Dear Friends,
Last fall we launched our organization’s first equity strategy. At the time, we knew there were many changes ahead for us but couldn’t have imagined that one of those would be the COVID-19 pandemic.
While growth and change can feel daunting in the face of such uncertainty, we know that right now is the time to reaffirm our commitment to the goals of this equity strategy. How we implement it will need to look different, but all true equity work is always changing to meet the needs of the most marginalized among us. As we work to identify new ways of working alongside and in service of young people, we must prioritize equity, diversity and inclusion in all we do.
Peer Health Exchange’s vision— with our partners, we will advance health equity and improve health outcomes for young people—is important now more than ever. This pandemic will likely forever change us as individuals, as an organization, and as a society, but our commitment to young people must remain unwavering.
We will continue to transform ourselves to center equity in all we do. Now is always the right time to pursue equity with and for young people, regardless of the difficulties ahead of us. We are holding ourselves accountable to it and ask that you join us in this transformation.
Yours in this work,
Tina and Louise