Community Partner Guide

Adopt the Pledge as an organization and encourage individuals to sign it

Become a Partner

The Richmond Pledge seeks to join with faith communities, organizations, and businesses in raising awareness of issues of racism in the Greater Richmond area and to commit to working together to solve these issues.

While not prescriptive, here is one possible route to becoming a community partner in the Richmond Pledge to End Racism initiative.

Working Together

We are available to assist every step of the way

Invite the Community Engagement Coordinator to meet with clergy, lay leaders, or board members about the Richmond Pledge and what it means to be a partnering congregation/organization.
Schedule a group-wide conversation on the Pledge and the need for anti-racism work, facilitated by members of the Pledge Speaker’s Bureau. This could be in connection with other anti-racism programming you are already engaged in.
Create a plan for engaging your members with the Richmond Pledge movement, including mapping work your group is already doing (e.g., study groups, preaching, denominational initiatives, advocacy) and identifying potential growth areas.
Adopt the Richmond Pledge to End Racism as a set of guiding principles for your congregation/organization. This could take the form of a congregational resolution or a vote by your organization’s governing board.
Inform the Richmond Pledge of your decision. Go on our website and sign the Pledge as an organization or let the Community Engagement Coordinator know of your group’s decision.
Take on the responsibilities of a community partner and receive commitments from the RIchmond Pledge initiative in your ongoing anti-racism work. (More details below.)

Ready to get started?

Reach out to our Community Engagement Coordinator!

Your group’s route to becoming a community partner in the Richmond Pledge to End Racism initiative might look different from what’s listed above. But whatever route you take, the place to start is likely reaching out to our Community Engagement Coordinator.

Reach Out

Growing Together

Help us in our efforts to expand the Pledge to End Racism

Responsibilities of Community Partners

The Pledge to End Racism Movement is more than a signature on a page. It’s a living, breathing process to help all of us become better equipped to talk about race and racism and take action to end systemic racism. In seeking partners,

In addition to adopting the Pledge to End Racism as a set of guiding principles for your congregation or organization, as a Richmond Pledge Network member you also commit to the following:

Encourage individuals from your group to sign the Pledge. Share our website (richmondpledge.org/sign); distribute and collect Pledge cards; or have a yearly (re)commitment Pledge signing ceremony as part of a worship service or annual meeting.
Continue to educate your group about the Pledge movement and what it means to be a Pledge Partner. Consider inviting someone from our speaker’s bureau to present on the Pledge in a regular gathering (e.g., worship service or board meeting), as a stand-alone presentation w/ Q&A, or both! We can tailor the presentation to any time frame – from 5 minutes to an hour.
Offer anti-racism training to your group on a regular basis. This could take the form of denominational resources, community offerings, or the Living the Pledge Workshop. Create systems of accountability for Pledge signers from your congregation/organization so that they may network with one another and be sustained in this work.
Communicate to your congregation/organization about Richmond Pledge-sponsored educational events and opportunities for action. Identify a liaison who will be responsible for receiving notices from the Richmond Pledge and routing that information through the proper communication channels for your congregation/organization.
Give permission for us to list your congregation/organization as a member of the Richmond Pledge Network on our website.
Submit an annual progress report (template provided) and indicate your continued commitment to being a Pledge Partner.

Our Commitment to Partners

We want the RIchmond Pledge to be a useful tool in your anti-racism efforts, and for our organization to be a place to turn for ideas and encouragement. We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we are committed to learning alongside you and sharing what we’ve learned from our own anti-racism journey.

As part of the Pledge Network, the Richmond Pledge initiative commits to you the following:

Stronger Together

We want to support you in your anti-racism efforts.

Logos, flyers, postcards, and other electronic materials to help you promote the Pledge to your congregation/organization/community.
Regular contact with the Community Engagement Coordinator to assist in developing your group’s plan of engagement with the Pledge Movement and evaluate progress.
Connection to other Pledge partners for collaboration and sharing of best practices.
Availability of speakers to share the latest news and initiatives around the Pledge with your congregation/organization.
Yard sign to display at your congregation’s main campus or organizational office. Additional signs are available with a requested donation of $20 to cover production costs.
Support and training to host a Living the Pledge Workshop.
An initial supply of Pledge logo window decals; Ideal for office or classroom windows as well as individual Pledge signers’ car windows.

Our Community Partners

The following groups & organizations have adopted the Richmond Pledge to End Racism and are helping to create a network of support and commitment to anti-racist policies and ideas. Click on their logo to learn more about them. We hope your organization would consider joining us.