MISSION
Equality Works develops and publishes educational tools and materials for building a culture of respect and dignity within the workplace. We focus on providing resources for addressing systemic discrimination at its roots in culture, society, and history through educational interventions in the form of workshops, creative arts and multimedia projects, written and visual guides, and a library of resources through a human rights lens.
HISTORY
In 2013, Equality Works (EQW) was founded with the mission to provide resources to overcome gendered discrimination in the workplace. April Harlo and four of her fellow alumni from the University of San Francisco (USF) International & Multicultural Education (IME) Masters’ Program started EQW to address gendered workplace discrimination through a critical human rights and intersectional feminist lens.
The organization was rejuvenated in the fall of 2016 when the Board of Directors sought to expand EQW’s scope of work and programs. That October Jazzmin was brought on as EQW’s Executive Director and began contacting her fellow IME and Human Rights Education alumni and community members to join the organization. April and Asma stayed on as board members, while Breana Bahar Hansen remained in their position as secretary. Fredrick D. Kakinami Cloyd and Pei-hsuan Wu joined the board that same year.
In 2017, Equality Works began developing programs at the intersection of worker’s rights, the right to workplace equality, and freedom from discrimination in the workplace. The first project— a Worker’s Rights Pocketbook— is in the Past EQW Projects section.
In 2021, EQW invited Innovate! to join the organization. Innovate! is undertaking work to facilitate learning in the areas of democratic practices in workplaces and hospitality to difference in organizational cultures. Innovate! was founded by EQW member Pei-hsuan Wu and Richard Shapiro. Pei-Ching Wu is also an original member of the team.