Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (J.E.D.I)

One Step A La Vez is committed to the values of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I). These are action-driven behaviors that we practice throughout all levels of our organization. Our history in addressing systemic barriers deepens our commitment to these values. We are a community-centric organization serving teens who identify with their Latino background, culture, and roots and our board, staff, donors, and volunteers represent the diversity found in the community we serve.

We have adopted hiring practices to ensure that we have culturally proficient staff that connect with the struggle faced by many of our teens. This makes us empathetic to understanding their issues and leads to effective youth outcomes.

J.E.D.I is at the heart of our mission as we believe that every teen – regardless of who they are – deserves an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed in school, work, and life. To cement these values is a moral imperative but also the foundation for building strong, resilient, and healthy communities. One Step A La Vez is rooted in the struggle towards social and racial justice and equality and our commitment continues as we serve the needs of the historically underserved and underrepresented throughout the Santa Clara River Valley.