Anti-Racism Consortium

A state of comprehensive well-being (e.g., at the individual level of physical, mental, and spiritual health) that supports an optimal quality of life. Health is the presence of wellness allowing for the opportunity to thrive — mention systems that impact stress levels that affect health. In a social context, health eliminates the system barriers and levels out the non-random curve of illness so that all can thrive.

Laws are systems that result in actions and/or decisions (formal and informal) (e.g., rules, policies, resolutions, mandates, or declaration of rights) that are enforceable by penalty and/or consequences that affect everyone in society, although they are often not enforced in an equitable way. Policies are used to maintain social order in a society that prioritizes how resources are distributed across populations and how institutional practices are maintained. Informal laws and policies are cultural and social norms that control actions and decisions in an informal way.

Implementation, approach and application of evidence-based knowledge, experiential knowledge (narrative) theory, and frameworks to affect change or contribute to the functions and operations of an institution, organization or system.

Cultural, geographical, and contextual experiences in which a formal or informal group (for example, individuals, families, or organizations) share culture, history, experience, language, norms, identities, values, goals, and/or ideas that support engagement, change, understanding, and/or sustainability. Inclusion and belonging to a community can have both positive and negative connotations.

The state in which all people have the optimal knowledge, resources, and quality of life. Equity is achieved when life outcomes can no longer be predicted by demographic characteristics or identity politics.

Justice is fairness aligned with ethics, reflective of a collective consciousness of responsibility, accountability, reparation, and reciprocity in human connections to society. Justice is achieved when there is equity and there is a continuous evaluation and adjustment of laws, policies, and practices (the structures and systems) to work for and benefit all within it.