An Open Letter to the One 17 Family

Our name is derived from Isaiah 1:17, which says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” This verse defines our calling as an organization and the calling we hope to see our volunteers, donors, staff, and students live out. Our hope is that our mission, the action we take, and the people we serve speaks for itself; however, we feel convicted to speak out directly against racial injustice at this time.

Racial injustice is unacceptable. It goes against the grain of who we are and what we stand for. More importantly, it goes against the grain of who we know God to be. He is righteous and just. He is caring and compassionate. He is for the hurting and oppressed.

We acknowledge that systemic racism exists in the United States and it is not right. Police brutality and racial violence is not right. Our heart breaks for the black community and the injustice they have experienced for generations, both in America and around the world.

We, as an organization, are an ally in the fight for equal rights. Our mission of providing “hope through education” to the left behind is a direct response to social and spiritual inequalities that exist in our world. We believe every person is made in the image of God. To view or treat an individual or group of people as “less than” because of the color of their skin is to view God’s creation as less than He intended it to be.

As an organization, we are not perfect, but we’re striving to “learn to do right” like Isaiah 1:17 commands. At One 17, 94% of our paid staff and 100% of our student population is BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color). While that diversity is good, it is a product of our international operations in Haiti and Cambodia. Our stateside staff and Board of Directors, which is made up of 100% white persons, does not represent the diversity of those for which our mission exists. In this moment, we acknowledge that we must do better, and we are committed to diversifying our Board of Directors in the next 12 months to better represent the communities we serve. Please hold us accountable.

Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote from a prison cell in Birmingham, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.” As a justice-seeking organization that fights for vulnerable populations, we promise to continue learning, growing, and becoming a better picture of God’s Kingdom here on earth.

If you would like to discuss racial injustice or the content of this letter, please email me by clicking the button below.

Together,

Curtis Stout
Executive Director