As a Foundation committed to cross-cultural exchange, our work is directly related to racial inequity throughout the world. However, we understand that a just world requires us to first combat racism at home. The Mwebaza Foundation recognizes the system in America is unjust - equity and inclusion have not yet been achieved in our Colorado communities; so we stand with those fighting for change and we say, Black lives matter, in Africa, the U.S., and all over the world.

We acknowledge that our understanding and response to racial inequity will continue to evolve, but we will not wane in our commitment. We pledge to confront our own biases and to create an equitable culture that dismantles systemic barriers within our organization. We choose to see color, and are trying our best to minimize the harmful effects of our blind spots. We hope to work with increasing humility, authentic curiosity, and courage. We will constantly seek out new information that sharpens our equity consciousness lens.

We echo the sentiments of the superintendents of our Colorado partner schools’ districts and want to underscore the importance of engaging children on issues related to race, inequity, and social justice at home and in the classroom. Our mission remains to enhance the relationships among our Colorado and African partner schools through cross-cultural exchange and service learning. We focus our educational opportunities on topics that teach children, in Uganda and Colorado, to be critical thinkers around issues related to equity, human rights, and sustainability through interactive leadership projects.  

Our work puts us in a position where we can help empower communities from the inside-out, by recognizing that those we serve are the experts on the challenges that they face. We want our organization to focus on human values.  To that end, we listen from a place of love and acknowledge that we are not the experts.  We honor the stories, experiences, and emotions of the people who share their lives with us.  We will continue to collaborate on solutions with our friends rather than for our friends.

Our staff and board of directors are participating in a training that focuses on uprooting our own biases and discussing racial inequality in our American landscape and how we work in Uganda. We acknowledge that this learning is complex and at times can be messy and ambiguous.  We embrace that complexity and the discomfort it can engender with patience and empathy so that we can develop innovative solutions that produce increasingly equitable outcomes. There is not a single solution but rather a direction in which we choose to move. This training is the first step in our commitment to better serving our communities. 

We welcome your participation in our process to more deeply address issues related to race, inequity, and social justice, as we learn to listen more closely to the needs of our stakeholders and reflect authentically on what they share in an effort to make a better world for all.

You will hear from us again soon. 

Thank you,

Dale Peterson, President

Devaki Douillard, Executive Director

Nicole Tembrock, Vice President

Amanda Woodward, Director

Alex Armstrong, Secretary

Mike Keppler, Director

Christa Keppler, Director

KayLyn Thueson, Director

Hillari Hansen, School Development Director

Abigail Scott, Creative Director

The Mwebaza Foundation does not and cannot endorse any candidate for office.  Neither does the Mwebaza Foundation endorse any political platform, organization, or movement.