CRC, Calvin College Recognized for Racism-free Workplaces

The Christian Reformed Church and Calvin College have been recognized by the Partnership for a Racism-Free Community (PRFC) for efforts to create racism-free work environments.

Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., PRFC works with businesses, schools, congregations, and others to provide various tools necessary to build inclusive and racism-free workplaces as well as help organizations to be positioned to succeed in today’s multi-cultural world.

PRFC gave out the awards on March 19 at its annual form, a day-long event held at a local theater.

In each case, the CRC and Calvin had gone through an extensive and credentialing process that evaluated their documents and procedures in addressing racial equality in the workplace.

“It is an honor to join the ranks of people committed to eradicating racism, not only in the organization, but in the community,” said Rev. Esteban Lugo, director of the CRC’s Office of Race Relations.

The designation shows that the CRC is on a journey toward wiping out racism in the workplace, he said, “but we still have a long way to go.”

Being part of the PRFC will help to motivate the CRC as it moves forward to address issues of inequality in the workplace. It will also help “us to be accountable,” said Lugo.

Michelle Loyd Paige, Calvin’s dean for multicultural affairs and interim executive associate to the president for diversity, said the college has been working for the last few years to increase the number of “people of color on our leadership team.”

It also has developed programs and procedures to work with students on matters of racial equality.

As part of its mission as a Christian college, she said, Calvin is committed to creating a racism-free environment as a way “to live fully into the plan God has for us.”

Besides developing procedures and programs, she said, this means engaging in a process of continual self-appraisal.

“We need to keep taking a hard look at who we are and the issues facing us and do something about them,” she said.

In the award ceremony, the CRC was awarded a Level 1, “Full Partner” designation that included demonstration of anti-racism efforts in six categories: Engagement of Leadership; Internal Practices and Policies; External Collaboration and Relationships; Contractor, Vendor and Supplier Practices; Client, Congregation, Customer and Marketplace Practices, and Measurements and Results.

Calvin was awarded a Level I designation two years ago. This year it was given a Level II designation, the highest level awarded by the PRFC.

Level I, noted Loyd Paige, is mainly about an organization committing to the idea of becoming racism-free and about establishing a plan.

The CRC will now be working with PRFC to achieve the Level II designation, said Lugo.

Besides honoring the CRC and Calvin College and other organizations, the PRFC’s annual forum included a showing of the film Follow Me Home, a movie that tells that story of four artists and their journey across America in a van.

The film is an exploration of race and identity, particularly of African, Latin and Native American cultures. The movie was shown in the morning while a series of workshops were offered in the afternoon.