Since the launch of our mission in 2018 and now our Equity Imperative 2030 strategic plan, the Indianapolis Foundation has been committed to understanding the impact systemic racism has on communities in Marion County. In partnership with the Groundwater Institute, we will continue to broaden our understanding through Groundwater Institute Workshops. We invite our valued partners, fundholders, and community members to join us on this journey by signing up for an upcoming racial equity workshop.
The Groundwater Approach
GWI program leaders utilize stories and data presented through video modules and facilitated conversations to show that racism is fundamentally structural in nature. The training is centered around the groundwater metaphor, which goes like this: If you see a fish in a lake by your house that is floating belly-up dead, you’ll wonder what happened to that one fish. But, if in that same lake half of the fish are floating belly-up dead, you’ll wonder what’s going on in that lake. Now, imagine five lakes in your neighborhood and in each and every one lots of fish are floating belly-up dead. It’s time to analyze the groundwater feeding all the lakes in your community. This metaphor is designed to help people internalize the reality that we live in a racially structured society using three key truths:
- Racial inequity looks the same across systems
- Socioeconomic difference does not explain the racial inequity
- Inequities are caused by systems regardless of people’s culture of behavior
Our next Groundwater Foundations class is Tuesday, March 31, 2026, from 9 a.m.-noon.
Please email Rob MacPherson, IF Vice President of Institutional Strategy, with any questions.