Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Ukandu, we believe that all people have the right to experience joy, hope, and connection. We are committed to fostering a diverse and culturally inclusive environment in which our differences broaden our awareness, enrich our experiences, and contribute to our collective strength. We commit to listening, learning, and incorporating equity efforts that remove barriers to participation and make space for stakeholders at all levels to form genuine supportive connections.

Ukandu Gender Inclusion Policy

The mission of Ukandu is to bring joy, hope, and connection to communities impacted by childhood and adolescent cancer.
The youth who attend Ukandu have cancer, have recently had cancer, are a sibling of someone who has had cancer, or are a sibling of a child who died due to cancer.  There are no restrictions on race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, religion, or sexual orientation.  It is our cancer story that brings us together.  Our primary motivation is to provide an excellent camp experience and for all youth to feel welcome.
Ukandu openly recognizes that at times we have reinforced social norms related to the binary idea of genders, that all people are either male or female.  Alienation of gender nonconforming/non-binary/transgender youth can be overt, like bullying, or it can be unintentional through cabin assignments, bathroom designations, and use of pronouns. Ukandu embraces the opportunity, and responsibility, to assist in expanding values of diversity and inclusion, set a better example, and ensure that all campers are welcome and safe at our camp and in our community.
As is true with all our policies, they have been thoughtfully developed to be consistent with our “You Can Do” spirit. We understand some may have questions about this policy and our Program Director is available to address any concerns. However, we believe attending Ukandu programming is a privilege and we expect all participants to respect and comply with these policies.