BIDE
In June 2020, we shared the following statement in a council-wide email and on Facebook:
"The world needs more Girl Scouts who live by our
Promise and Law.
We should always be honest and fair -- to
all people.
Friendly and helpful -- without prejudice.
Make consideration and care an intentional part of every day.
To be courageous and strong -- to stand for what is right.
And truly responsible for what we each say and do regarding justice
for all. We must respect ourselves and others -- regardless of how
alike or different we are -- and respect authority as we join hands
to change the world into a more equitable and just place.
We use our resources wisely to make an impact while we make the
world a better place, and promote the true values of sisterhood
worldwide –because we are sisters to every girl and to every Girl Scout.
Every girl deserves the advantage Girl Scouting gives. We commit
wholeheartedly and enthusiastically to welcoming all adults and
girls.
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan is committed to racial
and cultural justice and we promise to actively advocate for and
build inclusion, diversity, pluralism, and equity in all we do."
Being agents of change in the world means that we can’t be
silent.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. described Girl Scouts as
"a force for desegregation." Today, Girl Scouts strives to
be a force for equality, equity, and justice for all people. We speak
out against racism and violence and stand up for justice and equality.
Girl Scouts believes Black lives matter. We are committed to playing
a role in building systems that counter racism and build diversity,
equity, and inclusion. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.
Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan continues the
critically important work of assessing how our organization can
improve in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
In June of 2020, a team of nearly 40 staff members from every region and department met to prioritize the work needed to reinforce and build a truly robust environment where all girls, volunteers, and staff members feel not only welcomed but celebrated. The committee has determined the Objectives and Key Results that will guide our work moving forward. This work includes, but is not limited to:
- Providing programming opportunities that appeal to all girls and teach them about experiences different from their own.
- Developing staff and volunteer educational opportunities to understand and eliminate implicit bias and micro-aggressions, and understand and build the competencies to practice anti-racist behavior, cultural competence, and cultural humility.
- Ensuring that Girl Scouting within the Heart of Michigan is an inclusive, welcoming environment for all people, that values diversity and does not tolerate racist bullying.
We will continue to make age-appropriate resources available to all members on our website.
Belonging
Belonging is the next step forward from inclusion. Inclusion says, "come join us and be one of us." Belonging says, "Let's learn together how to be together so that we all feel like we belong."
Pledge
Being agents of change in the world means that we can’t be silent. We speak out against racism and violence. We stand up for justice and equality. We commit to making the world a better place by helping to build an understanding of these critical issues and taking action that counters racism, celebrates diversity, advances equity, promotes inclusion, fostering a feeling of belonging for all girls.
We pledge to uphold these beliefs and lead by example while practicing the Girl Scout Promise and Law in everything we say and do.
* We know that girls under the age of 13 believe in and acknowledge the importance of this work, but because of the Children’s Online Privacy Act (COPPA), you must be at least 13 years old to sign this pledge.
