Welcoming & Belonging
As the home of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative since 2019, Welcoming & Belonging envisions a region where everyone feels they belong and can safely live, thrive and participate fully in our economy and communities. Through both internal and external programming, we can address demographic and population challenges to create a strong, stable, and inclusive region for generations to come.
In 2020 we crafted a strategic vision that centers racial equity as a critical component of everything we do. We have begun enacting this vision to develop and implement practices that help us better serve our communities and grow a North Country Economy that works for all.
Adirondack Diversity Initiative
Established in 2015 as a volunteer-run coalition and now based at ANCA’s office in Saranac Lake, the Adirondack Diversity Initiative is a collaboration of regional partners who are working to develop and promote strategies for building diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging for all who visit, live and work in the Adirondack region.
ANCA became the home of ADI in 2019 when the Initiative received funding to hire its first director. The State of New York awarded a $250,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Fund, to be managed by the Department of Environmental Conservation, to support the Initiative. ANCA was nominated by the ADI Core Team and selected by the State to oversee the grant and the program.
As home of the ADI team, ANCA supports the Initiative’s growth and works closely with ADI staff to center diversity, equity and inclusion across all of our program areas. To learn more about ADI, its programs, events and more, please visit www.diversityadk.org. Questions about the Initiative may be directed to ADI Deputy Director Melanie Reding at [email protected]
Adirondack Diversity Initiative
ADI exists at the intersection of environmental and transformational justice, working to make the Adirondacks a more welcoming and inclusive place for residents and visitors while ensuring a vital and sustainable Adirondack Park for future generations.
Welcoming & Belonging Micro-credential
ADI’s Welcoming & Belonging Micro-credential program provides businesses, chambers of commerce and community groups with foundational knowledge and best practices for creating spaces that are inclusive and respectful of diverse staff and clientele.
Prosperity-Building Member: The Devlin
Thank you to The Devlin Inn & Suites in Lake Placid for their generous support of ANCA’s programs, including the Adirondack Diversity Initiative.
The Devlin provides a welcoming space for families, travelers, athletes, bridal parties, and groups seeking an inviting and convenient getaway accommodation. Rest and recharge among the High Peaks, or embark on outdoor adventures with The Devlin as your home away from home. Learn more.
Featured Story
The Art of Representation
As a professional dancer and choreographer with deep roots in the Harlem social justice scene, it is no wonder Adirondack Diversity Initiative Director Tiffany Rea-Fisher has brought her passion for the arts to her work in the Adirondack North Country. The arts, she believes, bring people together. Since Tiffany joined the ANCA team in February 2023, ADI has partnered with more arts institutions around the region to promote deeper understanding of systemic inequities and biases that persist in our region and across the globe, while building collaborations that address these challenges at a community level. From music and performance to...
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