When we initially announced our North Star Goals nearly two years ago, a few individuals raised the point that the North Star is not visible to those in the southern hemisphere, which did not feel inclusive. At the time, we maintained that the North Star is a common metaphor that refers to our sense of purpose as being dependable and constant, and we continued to move forward with the North Star language.
In recent months, however, we heard direct feedback that once again called into question the use of the phrase “North Star,” including from Global Education advisory council members like Dr. Karen Edge from University College London. As Digital Promise expands its global footprint, it’s more important than ever for us to have an inclusive, global mindset. After continued conversations internally and with a number of external partners, we’ve decided to pivot away from the phrase “North Star Goals.”
We are now referring to our organization-wide goals as Impact Goals. The heart of the goals remains the same—we are still committed to ensuring:
As we at Digital Promise make progress toward achieving our bold goals, we’ll continue to engage our partners and communities to let us know we’re on the right track. They’ve made it clear that the language we use is critical if we’re serious about making a real impact, and we’re listening and responding. It’s important for us to acknowledge where we’ve made mistakes and how we’re learning—and, it’s just as important to communicate what we’re doing to improve.
