The Collins Foundation believes in an equitable Oregon for all Oregonians. Equity is about justice. It’s an intentional practice of reflection and change to eliminate harm and unfair treatment. When everyone can fully participate in the systems that shape their lives, we all benefit. The Foundation is committed to challenging inequity in Oregon through our grantmaking and continued partnerships with community based changemakers across the state.
The equitable future we hope to build for Oregon lands and people is about reducing harm and ensuring communities have what they need to thrive. In Oregon and around the country, there are tremendous disparities in quality of life and access to opportunity. These differences are rooted in the challenging history of our nation and state. Our society has been diminished by exclusion. We have lost knowledge, wisdom, and leadership. Social identities (race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigrant and/or refugee status, geographic location) shouldn’t affect a person’s quality of life or access to opportunity. But they do.
Discrimination by race and ethnicity plays a specific foundational role in American inequality across all social identities. Confronting and addressing the ways racial hierarchy has defined the structure and operation of all our systems is essential for sustainable change. By centering race as a key factor, The Collins Foundation believes we have the best opportunity to eliminate inequity.
The Collins family and the Foundation know we can’t turn away from the complexities of our shared history and the present moment. To live into the promise of a just and equitable Oregon, The Collins Foundation has been on an intentional path of learning and change. We have shifted our approach to grantmaking to center the communities who have faced the brunt of systemic injustice. The Foundation has refocused its organizational priorities to address the root causes of inequity and deepened its support of organizations doing transformational equity centered work statewide. Equitable outcomes can only come from sustainable change.
The Collins Foundation is making a long-term commitment to an equitable and just Oregon. We will demonstrate that commitment in every aspect of our work and in service to our communities.