Advancing Social Change
Building stronger and more equitable relationships is fundamental to what we do.
When we talk about improving wellbeing, we have always said that our vision involves multiple perspectives and voices. We commit to making sure the amplification of these voices is at the core of our work, and not in a superficial or performative way.
In order to do this, we, as individuals, as a team, and as a community, need to acknowledge and confront our complicity in a system that supports systemic racism, and then actively work to dismantle policies and systems that lead to oppression.
“In Edmonton, we do a pretty good job of keeping people alive. We just don't give them a reason to live."
~ Scott McKeen, Councillor, City of Edmonton
We’ve been closely following the City of Edmonton public hearings about experiences of racism and police interactions, and have heard the Edmontonians who brought forward their concerns. City Council responded by creating the Community and Wellbeing Task Force. We have partnered with MacEwan University to provide research for the strategy and actions of this task force.
We commit to this work of advancing social change, and clearly, it is far from complete. We don’t have all the answers, but we will seek them, and we will create opportunities for people from marginalized communities to co-create solutions with us. We can’t turn the ship around overnight, but we can, and will, work daily to ensure our policies, prototypes, relationships and support systems advance the equity and dignity of all people, all of the time.