DEI IN THE COMMUNITY
At the same time that the work of the Unity Council was coming out of the school system and into the community under the auspices of STRIDE, Scituate’s School Committee and the SPS Administration started to address DEI issues more seriously. In 2020, the School Committee formed its own DEI Advisory Committee and adopted an anti-racism statement, the SPS Administration drafted an anti-racism resolution, a DEI consultant was hired and provided training to administrative and departmental staff, and a new position was approved and posted for a DEI Director for Scituate Public Schools.
At the town level, voters approved an article to neutralize gender language in the town’s bylaws. The newly named Select Board adopted a DEI Statement of its own and formed its own DEI advisory committee, appointing eleven members including members of the community, town employees, and a member of the Select Board who serves as a liaison.
Within the community, several other grassroots organizations formed in 2020, including Scituate Pride, BLM Scituate, Scituate United for Action on Equality, Scituate Concerned Citizens, Scituate Stands, and the Scituate Rainbow Peace Flag Project. These groups, along with local churches, are educating the community about DEI issues and advocating for positive change.
STRIDE works together with the town, the schools, and these organizations, as well as similar organizations in neighboring towns, to increase awareness of issues related to diversity, to advocate for school and municipal policies promoting representation, equity, and inclusion, and to disrupt patterns of prejudice in our community.
LOCAL INITIATIVES AND GROUPS
We are proud that Scituate is home to many initiatives and groups intended to bring the community together in different ways, including:
DEI (Scituate Non-Profits and Grassroots Organizations and Groups)
SCHOOL & EDUCATION (Scituate Non-Profits and Grassroots Organizations and Groups)
Scituate Community of Resources for Special Education (CORSE Foundation)
Scituate Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC)
FINANCIAL/EMERGENCY/FOOD RELIEF, ETC. (Scituate Non-Profits and Grassroots Organizations and Groups)
SUBSTANCE USE, ABUSE, AND RECOVERY (Scituate Non-Profits and Grassroots Organizations and Groups)
SCITUATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SCITUATE TOWN GOVERNMENT
Council on Aging 781-545-8722
Department of Veteran Services 781-545-8715
Scituate Housing Authority (SHA) 781-545-3375
SOUTH SHORE DEI GROUPS
This list is a work in progress! Is something missing? Let us know! Our goal is to be inclusive of all other groups and initiatives with similar missions and who support our community in different ways.