At the heart of an equitable society is the power of choice—the right to vote and be heard. At West Wind, we believe that building a just world starts with empowering civic engagement. That’s why in 2024, we made Election Day a company holiday, ensuring every employee has the opportunity to vote, free from work-related barriers.

Designating Election Day as a paid day off from work reflects our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. It’s about more than workplace policies; it’s about fostering a culture that uplifts communities. Many employees face obstacles to voting—work hours, lack of transportation, or childcare—especially those from marginalized groups. By giving employees the day off, we help dismantle these barriers and create space for all voices to participate in our democracy.

But civic engagement isn’t just about voting. Election Day can be a moment for reflection on the issues and leadership that shape our lives, communities, and workplace. It’s a time for meaningful conversations and collective action.

We encourage others to make Election Day a day off to remove barriers and reinforce a culture of civic engagement, contributing to a more inclusive, just society. 

We took another hiatus from blogging as we focused on delivering programming to our partner school districts and supporting the development of the nonprofit Schools Transforming.

We are now back in order to share insights, updates, publications, and analysis via this blog! We hope our posts—both future and past—are helpful as you navigate equity leadership in education.