At Alley, we take an evidence-based approach to all the work we do — including our community-driven initiatives. Educating ourselves on issues related to and surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is key to cultivating a safe and thoughtful environment where our diversity is respected, valued, and embraced. We turn to and partner with leaders in the DEIA space for guidance and best practices so that we can continually adapt and improve our approach. 

What does education have to do with DEIA? 

The DEIA realm is not a static one. Not only is education one of five key areas where we focus our (DEIA) efforts, it’s weaved throughout all of them. Staying up-to-date on best practices, new language guidance, and the evolving needs across diverse communities are all foundational to building (and maintaining) an impactful DEIA program.   

Taking actionable steps

Setting goals and taking clear, actionable steps helps us uphold our values of quality, transparency, and accountability in everything we do — including our DEIA initiatives. To that end, we’ve outlined some specific goals around DEIA education and the steps we’ve taken to ensure a mindful and evolving approach to DEIA at Alley.

Our Goals

• Provide resources and opportunities for all Alley team members to engage in DEIA education.
• Ingrain ongoing DEIA research and education into Alley’s training, governance, language guides, and culture at large.

Steps we’ve taken

• Ensured all Alley team members complete anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training during onboarding and on a recurring annual basis. (Q2 2019) 
• Established periodic learning sessions in Alley’s DEIA Working Group where we distributed and discussed reading materials and protocols around DEIA-related issues including systemic racism, current events, bias in tech, and disabilities in the workplace. (Q2 2020)
• Completed unconscious bias training for all leadership, including those involved in hiring. (Q4 2020)
• Participated in How to Be(come) an Anti-Racist training for all team members. (Q4 2020)
• Organized a 21-Day Equity Challenge, the first Alley-wide learning opportunity led by the DEIA Working Group. (Q1 2021)

What the future holds

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are dynamic and complex matters, and making meaningful progress requires ongoing attention and education. At Alley, we will continue to seek out resources and turn to leaders in the DEIA space to ensure that our approach is in line with the needs of historically marginalized groups such as women, BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities. We aim to expand the reach of our DEIA working group and continue to participate in regular learning sessions and company-wide equity challenges that keep our team aware of and engaged with our DEIA program.