DEIA 1: The International Town and Gown Association (ITGA) will be a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible organization that provides effective models, strategies, and programs that build belonging and create access in town-and-gown shared spaces.
Together, ITGA will :
DEIA 2: Foster resilience – Town and Gown partners recognize historic and current inequities and collaboratively leverage assets that reduce trauma and support town-and-gown recovery.
DEIA 3: Support accessible and safe environments – Town and Gown partners’ work centers safe access for all members of town-and-gown shared spaces with particular attention to populations that are most vulnerable.
DEIA 4: Demonstrate best practices to build and sustain diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility – Town and Gown partners recognize that for diverse communities to thrive, our members must be deeply aware of culture and identity for themselves and others and be prepared to engage with empathy and build trust with people from all walks of life.
Models that:
- Are aspirational and encourage collaboration between groups, organizations and individuals.
- Are inclusive, affordable, sustainable, achievable and have timelines.
Effective strategies that:
- Are adaptable to changing community demographics, scalable and able to be replicated.
- Employ SMART goals and include measurable outcomes and methods for assessment.
Programs that:
- Can be measured and encourage commitment and continuous improvement.
- Are transparent in their intent, speak to systemic issues, and offer sustained engagement efforts.
Fostering Resilience:
- Through polices, programs and placemaking that draw connections between environmental, social and personal trauma.
- By centering the needs of those who represent historically marginalized identities and are under-served.
Accessible and Safe Environments:
- By building a sense of community and honoring and accepting diverse heritages and practices.
- Employing a race/gender/accessibility/equity lens; that is inclusive; aware of privilege; and reflect the diverse needs of students and town-and-gown partners in shared spaces.
- Through programs, practices and processes that are intentionally designed so that all members of the institutional community - regardless of (dis)ability, status or identity - can fully participate, engage and benefit.
Best Practices:
- Through clear accountability measures and being intentional with programs and interventions.
- That can be guideposts for town and gown partners that are less far along on their journeys while promoting integrity and inspiring change with our established town and gown partners.