The Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Report | Access
“It shall be said: ‘Build up, build up, prepare the way;
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.’”
— Isaiah 57:14, NRSV
As we conclude our reflections on QCF’s report on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) practices, we end with the Access section of the report. We asked community members what barriers to access existed within the QCF community, and received a range of responses, including disability-related barriers, geographical barriers, language barriers, and financial barriers. A summary of what we found can be read at the bottom of this page.
As I reflect on this section of the report and on the practice of Access as a whole, this question comes to mind: How can QCF continue preparing the way for equitable access in the community?
As Isaiah notes in the Bible passage above, removing obstructions and building up are of the same process. Sometimes getting rid of a barrier means creating something new, adding to what we are doing rather than just simply taking something away. As we prepare the way towards becoming a more equitable organization and community, our work is not entirely about taking out that which has been harmful in the past. We must also actively bring in the people, histories, and experiences that we’ve structurally kept away over the years.
When we add things like a BIPOC lounge to our Conference spaces, this does not remove space from others. When we increase the number of ASL-interpreted gatherings at our events, this does not subtract from those who can hear the speakers. Our equity is not a zero-sum, resource-scarce, playing field. God gives to us in abundance because God wants all of us to have access to the kinds of community Jesus came here to establish. When we name the barriers we’ve felt to inclusion in Christian spaces, especially in ones that value inclusivity and diversity like QCF does, we are naming the personal and systemic wrongs that God has called us to work on. We cannot build systems and spaces to overcome barriers until we can name them. This report is the beginning of addressing the systemic inequalities that have plagued QCF.
QCF will continue to prepare the way for equitable access by building the structures and policies, gathering the resources, and implementing the feedback of those most marginalized in our community. We make our community more accessible when we welcome, add, and grow.
OAD Report Executive Summary Excerpt | Access & Conclusion
Access
In the fourth thematic area, “Access,” interview participants named specific barriers - including disability-related barriers, geographical barriers, language barriers, and financial barriers - to being fully included within the QCF community for both themselves and people with other identities. They also gave examples of unfair disadvantages or advantages that they had experienced related to their own social locations.
The QCF Board and Staff are recommitting ourselves to identifying new barriers and resolving known barriers to access as much as possible, and in places where a barrier cannot be ameliorated, to communicate clearly about it. We seek to be an environment where all community members are treated equitably, and we strive to offer inclusive access to those who need it most.
Conclusion
Upon receiving the final report, the QCF staff reflected, discussed, and strategized based on the findings that were shared. The full report, which will be published in December 2024, includes more detailed staff reflections and strategic action steps through FY 2026. Equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, access, and justice deeply matter to us as a staff. This report is only one piece in our broader efforts to live up to our mission of cultivating radical belonging in furtherance of our vision: for all Christians to live up to their calling to be instruments of grace and defenders of the outcasts.
