Land Acknowledgement
Rock to the Future acknowledges that the unceded land on which we gather, now known as Philadelphia, are the lands of the Lenni Lenape people, whose presence and resilience in Pennsylvania continues to this day. We honor the original caretakers of this land and recognize the histories of land theft, violence, erasure, and oppression that has brought our organization and ourselves here. Learn more and support the Lenape.
Our Continued Commitment
February, 2025 - We at Rock to the Future believe that our commitment to diversity and inclusion is more necessary now than ever. We have no plans to roll back any of our efforts to ensure that our team and community members are provided with a safe and equitable environment.
Rock to the Future believes that our organization should be as diverse as the music that our young people perform, and that a wide variety of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds only strengthen our community. When we come together, we have the ability to prevail over anything.
Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion Survey
June, 2022 - Rock to the Future partnered with Keva White of VIP Community Services to launch a 3 part Anti-Racism Assessment. The project started with a stakeholder survey where we received 97 separate responses from stakeholders including alumni, community partners, team members, board members, students, parents/guardians and volunteers. The second stage of the project was focus groups done with targeted stakeholder groups that identified areas of growth, and the project wrapped with a continued learning workshop series tailored for our team needs.
One of the biggest takeaways from this process was a need to develop better policies around transparency and reporting, as well as developing a better continued learning curriculum for our team. In the summer of 2022 we instituted a new reporting process for instances of discrimination and harassment, and we wrapped up a four part continued learning series focused on:
- The Race to Social Justice
- Raising Awareness in a Multicultural Workplace
- Developing Equity Teams
- Designing Anti-Racism Action Plans
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commitment
March, 2021 - Rock to the Future recognizes the deeply entrenched practices, cultural norms, and social structures that perpetuate inequities, and is committed to eliminating those challenges. We uphold diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of our organization — knowing it requires sustained commitment, courage, and optimism. We believe authentic community partnership, community representation, and racial equity are absolutely necessary for the success and impact of our programs.
Thank you to The Douty Foundation for funding this opportunity and to Keva White and VIP Community Services for your guidance.
