Companies in the community & social services and non-profit sectors share one key similarity: they exist for the main purpose of improving the lives of those who need it most. Because of this, many of the professionals who enter these sectors do so because they are passionate about helping others. Still, neither these organizations nor their staff are immune to problems with equity. In fact, they are just as susceptible to Anti-Black Racismes about marginalized groups. Though these organizations and institutions typically have some commitment to diverse communities, they rarely center equity as a goal, and their staff have a very limited understanding of social issues that directly impact an overwhelming number of the people they serve.
These conditions lead to inequitable outcomes for marginalized groups that often go unnoticed and unaddressed. When concerns are raised by members of equity-seeking groups, they are met with resistance from people and spaces that incorrectly consider themselves to be neutral. Without proper education about the social issues that affect their clients and an equity-centred approach to serving them, organizations and institutions in the community & social services and non-profit sectors will continue to be complicit in producing poor outcomes for members of marginalized groups.