June 2020
The Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System mourns for all persons of color who are killed, injured, or treated unjustly. Our work is guided by a set of values that includes a commitment to inclusivity and the inherent worth and dignity of all. We strive to respond to the diverse needs of our learners, and the communities in which they live and work, with cultural humility and intelligence. We are committed to ethical behavior, including a profound respect for our participants and the families they serve.
We commit to taking time to reflect, receive feedback, and engage in lifelong learning in our quest to be culturally aware. Despite these commitments, we recognize we have fallen short. We know we need to understand, take responsibility for, and change actions that have not served the greater good of our staff, partners, and community. Going forward, we will critically examine our policies and activities, listen to our partners, participants, and families, acknowledge our shortcomings, and actively participate in making our community more just, safe and healthy for those who have endured racism, oppression, and discrimination for too long.
We understand that words are not enough, so we will be holding ourselves accountable to this statement. Over the coming months and into the future, we will be sharing the changes we have made and how we are making them. We invite you to visit this document to see some of the ways we are striving to live up to our values.
April 2021
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric and action has increasingly targeted Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals. At WCWPDS we condemn these actions and sentiments. We stand in solidarity with the AAPI community and hold space for their pain, grief, and loss. We will continue to serve the AAPI community and act to ensure that all people, no matter their background, language, or religious beliefs, are treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to creating a safe space for all to learn, while encouraging and promoting the practice of cultural humility in our practices and trainings. We are committed to advocating for the AAPI community.