Systemic oppression continues to exist and evolve. Individuals may experience this based on race, ethnicity, age, culture, sexual orientation, gender and its expression, spiritual beliefs, disabilities, and the intersection of these identities.

Options strives to create an environment in which marginalized individuals are supported to ground and center themselves. For clients and employees, this includes removing barriers and developing culturally appropriate skills to support resilience, leadership, and efficacy.

Through the lens of cultural humility, Options will engage in focused efforts to honor and utilize every human being’s individual and collective cultural identity.

We recognize the challenges of realizing this vision with people of color because of the insidious and intersectional ways in which racism perpetuates inequities in human service systems.

Each of us must deliberately focus on the identification and elimination of all forms of racism, dismantle policies and practices rooted in privilege, and center the voices and power of children, youth, adults, families, employees, and community members.

We embrace our responsibility to make services accessible, effective, and meaningful, and strive toward equality, equity, justice, and dignity.

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