Who We Are
Equity First Consulting is a Diversity, Equity and Belonging (DEB) firm that is woman-of-color owned and led. We are majority professionals of color with subject matter expertise in equity-centered processes that span all areas of organizational and community development and health. Equity First Consulting leverages an equity-centered, community-responsive design methodology that recognizes the contextual nature of knowing, and centers the expertise of community members, specifically the folks who are most impacted by systemic inequities. Equity First focuses on developing equity-based systems and policies by applying a design-to-the-margins framework to (a) unearth the underlying systemic inequities that cause harm across individual, interpersonal, institutional, and structural layers; and (b) generate healing through creation of transformative equitable systems across communities.
Diversity
"Representation and active celebration of a range of groups and perspectives in a given setting."
- jhu.edu
Equity
"Removing the predictability of failure or success based on social backgrounds or factors"
- SSIR.org | Four Global Lessons from Locally Driven DEI Efforts
Belonging
"Belonging, or being fully human, means more than having access. Belonging entails being respected at a basic level that includes the right to both co-create and make demands upon society."
- Dr. john powell
Anti-Racism
"The active process of identifying & eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies and practices & attitudes, so that power is redistributed & shared equitably."
-NAC International Perspectives: Women and Global Solidarity
Why We Do What We Do
Our society is built upon a complex ecosystem of policies, practices, norms, and attitudes that creates and maintains deep inequities for disenfranchised communities that impact every aspect of life, including, health, safety, and the opportunity to thrive collectively and individually. Equity First addresses this reality by partnering with organizations and institutions to:
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deepen their work with impacted communities so that processes, policies, and practices, center and uplift community wisdom, knowledge, skills, and cultural wealth, and
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develop equity-driven, healing processes, policies, and practices in partnership with community members that ultimately serve to create sustainable systems change.
What We Do
Equity First’s expertise is built on a foundation of transformative co-design processes with communities who are most impacted by systemic harm to inform policies, programs and recommendations for action, with transformative values and practices embedded throughout. Equity First works with clients in the public, public interest, and private sectors to leverage their institutional power by engaging in these co-design processes with communities in service of equity and justice.
Let's Connect
We are dedicated to building community! We welcome connections with folks who are doing incredible work in the consulting realm, in their communities, and organizations who are seeking our services. We cannot do this work alone. It must, by nature, transcend traditional models of partnership and connection, so please do not hesitate to send us an email if you want to get to know us!
Spotlight
