Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Where We Stand:

We Acknowledge:

First and foremost, we wish to acknowledge and pay our deep respect to the Traditional Caretakes of the land on which Thunderbird Ridge sits, the Tesuque and Tewa people and elders and ancestors — past, present and future. We acknowledge and offer deep gratitude to this Tesuque land, the rocks, trees, animals and water that supports us, for our endeavors both here physically, and as they move out virtually across the planet.

We are Expansive:

We stand for freedom and liberation from oppressive paradigms, orthodoxy, servitude and conformity. We stand for freedom of thought in defiance of dictatorship, white supremacy and oppression in all its forms.

We are Inclusive:

Black Lives Matter. Period. Black Lives Matter is more than words or a movement, it is a heartful invitation for all humans to rise in unity in the commitment to our highest dignity. When Black lives matter, all beings benefit. The call for Black lives to matter is a rallying cry for ALL Black lives striving for liberation. And we are working for a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for demise.

We Affirm:

We affirm the dignity and the lives of the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community, and of undocumented people, people with visible and invisible disabilities, people with records, and all people across all marginalized identities.

We Follow:

We follow the Kanyini principal (Aboriginal Australian term for unconditional love with responsibility) and in so doing, honor the sovereign lives of all beings – the plants, the animals, the rocks, trees, rivers and oceans. We take our vow of responsibility not only to protect these beings, but, in the name of liberation from oppression, recognize our shared belonging in equal membership as citizens of the world.

We are Called Forward:

We have been called forward as an organization and as individuals to soul search and take an honest moral inventory of our unconscious incompetency around racism, homophobia, xenophobia, sexism, classism, ageism and other forms of intolerance and to remove the blinders of our white privilege. As an organization, we have taken steps to have deeper conversations, increased learning and participated in educational programs with social justice activists such as Dr. Tiffany Jana.

We Give Voice:

Silence makes us complicit inside a pervasive paradigm of oppression around the world. We are compelled to contribute our voice and our commitment to end violence and oppression in all its forms. We are providing a platform to share the voices of those who struggle to be heard.

We Stand:

We stand in solidarity with the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, and the millions of others whose lives have been cut short due to racist-driven, hatred inspired, oppressive violence. We stand in solidarity with the millions of people from the L.G.B.T.Q.+ communities, undocumented people, people with visible and invisible disabilities, people with records, and all people across any marginalized identities who have been terrorized, tortured, beaten, maimed and killed because of who they were born to be and who they were born to love.

We Push:

We are in the business of courageously pushing outside of comfort zones into true transformation. We support ourselves and others to courageously push through the comfort zones of ignorance, fear, shame and intolerance. And here is where the hope lies. We have taken the steps as an organization to have uncomfortable conversations with ourselves and each other, and will not tolerate those who do not meet our openness.

We Take Action:

  • Proceeds of Flying Lead Change are donated to TEWA Women United.

  • A portion of our time and efforts is donated by pro-bono engagements with under-served community members.

  • We donate to the NAACP.

  • Posting anti-racism resources and educational materials on our website.

  • Using our voice in social media to promote anti-racism.

Ways to Help:

Here is a list of suggestions called “75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice”. This list, compiled and continuously updated by Corinne Shutack, is excellent for Americans who are looking for ways to take action.

We Learn:

We continue to educate ourselves and learn about our inherent racism and oppressive habits and unconscious incompetency, and encourage our community to learn along with us. These three books are a great start:

Access our list of Anti-Racism Resources and Education by clicking the button to the right: