Dear Journeys Community,
In recognition of these pivotal times, Rite of Passage Journeys acknowledges the devastating effects of the ongoing oppression and marginalization of Black communities in our society. Journeys is committed to being a part of a broad collaboration in support of dismantling systemic racism. In this effort, we are dedicated to understanding the different ways that we as an organization, and as individuals, can contribute to ending the racism that persists in our inherited cultural structures, values and systems.
As a predominantly white-led organization, with a white board and administrative staff, we are aware that it is not sufficient to state our good intentions, or solely share the ways our current work is not harmful to people who are oppressed. Instead, we must continue to improve actively on being anti-racist throughout our organization. At the same time, we must ground our anti-racism work in the vision and mission of our organization.
Vision
Our vision is a world of vibrant, multi-generational communities in which all people are guided to recognize and give their gifts in service to a thriving planet.
Mission
Rite of Passage Journeys fosters self-discovery, community belonging and connection with the natural world in youth, adults and elders. Through contemporary rite of passage experiences and education, we initiate soulful leaders for the next generation. We guide wilderness retreats and adventures for ages 8 - 80+ and provide training, mentorship and support for schools, organizations, houses of worship and individual leaders. We honor soul-work, deep human values. Our heart and soul is supporting kids to transition into adolescence in conscious, healthy, mentored and empowered ways through wilderness rite of passage experiences.
In striving to fulfill this vision and mission, Journeys has always been guided by the individual ‘soul spark’ of each person that we serve, no matter their race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status. As an Earth-based organization, we have always believed in the interconnected Web of Life as a source of wisdom and guidance. This reflects the same foundational belief that motivated Martin Luther King, Jr. to say that all beings are engaged in “an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. What affects one directly, affects all indirectly. We are made to live together because of the interrelated structure of reality.”
This vision unites the quest for ecological sustainability, so central to the work of Journeys, with the quest for social justice. We know that environmental, economic and social justice are threads of one weaving. From its origin over 50 years ago in the Institute of Cultural Affairs, an organization dedicated to creating healthy communities grounded in equality and collaboration, Journeys has maintained a commitment to justice work. We have a robust scholarship program and have never turned away a youth or adult from programs due to finances. In collaboration with queer colleagues, in 2018 we began offering summer Queer Quests to support LGBTQ2IA+, Gender Diverse, Queer and Trans Youth. In our leadership training programs for guides and mentors, we partner with social justice leaders, to inquire into the intersections of colonization, ancestry, trauma and initiation. These programs also explore the issues and opportunities raised by working with youth of diverse backgrounds in gender, sexuality and ethnicity, as well as how to engage in ceremonial practices that respect diverse spiritual orientations and cultural frameworks.
But we can — and must — do better. We embrace this opportunity to look more deeply at our organization for hidden assumptions and biases that inevitably result from a predominantly white leadership group. While remaining true to our mission, and mindful of the current pressures of fundraising and delivering summer programs in the midst of a pandemic, the Board of Rite of Passage Journeys commits to support the efforts of dismantling systemic racism in the following ways:
ACTION PLAN
Retain an outside consultant to conduct a JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) assessment of our entire organization
From the results of that assessment, commit resources and take action to:
Discover and reduce barriers to diversifying our Board and staff
Provide opportunities for field staff, administrative staff, committed community members and Board to
Engage in heartfelt discussions of race, power and privilege
Participate in professional anti-oppression training
Partner with connected organizations to improve outreach to marginalized communities
Report progress on this work to stakeholders on a regular basis
Through this JEDI assessment and subsequent action, Rite of Passage Journeys will play its part in the much larger task of eliminating systemic racism, striving to overcome the unconscious bias, racism, and other forms of oppression in ourselves and our organization, while staying grounded in our vision and mission.
In Community,
Board and Staff of Rite of Passage Journeys
