how racial disparities impact people’s lives.

Square infographic with purple and lavender header backgrounds above orange, blue, and red icons reading: We believe poverty is solvable. OUR APPROACH: MEET BASIC NEEDS, NURTURE SUCCESS, SPREAD CHANGE.

Square infographic with blue and light blue header backgrounds reading: What YOU can do! Step 1: LEARN

Square infographic with orange and light orange header backgrounds reading: What YOU can do! Step 2: ACT

Square infographic with green and light green header backgrounds reading: What YOU can do! Step 3: ENGAGE

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From the Blog

#race & social justice

An image of Kimberle Crenshaw and images of her writing, with the words "Defend black studies"
Race & Social Justice

Women who tell our stories – and those who seek to silence them

Women’s History Month – observed this March with the theme of Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories – serves as an important reminder of the incredible impact women have on shaping the narratives of our society.

From writers and activists to journalists and scholars, women have played critical roles documenting the experiences and struggles of marginalized communities. Their contributions have been instrumental in molding our understanding of the world around us. 

This month, we take …

Read More of Women who tell our stories – and those who seek to silence them

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