The Advancing Racial Equity Community of Practice is a six-month project in which Education Design Lab will work with The Bridgespan Group to support our journey to advance racial equity, both in our organization and in our work.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (JANUARY 25, 2023) – Education Design Lab (the Lab) is excited to announce our participation in a new community of practice with other nonprofit organizations focused on advancing racial equity. Over the next six months, leaders from across the Lab will work with The Bridgespan Group to strengthen our approach to advancing racial equity both internally and in our external work. The Advancing Racial Equity Community of Practice, led by The Bridgespan Group, is funded by the Walmart Foundation.

“The work of racial equity is not a destination, but rather a journey where we learn to honor everyone’s humanity and to confront the ways in which we have learned to do the opposite,” said Bill Hughes, President + CEO at the Lab. “We are transformational designers of equitable systems at the intersection of learning and work, so we are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside incredible leaders in other organizations to consider the issues and impacts of racial inequity and to put in place plans to advance our organization and our work towards equity.”

The Lab is participating in the cohort alongside nine organizations:

• American Red Cross
• Center for the Future of Arizona
• Goodwill Industries International
• National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)
• Team Rubicon
• The National FFA Organization
• The Recycling Partnership
• Winrock International
• World Wildlife Fund

The Walmart Foundation is providing philanthropic funding to the Lab. The funding will assist in supporting the Lab as we collaborate with others to share best practices and learnings on our work to prioritize equity.

“We can make a greater impact when we come together to support each other’s journeys to advance racial equity,” said Kirstie Sims, Senior Director, Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity. “We heard from many nonprofit organizations we work with, at varying sizes and points in their racial equity journey, that they wanted to learn and share best practices, knowledge and challenges with others. The Bridgespan Group’s leadership of the Advancing Racial Equity Community of Practice provides that space.”

About Education Design Lab: The Lab is a national nonprofit that co-designs, prototypes, and tests education-to-workforce models through a human-centered design process focused on understanding learners’ experiences, addressing equity gaps in higher education, and connecting new majority learners to economic mobility. Learn more: www.eddesignlab.org.

About The Bridgespan Group: The Bridgespan Group (www.bridgespan.org) is a global nonprofit that collaborates with social change organizations, philanthropists, and impact investors to make the world more equitable and just. Bridgespan’s services include strategy consulting and advising, sourcing and diligence, and leadership team support. We take what we learn from this work and build on it with original research, identifying best practices and innovative ideas to share with the social sector. We work from locations in Boston, Johannesburg, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, and Singapore.

About Philanthropy at Walmart: Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By leaning in where our business has unique strengths, the Walmart Foundation works to tackle key social issues and collaborate with others to spark long-lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 27 countries, employing more than 2 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs that work to accelerate upward job mobility for frontline workers, address hunger and make healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality, and build strong communities where Walmart operates.

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