Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
A Space Where Everyone Belongs
Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
At Rite of Passage Journeys, we believe everyone deserves to feel a sense of belonging and have their identities affirmed and respected.
Our work is grounded in the interconnected web of life and the wisdom found in our relationships with one another and the natural world. This reflects Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s belief that we are part of an "inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. What affects one directly, affects all indirectly. We are made to live together because of the interrelated structure of reality."
This vision unites the quest for ecological sustainability - which is central to our work - with the quest for social justice. We recognize that environmental, economic, and social justice are interconnected, and that meaningful care for the natural world cannot be separated from our responsibility to care for one another. Since our origins more than 50 years ago in the Institute of Cultural Affairs, Journeys has been guided by a commitment to building healthy communities grounded in equality, collaboration, and connection.
We recognize that good intentions alone are not enough. Systemic inequities, including racism, colonialism, ableism, and classism, shape our society and the field of outdoor and rites-of-passage education. We have a responsibility to examine how these systems influence access, whose voices and knowledge are valued, and how we show up in our programs, relationships, and organizational practices.
We are committed to:
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We work to reduce financial, physical, cultural, and other barriers to participation through financial aid, thoughtful program design, culturally responsive facilitation, and individualized support within our capacity. Our scholarship program reflects our longstanding belief that financial circumstances should not prevent someone from participating in a meaningful experience. We strive to make our programs accessible to people with varied abilities, backgrounds, resources, and levels of outdoor experience, recognizing that accessibility requires ongoing attention, creativity, and adaptation.
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We strive to create spaces where LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent people, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, and people of all abilities, identities, and backgrounds feel welcomed, affirmed, and respected. We recognize that belonging means more than being invited into a space; it means having one's identity, experiences, and perspectives valued. We work to ensure our language, activities, group agreements, and operational protocols honor diverse identities, experiences, and ways of knowing.
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We examine how power, privilege, bias, and systemic oppression shape our programs, organizational culture, and relationships. We commit to ongoing learning, welcoming honest feedback, addressing harm when it occurs, and sharing decision-making power so that those most affected have a meaningful voice in shaping their experiences.
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We acknowledge the Indigenous peoples whose ancestral lands and waters sustain our work, and recognize that acknowledgment must be accompanied by action. We seek to build reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities and the places where we gather, learn about the histories and cultural roots of the practices we carry, and approach ceremony and tradition with respect, humility, and a willingness to adapt when our practices cause harm or need to change.
We understand this work as an ongoing responsibility, not a destination. Equity, inclusion, and belonging is inseparable from our broader vision of healthy communities, meaningful human connection, and a more just and sustainable world.
We welcome your questions, experiences, and feedback as we continue learning and working toward a more equitable and inclusive community. You can reach us at info@riteofpassagejourneys.org.