Circle of Friends for Mental Health
Racial Equity Assessment

Circle of Friends works tirelessly to both reflect and engage the people and experiences of racially diverse communities across our region. Our Board of Directors is comprised of over 75% people of color, and also includes individuals that identify as being LGBTQIA+. Circle of Friends is guided by the principle that all of the people who we invite to help steer our organization bring with them unique backgrounds and perspectives, shaped by their unique ethnic, cultural and socio-economic circumstances. Our Board represents regions and cultures from around the world, bringing together a group that embodies a true culture of integrity and equality for all the communities we serve. This multi-cultural approach to leadership shapes the way our organization addresses our target population.

On the programming side, our teachers come from all over the world, representing a diversity of skills and experiences that enhance the opportunities we can provide in our classrooms. Because of the locations of our programs throughout King County, in shelters, emergency service centers and residential treatment facilities, our program participants reflect the same diversity that Seattle is known for. The curricula that our teachers deliver is constantly changing based on the needs of the community we serve. Our programs are open to the public with the only condition being that every student respects the work and contribution of others in the group. We believe that Circle of Friends is, at its core, about friendship. Through friendship, our volunteers help overcome a multitude of hurtful stereotypes and stigmas. The challenges that our students face—addiction, mental illness and homelessness, do not see color, race, sexuality, gender, or economic status. Our programs reflect the belief that everyone who comes to us is equal and deserves compassion and respect.

Beyond the individuals we serve, our professional and non-profit partnerships also reflect a commitment to making deep and meaningful joint commitments with other community organizations. We have taken bold steps towards partnering with likeminded community organizations and recently added a partnership with Families of Color (FOCS), whose mission is to build a strong community by supporting families of color through parenting programs, resource sharing, and strategic connections. Circle of Friends has been a long-time partner of the University of Washington’s Carlson Center for Service Learning. We host UW students quarterly by providing them with volunteer opportunities that are applied to college credits. We also partner with AIESEC International and annually co-sponsor several non-working visas of students from around the world to live in Seattle and volunteer full-time as program assistants, who also facilitate and participate in our programming. The mutual exchange of knowledge and culture not only strengthens our commitment to diversity, but adds fresh perspectives on our work and our daily activity. These partnerships ensure that our organization continues pursuing a multicultural approach to both leadership and programming. 

The commitments our organization has made to investing in diversity and inclusion have significantly improved the quality of our programming. Circle of Friends continues to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from all of our stakeholders as we have continually provided high-quality, engaging programming through creative arts for those most in need. Through our partnerships, we have found new ways to address the communities in need and have learned new methods for listening and responding to the rapidly changing landscape that our community faces. By delivering programming that is cost-free and easily accessible, we are further eliminating barriers to access, creating spaces where everyone is welcome.

In evaluating Circle of Friends for Mental Health on the Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist, Multicultural Organization, our Board has determined that Circle of Friends meets the requirements for #5: A Transforming Institution. Specifically, we have audited and restructured all aspects of our institutional life to ensure full participation by people of color, including their worldview, culture and lifestyles, as described in detail above. We have further committed to dismantling racism within the community by employing open dialogue and continual sharing of values, beliefs and traditions through creative self-expression in the arts. Our Board of Directors routinely evaluates our position within the community to ensure that our programming continues to facilitate open, safe creative spaces for everyone to participate. Circle of Friends has been a recognized community leader for the past 19 years. In bringing high-quality programming to our target population, all members in our organization embrace the values and vision of Circle of Friends. 

Our mission remains constant, despite frequently changing volunteers and participants. It is a central component of our work that we continually monitor our effectiveness in being a totally non-racist, inclusive, multicultural organization in all aspects of our institutional life. Our strength is specifically in the diversity of our volunteers and teachers, who come from all backgrounds to serve our students in transformational ways.