What is the Equity Institute?

Equity Institute is a leader in advancing groundbreaking ideas and concepts related to diversity, equity, and inclusion that challenge structural racism to build equitable and sustainable schools and communities that recognize the full humanity of its people. Equity Institute has grown to include multiple programs that impact thousands of students, families, educators, and community members. We are now one of the largest organizations in Rhode Island that focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Founded in 2016 by Karla Vigil and Carlon Howard, two classroom-based educators, Equity Institute was formally launched in 2019 to explore innovative ways to improve educators' pedagogical approach and support efforts to diversify the teacher workforce.

What do we believe? 

Principles are what you stand for in life. These do not change.

When/if you lose your way or you are faced with a hard decision, you draw on your principles to help guide your decision-making process.

Outside the Box

We aim to think outside the box in everything we do.

Transformative Leadership

We practice transformative leadership.

  • Listen with why as a framework.

  • Ask what you can learn from this.

  • Assess how your real time actions contribute to transforming the situation vs making it worse.

  • Use your body, your gut, as a way to assessing a situation.

Emergent Strategy

We use emergent strategy as an approach to solve problems and build trusting relationships.

  • Change is constant, be like water.

  • Less prep, more presence.

  • Focus on critical connections more than critical mass - build resilience.

People-Centered Approach

We believe in a people-centered approach and enlist the people most impacted by an issue to identify solutions and supports necessary for their success.

Power into Action

We believe people have power and must be supported and trained in how to translate that power into action for the benefit of BIPOC and disadvantaged youth.

Nimble and Flexible

We are nimble and flexible in our approach to racial justice work in order to respond in real time to the most critical problems.

Racial Equity Lens

We practice through a racial equity lens.

  • Lead with race explicitly.

  • Acknowledge and understand disparities in data.

  • Develop an awareness of historical and current trauma of a community.

  • Analyze power dynamics and root cause of an issue.

Worth, Dignity, and Equality

We believe learners need access to the resources necessary to build respect for the worth, dignity, and equality of every individual in our diverse society.