At H-CAP's Center for Equity, we believe that to confront the links between systemic racism, sexism, ableism, and poor job quality in long-term care, it is important to integrate racial equity into internal work processes. The goal of the "Racial Equity Lasik Tool" worksheet is to help you practice applying a racial equity "Lasik" on an ongoing basis in service of developing anti-racist policies, programs, practices, and decisions. the term "Lasik", as in the permanent corrective eye surgery, imbues that centering racial equity is how we strive to see and navigate the world all the time - rather than a single step or "box to check", a "lens" to take on or off, or one of many factors to consider after the rest of the work is done.

 

Applying racial equity Lasik requires intentional effort: as Lama Rod Owens, teacher and author of Love and Rage, says: "There is no liberation without practice." This worksheet is an equity assessment and reflection tool that asks you how you're intersecting identities and life experiences inform your approach to the work. The goal is to use this tool to help center the stakeholders and communities most impacted and explore how to embed accountability on an ongoing basis.