The Saint Luke’s Foundation stands with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Despite recent misleading rhetoric, DEI is not about exclusion or favoritism; rather, its practices ensure fairness in decision-making by addressing historical biases. We will continue to make DEI decisions free of racism and discrimination in every aspect of our work. Saint Luke’s Foundation is a living testament for the value of diverse teams, equitable practices, and an inclusive culture.
We reject the distorted framing of DEI. To set the record straight, DEI is not a form of reverse racism, nor is it the practice of hiring people based on their race, sexual orientation, or other identities. It is intended to make strides toward removing bias from a selection process for identifying the most qualified candidates. DEI practices also endeavor to make all members of the group feel a sense of belonging, which has been proven to foster greater individual and team performance. It involves creating and/or maintaining a culture that values, and shows respect for, all represented identities. If truly embraced and sincerely implemented in its true form, DEI counters bias that often leads to discrimination against the most qualified candidates.
Saint Luke’s Foundation proudly stands behind every person hired, every board member elected, every consultant and vendor contracted, and every organization awarded its funding in recent years. Together, we are representative of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, the State of Ohio, and the United States of America. Therefore, we are diverse and exceedingly competent. We are Male, Female, Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Heterosexual, Bisexual, Homosexual, and most importantly we are made up of many other identities. Every person behind our diverse identities earned their roles based on their relevant experience, education, and interpersonal skills. Everyone is immensely talented and contributes to our collective, high-yielding productivity. We embrace our differences and love working alongside each other, as we know we have far more in common than the sum of our differences.
Everyone deserves equal opportunity free from the harm of prejudice. We are best when we look beyond our differences and uplift the talents of everyone without partiality.
Yours in Partnership,
Timothy L. Tramble, Sr., President & CEO
Saint Luke’s Foundation