| The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee seeks to foster a culture of belonging by promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in both our organization and community. The DEI committee defines diversity as composition, equity as fair opportunity and outcomes, and inclusion as everyone being valued. We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion creates a sense of belonging. The intention of the DEI Committee is to maintain an environment of belonging as we fulfill Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s (PVHH) mission: creating strength, stability and self-reliance through homeownership. This can be accomplished by respecting and valuing all volunteers, employees, board members, partners, and community members. The DEI Committee approaches its work through key lenses including, but not limited to ability/disability, accessibility, age, culture, gender, income level/financial ability, location (the regions, towns, & neighborhoods we serve), marital status, race, and sexual orientation. These lenses guide the committee’s efforts to create inclusive spaces, dismantle systemic barriers, and promote equity across all aspects of the organization and its community partnerships. The DEI Committee is involved in efforts such as: 1.) Promoting Inclusive Leadership: Ensuring diverse representation at all levels within the organization. 2.) Addressing Systemic Inequities: Actively working to identify and dismantle barriers that prevent access to housing and opportunity, particularly for marginalized communities. 3.) Ongoing Education & Awareness: Providing opportunities for learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion topics to foster greater understanding and collaboration including community film screenings and discussions. 4.) Engaging with Diverse Communities: Building meaningful relationships with communities of varied cultural, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds to better serve their unique needs. 5.) Ensuring Accessibility: Promoting accessibility and inclusion for individuals with disabilities and others who may face challenges in fully participating in Habitat’s programs and services. |
DEI Update: Commitment to Values
| Dear Habitat Community, The core value of Habitat for Humanity is that Everyone deserves a decent place to live. I’m writing today to affirm Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s commitment to this value – that our work includes a belief that housing is a human right and we will do our part on that path towards justice. Habitat for Humanity was dreamed up by Millard Fuller and others at a racially integrated farm in south Georgia in the 1950s. It was a time of segregation and overt racism, but Millard and others at Koinonia Farm knew that doing the right thing during hard times was the only choice. They held firm to the belief that that loving our neighbors was not just an empty platitude but a call to action, even as that brought the wrath of people who thought otherwise upon their community. Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity will continue its work to create a welcoming environment on our job sites, in our workplace and for our future homeowners. We endeavor to create the Beloved Community that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. talked about, where poverty, hunger, and homelessness will not be tolerated because human decency will not allow it. Thank you for being a part of this community by volunteering your time, donating your resources and amplifying our message. There is a lot of work to do in the years ahead and I am grateful to have a community to build a better future with. In Solidarity,  Megan McDonough Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity |
| “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. |
DEI Update: Fall 2024 Film Screening and Discussion
“A group of tenants stands together, united in their fight for justice,” Facing a Slumlord. Dylan Landry.
On October 27, 2024, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity hosted an impactful evening, coordinated by our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee with a screening of the documentary, Facing a Slumlord, followed by an in-depth discussion on the fight for housing justice in Hartford, Connecticut. The event, facilitated by Felicia Lundquist and held at the Parlor Room in Northampton, highlighted the resilience and courage shown by tenants in Section 8 housing as they battled against systemic failures and fought for their rights at the local, state, and federal levels.
The film Facing a Slumlord highlights the struggles of Section 8 tenants who lived in deplorable conditions under the rule of a notorious landlord. As the credits rolled, the conversation shifted to the powerful victories achieved by these tenants. The discussion provided attendees with a deeper understanding of the obstacles marginalized communities face in maintaining safe and habitable living conditions. It also illustrated the broader fight for equitable housing policies, which often require unyielding activism and collaboration between tenants, community organizations, and governmental bodies.
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s fall film screening was more than just an educational event—it was a call to action. The night reinforced the importance of standing up against injustice and fighting for the rights of those who are often left unheard. Special thanks to the community members who shared their voices and experiences during the discussion. Your commitment to the cause continues to inspire us all.
Stay tuned for future events where we continue to spotlight the work being done to address housing inequities and support affordable housing efforts in our communities.
DEI Update: Fall 2023 Film Screening and Discussion
On October 22, 2023, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity presented a moving event with the screening of the powerful documentary Briars in the Cotton Patch, followed by an insightful discussion that explored its themes of social justice, race, and community activism.
Briars in the Cotton Patch tells the story of the 1960s movement to desegregate rural Georgia, where African American farmers and families faced not only racial discrimination, but also economic oppression. The film sheds light on the often overlooked struggles of these communities and their fight to secure basic rights, including the right to decent housing.
After the screening, the discussion unpacked the documentary’s significance in relation to the ongoing challenges in affordable housing today. Attendees were encouraged to reflect on how these historical struggles intersect with the work Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity continues to do in building stronger, more equitable communities. The evening provided a deep and thoughtful look at the power of grassroots activism, the role of collective action, and the ongoing need for systemic change.
Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity extends its gratitude to the filmmakers and all attendees for their engagement and commitment to social change. We are inspired by the conversations sparked during the event and are reminded that the fight for affordable housing and racial justice is ongoing.
Stay tuned for more events that amplify voices, honor history, and continue the movement for a more just and equitable society.
