Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Statement

The Esplanade Association (EA) believes, despite historical barriers, that public greenspace should and can benefit and reflect the diversity of all park users. EA’s team will prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in its work through our specific commitments to inclusion and belonging for our in-park experiences and organizational partnerships and events: ​

  • INTERNAL POLICY: For EA free programs, funded projects, ongoing care and maintenance of our living and physical landscape, fundraising efforts, communications, governance, and investments, the organization will: ​
    • Prioritize outreach and partners that represent the majority-minority diversity of the City of Boston   
    • Maintain practices in sync with Commonwealth Partner Mass DCR’s Universal Access Program 
    • Stay up to date on latest research and practices in environmental justice. 
  • MUNICIPAL ADVOCACY: Where there is opportunity, EA will seize opportunities with all civic, state and city partners to advocate for funds, expertise, and actionable outcomes to increase and sustain inclusive practices in their own work. ​
  • STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: Where we lack direct staff expertise and representation, EA will commit to authentic partnerships and community-informed planning to pilot, assess, and improve offerings. We acknowledge this work is ongoing and cannot be done alone. ​
  • LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Grounding our work in land stewardship, EA acknowledges the human-made park along the Charles River is the tidal bed of the Quinobequin River, an ongoing point of exchange for indigenous neighbors including the Massachusett, Wampanoag and Nipmuc people.  We cannot fully steward this place without recognizing their collective wisdom and traditional ecological knowledge. ​
  • TRAINING AND INVESTMENTS: EA will invest its training and resources to supplement areas where EA lacks knowledge to best communicate, engage, or translate its mission and work. ​
  • TRACKING IMPROVEMENTS: Since drafting an initial DEIA Statement in 2020, as of 2024, EA will annually track, assess, and report on our work toward improving on our commitments, using external expert-informed surveys.  

This Statement was last updated in June 2024.