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Equity Statement

We believe that all individuals, regardless of race, gender, religion, ability, or orientation, have a  place in our downtown, are welcome, heard, and have a voice.

We are committed to uplifting those who have historically been oppressed and marginalized.


We put our beliefs into action by:

  • Leading a diverse and inclusive organization that values the equitable treatment of individuals and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind
  • Actively recruiting & supporting board members who represent the diversity of our community
  • Sharing our equity values with the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz members and broader community
  • Recruiting, supporting, & showcasing BIPOC-owned businesses
  • Consistently examine our practices.


How we can strive towards Equity:

  • Survey the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz to determine areas in which we have successfully demonstrated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion values and where/how we can improve
  • Create a strategy and actionable items based on survey results
  • Conduct bi-annual or annual follow up to track progress
  • Outreach to current BIPOC owned/managed businesses to best understand what they need from our organization.


Further considerations:

  • Be patient
  • Learn together
  • Create an equity committee that meets a few times a year
  • Apply equity to everyday decisions (suppliers, recruitment & employment, marketing, etc.).