Statement of Privilege

We recognize the privilege afforded to us by our intersectional identities and lived experience, and commit to acknowledging the benefits as such and to leveraging that privilege to promote systemic change toward greater equity, justice, and liberation.

We are a mixed group holding cisgender, trans*, gender non-conforming, heterosexual, queer, middle class, femme, womxn, men, Black, White, Latino, Chicano, Indigenous, Desi, American, and immigrant identities.

We hold different family-of-origin structures, neurodiversities and physical disabilities, who have experience in top-tier universities, corporate America, and the American educational system.

We seek to take on the work of equity, justice, and liberation with great humility, collaboration, and mutuality. We honor our ancestors who came before us, on whose shoulders we stand.

We strive to carry forward the work of liberation that has been done before us, in large part by Black feminists and other oppressed champions who did not have the luxury that we have of being compensated for the work, but rather risked their lives for their communities.

We are committed to our own growth and constant unlearning of our internalized lessons of supremacy to live into greater universal truths of respect and solidarity, and to partnering in action with those who share our wish for a more just future.

Land Acknowledgement

In the spirit of healing and solidarity, we've written a land acknowledgment statement. We recognize this small act is a foundational component of supporting Indigenous communities in greater depth. We hope to inspire others to stand with us in solidarity with Indigenous people and first nation tribes.

ZEA Community Enrichment acknowledges Indigenous Peoples as the original stewards of the land and acknowledges the enduring relationship that exists between them and their traditional territories. Our co-founders and mentors reside on ancestral lands of Indigenous tribes, such as the Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), hinono’eino’ biito’owu’ (Arapaho), Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux), as well as 48+ other tribal nations with ties to these ancestral homelands now known regionally as Northeastern Colorado.

We honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous people connected to this land since time immemorial. We are committed to uplifting the name of these lands and community members from these Nations who reside alongside us.

For more information on land acknowledgments in general, check out the following resources:

• Native Governance Center: "A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement"

• INSIGHT Into Diversity: "Acknowledging Native Land is a Step Against Indigenous Erasure"

Equitable Pay Scale

ZEA Community Enrichment offers our programs on a wide sliding scale. Our sliding scale is an intentional effort to distribute resources equitably among children and families enrolled in our programs while striving to pay our mentors a living wage in Boulder, CO. Our organization is grass roots and works in partnership with local schools, nonprofits, and community organizations, especially organizations that are majority-owned by leaders with intersecting marginalized identities. Paying at the higher end of the scale makes it possible for us to offer full scholarships to Global Majority youth and families experiencing financial hardship while offering a living wage to mentors.