Our Commitment
September 2020
The horrific treatment against people of color both in police custody and within our country’s health, legal, educational, and financial institutions have shed light on countless systemic racial inequalities that remain tragically woven into American life. We feel compelled to acknowledge and speak out against racial injustice and to rededicate ourselves to fulfilling our country’s foundational principle that all people “are created equal.”
As a school, we value interactions that empower our children who are deaf or hard of hearing to embrace their diversity, to find their voice and to use it to advocate for themselves, their beliefs, and their culture. While we have always known that “you can learn a lot from children if you take time to listen,” it is clear that we as an organization still need to do more listening to all of our community members.
We commit to not only taking the time, but making the time to actively listen to both our children and to their families.
We commit to lifting our children and families up and amplifying their own voices so they can truly be listened to and heard.
We commit to communicating with families and professionals more regularly and intentionally.
We commit to celebrating each family’s richness in diversity as well as recognizing obstacles inherently unique to their journey.
We want these commitments to create opportunities that empower our children and families to overcome the obstacles they face. With an honest, open dialogue and a reflective eye, we strive to create an atmosphere of shared values and standards within our community of students, families, and staff. We at Desert Voices strive to promote a more loving, just, safe, and unbiased society where every child's voice is heard so that one day all men, women, and children will not only be created, but treated as equals.
