From the Desk of CEO Judy Halper: January 2019

I recently came across the following quote, “We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are.” As a psychologist, this immediately appealed to me. It offers insight regarding how each of us has a unique set of perspectives and ideas based on a complicated mix of experiences, genes, circumstances, and exposure. In a word, it describes what it means to be part of a diverse community and world. Our ability to see things as they are is informed by who we are.

Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis is dedicated to being Here For All. Always. We embrace the vision that our services and programs can meet the needs of individuals no matter their background or culture. Our professional and compassionate service is inspired by basic human values. We are proud to serve a diverse community, and committed to building and nurturing a diverse staff and volunteer program.

DEI, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training is currently underway at JFCS. Respecting and understanding the backgrounds and values of our staff based on historic and current experiences is an important step in building an environment that truly appreciates diversity and informs our work towards greater equity and inclusion for all, one person at a time. These skills and values are also more naturally transferable to our clients and stakeholders as we embrace and practice them among ourselves.

Finding commonality among all the ways we notice our differences is important and necessary. We recognize that as we see things as we are, we can also appreciate the diversity among us, and understand that others see things as they are.