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5 <br />The Breakpoint Initiative <br />Project Scope <br />_________________________________________________________ <br />The Breakpoint Initiative proposes a cultural development program. This Breakpoint will <br />focus on systemic racism with an underlying theme of financial equity training, specifically <br />to bridge the gap between the current socioeconomic climate and opportunities for <br />community engagement. Our goal is for thoughtful reflection, along with tough <br />conversations about our collective humanity, to take place alongside professional growth and <br />increased self-awareness. When you build a culture that welcomes hard pauses to reflect on <br />racial equity, financial growth, and social issues - the organization grows the right way. <br />Awareness (What is the Culture?) <br />Too often organizations want a quick fix to building a healthy culture and minimizing <br />toxicity. This is likened to trying to cure a patient by writing a prescription without first <br />understanding the patient’s underlying health condition. However, long-term wellness <br />requires more than just a magic pill. Organizations, and societies alike, must resist the <br />impulse to seek immediate relief for the symptoms, and instead focus on the disease. <br />Otherwise, they run the risk of a recurring ailment. <br />Effective training involves many levels – the most important of which is bringing awareness <br />to the entire organization that there already is an established culture and exploring the impact <br />of that culture. While most institutions already have mottos, mission statements, and codes of <br />conduct, it does not mean they are rooted in the psyche of their staff or healthy for the <br />achievement of meaningful goals. Our mission is to discuss the culture as it stands and why <br />there is a desire for a racial equity initiative to improve upon it. <br />Information Gathering (Leadership and Staff Assessment) <br />A necessary step is a thorough assessment of your organization/leadership network. While <br />we have a broad understanding of the network we would work with, we need to assess the <br />individual members who will participate in the training. This plays an important role in the <br />broader community; it is important to build awareness about the culture within its own <br />community. It is equally important to realize that people govern their own culture. Each of <br />those we engage in dialogue has their own belief system about racism and what it looks like. <br />We must learn who we are engaging and what the impact of their leadership/teamwork style <br />is on the rest of the organization. We would like to begin with formation/assessment of a <br />Racial Equity Committee then expand from there. <br />Nothing can change within a culture if employees, as well as leaders, are not fully engaged in <br />the journey. Sitting in an auditorium and watching a PowerPoint presentation will not cut it. <br />Truth is exposed in intimate settings. People appreciate the truth because it means you <br />respect their intelligence. When we assess the committee, we can either do so in a group <br />environment or offer one-on-ones with the leadership team. <br />DocuSign Envelope ID: 6F871CCE-055E-46A1-A81E-C2ED2DA28D40