Our committees and councils work with staff to provide an expansion of opportunities and resources and magnify the work of the organization. The committees engage diverse stakeholders including board members, Affiliate leaders, volunteers, and graduates.
RACIAL JUSTICE COUNCIL
It is impossible to separate systemic and structural racism from the reality that people of color, and Black people in particular, are disproportionately affected by homelessness and poverty.The Family Promise Racial Justice Council was formed to ensure we address racial equity issues in our work at all levels. The Council is comprised of Family Promise community members from across the country.
Jeff Armstrong
Executive Director, Family Promise of the Midlands
Jeff Armstrong
“The Racial Justice Council provides a platform to have real discussions, and take the necessary actions in Family Promise’s fight for equitable opportunities for all. It has been a personal mission to use my voice to be a cultural broker. As someone who experienced poverty and racism at a young age, I am thankful that the RJC exists to improve outcomes for the families we serve, and to educate all of our stakeholders on the importance of racial justice.”
Ria Dillard
Family Advocate, Family Promise of Greater Wichita
Ria Dillard
“Working with the Racial Justice Council, my goal is to support families of culture with breaking cycles. Empowering this community is crucial when breaking cycles. In order to empower them we must advocate for them. Working with the RJC, I can advocate for families by proving to them their voices are being heard.”
E’tienne Easley
Director of Development, Family Promise of Greater Chattanooga
E’tienne Easley
“It is my hope in working with the Racial Justice Council that I help to create an equitable community among Family Promise Affiliates that will extend into the communities we serve. To do this work, I want to disseminate relative information that will heighten awareness, increase knowledge, and address structural racism living within the attitudes, institutions, and structures built to dehumanize and permanently silence African Americans and people of color.”
Jocelyn Fermin
Operations Manager, Family Promise of Orange County
Jocelyn Fermin
“Safe spaces must be created for those who have experienced racial injustices. In which, they can share their stories and have their concerns amplified so necessary solutions can be implemented. As a member of the Racial Justice Council, I will continue my work of creating educational toolsets for staff, boards, and the committee, to foster safe spaces and equity to support families facing housing insecurity.”
Tenisa Frye
Chief Executive Officer, Family Promise of West Michigan
Tenisa Frye
“As a member of the RJC, I welcome the opportunity to challenge the norm by advocating for systemic change that will result in positively impacting underserved communities. I am excited that the RJC creates a safe space to amplify awareness surrounding structural racism, while fostering candid conversations with innovative solutions that prioritize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility.”
Carolyn Gordon
Senior Director of Program Development, Family Promise
Carolyn Gordon
“Our work of serving families experiencing homelessness is inextricably linked with racial justice. I look forward to elevating the racial equity work of Family Promise and providing guidance, resources, and tools to Affiliates. We will create space in which Black families, staff, and volunteers have power that improves the outcomes for all families served.”
Mitchell Petit-Frere
Director of Marketing, Family Promise
Mitchell Petit-Frere
“Black Americans only make up 13% of the U.S. population but account for nearly 40% of the country’s homeless population. This is the result of centuries of racism. I hope my work on the Racial Justice Council helps educate Family Promise community members nationwide on the role systemic racism plays in the lives of the non-white families we serve.”
Lyanette Rivera
Associate Director, Family Promise of Greater Rochester
Lyanette Rivera
“I aim to use the RJC platform to amplify the voices of the Latinx community, shedding light on our internal disparities. My goal is to raise awareness and foster a more inclusive conversation within our community.”
Beth Schafers
Director of Development & Community Engagement, Family Promise of Greater Wichita
Beth Schafers
“As part of an organization that strives to create a brighter future for every child, part of my responsibility is to encourage and engage in difficult conversations and push us all to learn more in order to know and do/be better every day. As an individual wanting to live my life with no agenda but love, I know that it is important to advocate well for my neighbors and speak against injustice in all its forms. As part of the RJC, I hope and am committed to learn, support, and take part in efforts to ensure that every person in the Family Promise community has a place where they are safely seen, heard, and find belonging and hope."
Cheryl Schuch
Chief Executive Officer, Family Promise
Cheryl Schuch
"The RJC is instrumental to our commitment to educate, train, and advocate within the communities we serve. Through the RJC, we’re having critical conversations and broadening perspectives that reflect diverse populations. I’m personally committed to this work as I’ve seen firsthand how expanding equity and cultivating inclusion can improve the human experience."
RaShawn Stanley
Program Director, Family Promise of the Triangle
RaShawn Stanley
“As a member of the RJC I hope to not only foster the necessary conversations about racial equity but to part of the work that eliminates the need for those conversations."
Jacek Starownik
Director of Programs , Family Promise of Orange County
Jacek Starownik
“Once someone told me, 'I’m not different than you, I’m different like you.' That stuck in my head forever. In my current role, not only do I hope to provide services to families in need of housing, but I hope to provide services based on trust, respect, dedication and most importantly, inclusion, I want everyone to feel appreciated, seen, and heard. With the RJC, I’m hoping to work towards creating an ever evolving hub of resources for those in need of support."
Kellie Thomas
Board Member, Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis
Kellie Thomas
“It is my pleasure to serve on the RJC and my hope is to lend my voice to advocate for the families and communities that Family Promise serves. In order to do this work, I want to analyze data nationally that provide true facts about structural racism that lead to a lack of equity and access for African Americans and people of color. My goal on the RJC is to communicate truth, provide data and insight, educate, and be an accountability partner for those seeking to understand and advocate for change and grow.”
Lana Ubinski
Director of Rapid Rehousing and Diversion Programs, Family Promise of Morris County
Lana Ubinski
“As a member of the Council, my personal mission is participating in the collective creation of a safer space for exploring systematic racism and its impact on the lives of Family Promise stakeholders. I am honored to work alongside my colleagues nationally as we amplify the voices of those members of our Family Promise family directly affected by racial discrimination, inequity and injustice.”
Amber Young
Director of Corporate Relations, Family Promise
Amber Young
“As a member of the Racial Justice Council, I hope to support the Black families we serve by openly discussing racial inequality and actively taking steps towards combating systemic racism. The RJC is committed to providing guidance and support to Family Promise as they continue on their DEIA journey.”
Rev. Vernon Williams
Board Member, Family Promise
Rev. Vernon Williams
"As a member of the Family Promise RJC, I look forward to lending my voice, time, and energy to the ongoing and necessary efforts, identifying and dismantling racism in the communities that Family Promise serves. I am pleased to be working with a cohort of individuals that seek to reverse the effects of racism by recommending equitable and inclusive remedies to level the playing field for both clients and staff of Family Promise."