Diversity - Equity - Inclusion - Justice -

Diversity - Equity - Inclusion - Justice -

“We believe all people deserve housing that is healthy, safe, and affordable in a community of choice where they can thrive.”

RHLS and PULP have a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and we are dedicated to ensuring that all of our work - whether internal or external - is focused on achieving the dual goals of racial and economic justice.

We seek to ensure that all of our work is client-driven, and that our clients and our client groups are representative of the people we serve. We also work to remain cognizant of racial and ethnic disparities that affect our clients and strive to practice community lawyering which focuses on client-directed advocacy rather than lawyer-directed advocacy. We cannot achieve economic justice without racial justice – and we view policy and litigation through this lens – always addressing and pursuing issues of economic and racial injustice through our substantive work.

RHLS and PULP have also been focused on improving our internal commitment and competency around DEI issues through increased training and engagement opportunities. All staff participate in regular mandatory online trainings focused on how to challenge dominant cultural norms in the workplace and providing strategies to effectively incorporate intersectional justice into our work. We also provide excellent and transparent benefits to our staff, along with flexible schedules, competitive pay, and a supportive working environment that values collaboration, mentorship, staff development, and partnership.

Racial Justice and Equity Statement

  • PULP and RHLS adopt the amended definitions of “Racial Justice” and “Racial Equity” used by Race Forward to ensure consistent and shared understanding of our Racial Equity and Racial Justice work:

    Racial Justice is the state in which racial hierarchies are eliminated, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), in particular, have the dignity, resources, power, and self determination to thrive.

    Racial Equity is the process through which Racial Justice can be achieved. Racial Equity requires ongoing and intentional work to transform policies, practices, programs, systems, and structures which perpetuate deeply rooted racial inequities and intersectional harms.

  • PULP and RHLS, as an organization, will implement Racial Equity and work towards Racial Justice by:

    Engaging in work that directly repairs past and current racial inequities in the housing, utilities, community/economic development, and legal systems.

    Advocating for racial equity in new and existing policies, programs, and developments.

    Identifying and redressing the ways in which we have in the past and continue to reinforce white supremacy in our work (internally and externally, intentionally or unintentionally).

    We know to be successful, our organization, our work, and each of us as individuals must:

    Be informed by listening to the needs and priorities of, and solutions put forward by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) working toward Racial Justice in housing, utilities, community/economic development, and the law.

    Do our best to approach our work and our interactions with a racial equity lens.

    Understand that our racial equity and racial justice work is evolving, and that we may not always meet our intentions with our actions.

    Receive critique and correction openly, acknowledge and apologize when we do harm, and change what we do in response.

    The Racial Justice and Racial Equity statement will, along with Economic Justice be consistently considered in our work.

The RHLS Board of Directors passed two resolutions at the October 7, 2020 meeting regarding the repudiation of racism in all forms and the effort to hold ourselves accountable for engaging in the work of dismantling systems of oppression. Read the resolutions here: