Sustain Charlotte's staff and Board of Directors are committed to the ongoing process of centering our work in the recognition that the Charlotte area's existing land use patterns, transportation choices and infrastructure, level of access to opportunity, and environmental health conditions have been profoundly shaped by both past and ongoing racial injustice. Our work must focus on dismantling unjust decision-making and inequitable investment, and move the Charlotte area towards a built environment that is equitable so that all people can have a high quality of life.

In 2020, we worked together to create racial equity goals and commitments. We regularly evaluate our progress and adjust our approach accordingly. 

The desired state that we are actively working towards includes the following goals and commitments:

• Sustain Charlotte does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
• Support a diverse next generation of nonprofit leaders.
• Commit to building a diverse and inclusive Board of Directors that reflects the demographics of the neighborhoods with whom we partner by (1) identifying existing community leaders and (2) coordinating staff and Board efforts to invite them to consider Board service.
• Design and implement all of our events as fully inclusive and welcoming for people of every background.
• Interact equitably with all geographic parts of Charlotte in our programming and events.
• Host events that showcase the diversity of small businesses owned by people of color.
• Advocate for systemic reform to address the legacy of underinvestment in communities of color. “The squeaky wheel gets fixed” approach can help individual neighborhoods, but in the absence of advocacy for overall structural reform, it can actually perpetuate inequitable investment because communities of color often have less time and resources to advocate for their own needs.
• When partnering with communities of color, don’t assume that traffic safety (ie, being hit by a car) is the primary reason more people don't walk and bike. 
• Focus on racial equity as our ultimate goal: Everyone has what they need to thrive and one’s success is not predicted by the color of their skin.
• Create space for all staff and board members to discuss and give input on racial equity issues, but recognize and respect the emotional burden that people of color often experience due to individual, institutional, and systemic racism in their daily lives and that this can be compounded when they are asked to explain their perspective.
• Ensure equitable representation among speakers and presenters at our events, panels, and presentations.
• Educate all Board members about how race impacts the issues on which we work, and secure their commitment to support staff in explicitly centering our work in racial equity.