News & Blog

Photo by Broadmead resident Erroll Hay

Diversity and Inclusion at Broadmead: Resident Voices

By Jennifer Jimenez Maraña, MEd, PhD, Broadmead Director of Diversity & Inclusion

Broadmead's commitment to diversity has been ingrained since its founding as a Quaker-values based continuing care retirement community; yet Broadmead has become more intentional with its focus on diversity and inclusion over the last several years.

During two recent panel discussions on Diversity and Inclusion at Broadmead, we highlighted the stories of current residents and provided a space to connect with prospective residents. Current residents shared an array of experiences prior to living at Broadmead and discussed what it was like living in a community that valued diversity and inclusion.

The panelists had lived at Broadmead from a span of 6 months to more than 20 years. Many of the residents had lived in diverse settings, among neighbors, friends and colleagues of many backgrounds, religions, and cultures prior to coming to Broadmead.

While they understood that Broadmead might not have the same diverse demographics that many were used to, they understood and acknowledged that Broadmead is a caring community where neighbors look out for one another, and where conversation about diversity and inclusion are welcomed and valued. They shared examples of how as a community we are hosting diversity programs, reaching out to the local community, and building partnerships that did not exist before.

As one panelist put it, residents at Broadmead are "woke" – there is an understanding and awareness among many that diversity and inclusion are vital to who we are as a community today and how we envision ourselves in the future.

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