DEI Update: Spring 2023 Discussion Series
“Visual Roadmap to Racial Equity Competencies,” HfHI Anti-Racism Training Manual. Daniel Lim Consulting, 2020.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee at Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity along with the staff and board of directors hosted a series of short discussions, based around a series of videos put together by Habitat for Humanity International. These discussions aimed to invite those in the Habitat community to participate in creating the culture of inclusion and promotion of justice we want to see at PVHH and in Western Mass, one step at a time.
All three sessions were on Zoom and facilitated by the group Human In Common. Individuals from the PVHH community who attended participated in building shared language and understanding as a platform for future discussions of what additional action steps are necessary for the organization to move towards justice.
These discussions and future strategic planning are a part of Habitat International’s efforts towards “building the Beloved Community,” which understands that “historic discrimination in U.S. housing policy — particularly discrimination against Black Americans — is one of the chief drivers of racial inequities that persist today.” Work at Habitat International and PVHH aims to connect issues of racial and social injustice with historic barriers to affordable housing and work to eradicate those barriers.
DEI Update: October 2021
Hello friends –
It was wonderful to come together in person and online for the October 18th screening of Briars in the Cotton Patch followed by group discussion. It is a powerful film and made more so by watching together. Thank you to everyone who was able to make time that evening to gather.
If you want to watch the film again or share with others you can stream for free at https://watch.redeemtv.com/briars-in-the-cotton-patch/videos/briars-in-the-cotton-patch and learn more at https://www.briarsdocumentary.com/ . (Habitat has Christian roots, but welcomes everyone of any faith or no faith to get involved.)
Another quick video (17 minutes) I’d invite you to watch is “Segregated by Design” to understand the impact of policies and law on housing segregation in America.
And if you are interested in getting involved with Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee or want to build some houses please email volunteer@pvhabitat.org. The DEI committee is encouraging members of the Habitat community to read the book So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo – a great introduction to a wide range of topics related to race and racism.
Until we talk again,
Megan
DEI Update: July 2021
June 2021: The Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee is reading the book So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo and is inviting the Habitat community to join us in reading the book this summer. This will give Habitat volunteers and staff a common language to talk about systemic racism and what we can do to counteract it in our work.
“Oluo gives us — both white people and people of color — that language to engage in clear, constructive, and confident dialogue with each other about how to deal with racial prejudices and biases.”
National Book Review
“Generous and empathetic, yet usefully blunt . . . it’s for anyone who wants to be smarter and more empathetic about matters of race and engage in more productive anti-racist action.”
Salon (Required Reading)
DEI Update: January 2021
From the January 6, 2021 letter from Habitat International CEO Jonathan Reckford, addressing the Capitol riots:
“Habitat for Humanity builds community around the world. We bring people together, crossing lines of race, class, nationality and religion. We share Dr. King’s vision of building a Beloved Community – a place that that doesn’t eliminate our differences, but celebrates them, allows for tension undergirded by love and leads to transformation.”
For more updates on Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s DEI work, see www.pvhabitat.org/dei.
Letters from the PVHH Executive Director: June 2020
June 2, 2020
Dear Habitat Community,
In light of recent events, I am moved today to address the issues of inequity and injustice that are making headlines even as we grapple with a global pandemic. Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity stands unequivocally against police violence and vigilantism, including the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor (and countless more).
We are all called upon to seek justice and care for one another in these unsettled times. People of color have been systematically denied access to the strength, stability and self-reliance of homeownership in America and it is time for that to change. Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity is part of a long tradition of caring for our neighbors but there is still more work to do.
Let us bring our best selves forward as we do the hard work of building a new world based on care, compassion and respect. Let us reach out to our neighbors and affirm their right to safety and security. Let us be humble in this work and listen to others.
As we face the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are offered an unexpected opportunity for creating change. As Arundhati Roy recently said, “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next” (source).
You may be wondering if swinging a hammer is one of the things you can do to help build the new world you want to see. During the current phase of re-opening, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity has adopted outdoor work safety guidelines for a small group of regular weekly volunteers to begin construction again. However, for their safety and yours, we are not opening up volunteer opportunities to the general community at this time. Our office will remain closed to the public for at least phase 1 and 2 of the Massachusetts re-opening plan. Our construction update:
- Inside the home on lot #2 Glendale Rd contractors are busy with finish work tasks to get the homeowners in this summer.
- Walls will be raised in June on lot #1 Glendale by regular volunteers – stay tuned for an online celebration and video of this important step.
- A shed for storage is being built in Shutesbury by regular volunteers to prepare for a future wall raising on the main house.
Please be in touch with your ideas and your support.
Megan McDonough, Executive Director
“For centuries, structural racism in the U.S. housing system has contributed to stark and persistent racial disparities in wealth and financial well-being, especially between Black and white households. In fact, these differences are so entrenched that if current trends continue, it could take more than 200 years for the average Black family to accumulate the same amount of wealth as its white counterparts.2
While homeownership and affordable housing are not a panacea for eliminating entrenched racial inequality, lawmakers must make amends for past and present harms by enacting new laws designed to expand access to prosperity for all Americans.”
Solomon, Maxwell, & Castro. 2019. “Systemic Inequality: Displacement, Exclusion, and Segregation: How America’s Housing System Undermines Wealth Building in Communities of Color.” Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/systemic-inequality-displacement-exclusion-segregation/