IDEA 

Ongoing Work to Date

• The organization developed a Land Acknowledgement Statement with input and final approval from the Suquamish Tribe
• Each year a Suquamish Tribal Member is offered a Creative Residency titled the Suquamish Tribal Residency. The Tribal Resident is selected/approved in collaboration with the Suquamish Museum and the Suquamish Cultural Coop
• Suquamish Tribal Members are offered free access to the Reserve during public hours and no timed tickets are needed
• Availability for organized tribal plant harvest/gathering
• A team of Bloedel Reserve staff including interns that are part of the Horticulture Internship Program periodically offer assistance to help maintain the grounds of the Suquamish Museum
• Several staff participated in the APGA (American Public Gardens Association) IDEA Center Cohort 2022-2023 which consisted of multiple sessions on inclusion of various types
• Applied for and received a grant through The IDEA Center of the APGA (American Public Gardens Association) to help support diversity in our Horticulture Internship Program. This is effective in recruiting and supporting a more diverse applicant pool
• The Creative Residency continues to attract a diverse group of applicants across media, racial, economic, and gender lines by ensuring that the Creative Residency jurors reflect the pool of applicants the organization wishes to attract.
• Expanding partnerships with the Adult Living Program (Bainbridge Island School District) and the Washington Youth Challenge Academy and exploring a partnership with Stephen’s house, an organization dedicated to disabled adults on Bainbridge Island
• The organization participates in Museums for All which provides $1 entry fees to SNAP recipients
• In partnership with BI Parks and Recreation, in 2024 the organization hosted tours for neurodivergent people who require low sensory input
• In partnership with KiDiMu (Kids Discovery Museum), the organization offers monthly, seasonal guided tours for young children
• Family friendly workshops are offered seasonally as part of our regular programming
• Welcome Wednesdays, the first Wednesday of each month, are pay-what-you-can admission
• The Google Translate tool allows the organization website to be viewed in multiple languages
• The User Way accessibility widget is installed on the organization website, providing digital ADA compliance
• Site maps are available translated into 5 different languages
• A printed and digital accessibility guide is available to identify trail difficulty and wheelchair accessible areas
• Multiple benches spaced along the trail are available as rest stops
• Curb cuts for strollers and wheelchairs were installed in the Arrival Garden and the organization is consulting with an accessibility advocate to identify other such areas
• The organization is prioritizing multiple forms of accessibility in the implementation of the Interpretive Master Plan over the course of the next several years
• The Culture and Belonging Group was formed internally in 2023 to empower employees to plan and implement ideas that further a sense of inclusion and community within the organization’s workplace
• The consulting group BeCulture provided education and guidance for the Board and Staff around IDEA work

Community Programming Partners

BISD Adult Learning Program (Bainbridge Island School District)

Bainbridge Island Metro Parks and Recreation District

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

KiDiMu (Kids Discovery Museum)

BARN (Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network)

BPA (Bainbridge Performing Arts)

Washington Youth Challenge Academy

IVC (Island Volunteer Caregivers)

Cascadia Forest therapy

Olympic College

Bainbridge Island Poet Laureate Program

Kitsap Strong

SolJoy & Up From Slavery Initiative

Suquamish Tribe/Suquamish Museum

Stephens House

Up From Slavery Initiative

West Sound Wildlife Shelter

Woodland Park Zoo

To learn more about our work or to engage with us further, email us at in**@bl************.org.