; Home Diversity-Inclusion Diversity and Inclusion The Centers for Independence is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and culturally competent culture that best reflects and serves our clients, our staff and our community. Diversity is fundamental to every aspect of CFI, from the mission, vision, and values to the governance and business planning of the organization. CFI is a pioneer in cultural competency and widely recognized for initiatives that advance and welcome people of color, the LGBTQ community, veterans, and people of all ages and abilities. As a strong community partner, CFI is among other Milwaukee nonprofit organizations that have pledged to take steps to dismantle structural racism in the community, including diversifying their boards and staff. For more information, please see our Diversity & Inclusion 2020 Annual Report here. Statement of Commitment-Social and Racial Justice CFI joins the voices of outrage demanding justice and peace in our workplace, in our neighborhoods and our communities. Systemic oppression is wrong, and we are committed to advancing social and racial justice. We believe that Black Lives Matter, and we will continue to advocate for a more inclusive and equitable community. We believe that our values of Understanding PEOPLE, LEADING Success, and Working TOGETHER go beyond our business practices and are paramount to a just society. CFI has a time-honored commitment to diversity and inclusion. We will continue our efforts to listen, learn, lead, improve our cultural competence and partner with the people we serve as well as advocate for communities in which we live and work. We look forward to fostering change and being part of solutions toward building more healthy and hopeful communities of the future. Statement of Commitment-Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders We are saddened and angered by the escalating discrimination and violence against Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and grieve for all the victims of the most recent shootings that occurred in Atlanta. Together, we stand against all forms of violence, hatred, racism, and injustice. As an agency, we will continue to focus on advancing social and racial justice by advocating for more inclusive and equitable communities. We believe that our values of Understanding PEOPLE, LEADING Success, and Working TOGETHER go beyond our business practices and are paramount to a just society. CFI has a time-honored commitment to diversity and inclusion. We are committed to continue our efforts to learn and lead, and to listen and support each other to improve our cultural understanding. We encourage you to take care of yourself and to lend support to your colleagues and peers. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your leadership team too. We look forward to fostering change and being part of solutions toward building more healthy and hopeful communities of the future. Workforce Attract, retain and develop a diverse and engaged workforce that reflects our community using our award winning policies and practices. We have an active Diversity Team, which assists the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in planning educational programs for staff. Each year, employees receive an 8-hour Cultural Awareness day off. In addition, employees are required to annually attend a minimum of two hours of diversity education. Past sessions have focused on: Transgender awareness Race relations Generational differences Workplace civility Additionally, MCFI offers the following employee resource groups: Network of African American Colleagues (NAC), which supports the recruitment, retention and professional development of African Americans and other diverse employees. Those who participate benefit from mentorship and leadership development while helping deliver cultural education and communication to the agency. (Above left, members of NAC represent MCFI at a past Juneteenth Day celebration in Milwaukee.) Parents and Caregivers Together (PACT), which supports parents, grandparents, foster parents and other caregivers to share resources and information, nurture a work-life balance, network, create a family friendly workplace and have fun. (Above right, parents, children and other family members participate in PACT’s Winter Wonderland 2019 celebration.) MCFI has been a champion of creating a diverse workforce, and we have joined other businesses in signing the MMAC pledge to increase the number of African-American and Hispanic/Latino employees in Metro Milwaukee. Read more about this initiative by clicking here. Workplace and Culture We foster a culture that is inclusive of all the dimensions of diversity through our strong and active cultural competence professional development programs and cultural learning activities. Some of our speakers to build our culture have included: Former US Paralympian Matt Glowacki David Cooks, speaker/author/coach Watch a recording of Cooks' presentation on the 30th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, which was July 26, 2020, by clicking here. An inclusive workplace helps attract and retain talented individuals committed to building a sustainable community. A culturally competent workplace also provides sensitive client service that achieves higher levels of client satisfaction. To apply for a position at CFI, click here. Community Partner with our business and community partners to champion diversity and inclusion, as well as help with the elimination of disparities, social injustice and racism. We developed and follow specific guidelines to hire women– and minority-owned certified businesses. News and Views CFI is among other Milwaukee nonprofit organizations that have pledged to take steps to dismantle structural racism in the community, including diversifying their boards and staff. View story by clicking here. View our newsletter, Talking Points, and read an article by Denise Banks, Vice President of Human Resources by clicking here. Award-Winning Program CFI is a proud recipient of the: 2019 Diversity Champion Award from the National Association of African Americans in Human Resources, Milwaukee Chapter 2019 Milwaukee Business Journal HR Award, Nonprofit Category Two-time winner of the Wisconsin State Council Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Workplace Diversity Advocate Award, 2010 and 2017 2021 MMAC (Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce) Focus of the Future Award, Equity, Honorable Mention What We Offer • An opportunity to increase our appreciation for the richness brought by different skills, abilities, attitudes, perspectives and approaches • A commitment to promote understanding and cooperation between people of diverse backgrounds and abilities to provide culturally competent client services • An open approach to collaborate with community agencies and businesses in understanding and promoting diversity Who We Serve Our employees, our clients and the greater community by fostering understanding and empathy toward all. Contact Info & Location Office Hours Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Phone: 414-937-2020 Email: info@mcfi.net Address 2020 W. Wells St. Milwaukee, WI 53233 Home Programs & Services Get Involved About MCFI Donate News Contact Us Diversity & Inclusion Trauma Informed Care Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Site Map Donate Now DONATE Sign up for our newsletter Email By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Centers for Independence, 2020 W. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, US, http://www.mcfi.net. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact. 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