THRIVING THROUGH DIVERSITY,
EQUITY & INCLUSION
WHERE ALL YOUTH CAN
belong & thrive
CAMP FIRE’S DEFINITION OF THRIVING
Connection
When young people are thriving, they are connected to others, to nature, and to themselves with a loving awareness of their identities, dreams, passions, and needs.
Whole self
They are invited to imagine their whole selves and to learn, grow, and achieve in a self-determined, purpose-driven way.
A place to simply be
For young people in particular, finding a place where they can simply be —where they can exist fully— can be very difficult, especially when who they are is challenged by society.
Relationships & support
That’s why Camp Fire designs identity-affirming, accessible environments in which youth can experience the relationships, fun, inspiration, acceptance, safety, and support they need in order to thrive.
Citing Dr. Kia Darling-Hammond: Darling-Hammond, K. (2021). Bridge to Thriving Framework. Wise Chipmunk.
INCLUSION IS ESSENTIAL TO
Thriving
We take pride in our long-standing commitment to inclusivity and diversity.
Today, we strive to continue in that spirit and welcome everyone to Camp Fire.
We know the youth of today want to shape the world. Camp Fire North Shore provides the experience every child needs to discover who they are, find their spark and thrive in the community now!
CAMP FIRE NORTH SHORE’s STATEMENT OF INCLUSION
We promote a diverse community that begins with removing barriers and fostering individual potential. That is why Camp Fire North Shore is driven by a mission to provide safe and inclusive out of school programing that empowers our youth and staff to thrive. We believe that access to inclusive and affordable programs is a right that transcends a person’s race, color, ancestry, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, citizenship, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, or any other applicable legally protected characteristic. We seek to promote an organizational structure that reflects the communities that we serve and an environment that appreciates the difference of every person.
RACISM, EXCLUSION, INEQUITY, AND CULTURAL APPROPRIATION ARE HUMAN-MADE.
AND THEY CAN BE UNDONE.
Becoming who we want to be
We are committed to creating a sustainable organization that best serves today’s and tomorrow’s youth and families, where every young person can be their whole selves, and connect with others and nature in a safe, affirming environment that strives to break down barriers and provide opportunities to thrive.
Questioning power & repairing harm: Addressing cultural appropriation in our history
One of Camp Fire’s five interwoven strategic commitments is addressing and ending cultural appropriation. In 2020, the national Camp Fire began working with Thrive Paradigm to identify culturally appropriative elements of its programming and recommend changes aligned with Camp Fire’s values of equity and inclusivity. In April through July of 2021, Thrive Paradigm helped establish a task force, conduct an audit and develop recommendations for changes and next steps.
The task force reiterated that Camp Fire has a long, rich history of positive youth development and that removing culturally appropriative practices doesn’t detract from that. Instead, making thoughtful changes to end cultural appropriation and acknowledging the harm that appropriation has done is right in line with Camp Fire’s founding mission to “guide young people on their journey to self-discovery.”
LGBTQ2S+ inclusion
2S is for Two Spirit. Two Spirit is a term designated for Native, Indigenous, and Alaska Native LGBTQ+ individuals. The word came from the Anishinabe language and means having both female and male spirits within one person. Two Spirit has a different meaning in different communities. –Tribal-Institute.org
Camp Fire is on a journey to acknowledge and rectify our history of cultural appropriation. Part of this journey is recognizing the harm that has been done and working to build new, trusted relationships with Native and Indigenous communities. As we move forward into new partnerships and spaces, we want to honor the significant and largely unrecognized contributions of Two Spirit and Indigenous people. By adding 2S to our LGBTQ2S+ acronym we remind ourselves that without these contributions we would not be here today and hold space in the future of Camp Fire for Native, Indigenous, and Two Spirit people to we welcome, affirmed, celebrated, and supported.
Pronouns
If you have exchanged emails with Camp Fire North Shore’s staff, you may have noticed that we have our personal pronouns in our email signatures. If you are not sure why they are there, or the importance of pronouns, check out this page to learn more!
you belong here
We provide affirming, year-round, youth-driven experiences. Invest in the adventure of self-discovery.