Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Equity and social change are essential components of our work at the PKG Center. Our programs primarily are organized around three overlapping themes--climate change, health equity, and tech for social good. Racial justice permeates these themes. Communities of color are consistently and disproportionately negatively impacted by risks of climate change, health inequities, and issues related to tech, such as algorithmic injustices and limited access to technology.

 

Racial justice is foundational to our PKG Center Values: 

- RESPECT AND RECIPROCITY: We recognize and value the knowledge that exists in communities, and strive to treat all of our partners with respect. Public service projects should be driven by community-identified needs, developed through open communication and shared decision making, and mutually beneficial.

- RIGOR AND REFLECTION: Public service should be undertaken with the same careful preparation and critical thinking that MIT students bring to their academic endeavors. Reflection—on one’s motivation to serve, on the communities being served, and on one’s positionality within that community—is essential to ethical and effective service.

- DIVERSITY AND DIFFERENCE: Communities are not merely one-dimensional repositories of need or homes to “problems” to be solved by MIT students. They are complex places, full of assets, stories, and knowledge. We practice and encourage openness to new ideas because we see diversity as a strength. We embrace differences where we find them through respectful curiosity, careful listening, and humility. 

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The PKG Center recognizes that people of all identities have lived experiences that are valuable in public service and social and environmental change. We welcome and encourage all students and community stakeholders as partners in our efforts.

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We as the PKG Center, and as a part of MIT, have much more to do to advance racial justice. This is ongoing work, for expansion and iteration.

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