Daily Work is Committed to Building Equity in St. Paul and Beyond

DEI at Daily Work

To deepen our commitment to equity, Daily Work has a dedicated committee to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and beyond. We welcome anyone in our community to join, and we’re actively seeking new members.

The committee works to make Daily Work’s systems and operations more inclusive, from board governance to our interactions with job seekers. A key priority is ensuring diverse voices are part of every decision-making process. Learn more about our efforts by exploring our DEI Survey Summary and Priority Actions.

Equity Chats: Join the Conversation April 5

At Daily Work, we believe in the power of meaningful conversations to drive growth and connection. In March or April, we will begin offering a monthly Zoom conversation as a space for reflection, learning, and community-building. Our plan is to read a book or article, watch a video or other media, or something else to ground the conversation each month.

Equity Chats will be open to all and will provide a space for community members, staff, volunteers, and board members to engage in open discussions about racism and equity and how they impact all of us. We strive for a relaxed, come-as-you-are space where people of all races are invited and welcome. We aim to be honest and open with one another—gently pushing the boundaries of our thinking, questioning social norms, and inviting new perspectives. We believe in calling each other in, not out, creating space for growth rather than judgment. Over time, we seek to expand a set of shared norms that keep us accountable to this vibe and the community we’re striving to create.

Interested in joining the Chat?

Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 5 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. for the first Equity Chat. To receive the zoom link for the conversation, email Maria@daily-work.org with the words Equity Chat in the subject line.

What to Expect

A warm welcome from facilitators
Round-robin check-in: How are you as a human?
Reflection on key takeaways from the materials -- the first conversation will be about the book "Hijab Butch Blues."
Open space for additional thoughts and questions

If you are worried about participating due to the cost of purchasing a book, please let us know. We are working to find a way to ensure everyone can participate.

Our Commitment to Equity

Racism and oppression are built into our society’s language, systems, and practices. We actively seek to dismantle racism, challenge discriminatory actions, reject oppressive practices, and reduce disparities in our community. We cultivate self-awareness and practice self-reflection in order to co-create an environment of radical acceptance.

~ Revised and adopted April 22, 2024 by Daily Work Board of Directors

Since the Beginning: Advancing Equity Through Employment

Daily Work was born from a commitment to social justice when pastors from several Twin Cities' churches, mostly in St. Paul's Midway-area, noticed that immigrants and other marginalized community members were unable to secure living wage jobs due to inequitable employment practices.

Over the past 25 years, Daily Work has focused on providing practical support to address the systemic barriers in the job application process and the workplace. From resumes to online applications, nearly every job today requires written communication or digital skills—even for positions that do not demand them. Job seekers often face convoluted online forms or pre-employment questionnaires that ask irrelevant questions, while failing to assess the skills essential to the job.

While these barriers may seem like a product of our digital age, Daily Work sees the disproportionate impact they have on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. In addition to these systemic challenges, we also hear firsthand accounts from job seekers about attitudinal barriers such as bias, racism, and discrimination.

These challenges have deepened Daily Work’s commitment to social justice and advancing racial equity in every aspect of our organization. We are dedicated to breaking down both systemic and attitudinal barriers to create an inclusive environment where all job seekers can thrive.