Community Impact | United Military Families Campaign
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Community Impact
Community impact involves building programs and engagements that focus directly on improving the experiences of military and veteran families, fostering welcome, and increasing the sense of connection in communities nationwide. We achieve these outcomes through chapter engagement and national programs, including our DEPLOY Fellowship, Blue Star Outdoors, Nourish the Service, Blue Star Welcome Week, Blue Star Careers, and Blue Star Museums.
”There's a phrase that says it takes a village. All of those in support require a community, a village, all coming together to make a difference and that's what the campaign for inclusion is all about. That's what makes it unique because it brings our armed forces together with our community.”
~ Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, (Ret.), PhD, PE, NAE, Co-Chair, UMFC
Our Programs that Foster Unity
DEPLOY Fellowship
Blue Star Outdoors
Blue Star Welcome Week
Nourish the Service
Spaces for Belonging
UMFC in the Neighborhood
Financial Resources
Recursos en Español
In The News
Honoring 75 Years of Military Integration with Intergenerational Stories
August 2023
Last month, untold stories played the starring role in Blue Star Families’ Freedom to Serve: Integrating the Armed Services event to honor the 75th anniversary of racial desegregation in the military.
AXIOS
Defense bill seeks ROTC diversity numbers
December 2022
A provision in the defense bill passed by Congress requires the Department of Defense to collect crucial demographic data on programs training students to be commissioned officers.
NCPR
For service members of color, fear of racism in military towns weighs heavily in career choices
April 2022
Almost a third of the military families in a recent survey said they had turned down duty assignments over concerns about the racial climate at the new installation — even though they knew it could hurt their careers.
InsideNova
Minority military families face challenges; Blue Star recommends action steps
March 2022
Since the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020, conversations within the U.S. Armed Forces about racism, equity and inclusion have grown more prominent. That summer, Blue Star Families, a nonprofit focused on supporting military families, undertook a major survey to better understand the challenges and obstacles faced by service members and their families.
Association of Defense Communities
Understanding the Impact of Race, Diversity and Inequality Issues on Military Families
March 2022
This session from the 2022 Defense Communities National Summit discussed into the recommendations for community and installation leaders from the Blue Star Families report on Military Families of Color and highlighted the work being done by community representatives.
AARP
Veterans, Service Members of Color Grapple With Disparities
February 2022
Three in ten service members identify as a racial or ethnic minority, a figure that is expected to grow in the coming years. A new report from Blue Star Families, “The Diverse Experiences of Military & Veteran Families of Color,” suggests that addressing existing disparities faced by military families of color will improve national security and ensure long-term military readiness as those ranks grow.
Federal News Network
Service members of color face racial harassment, safety issues and more, study says
February 2022
Minorities in the military are experiencing racism from their local communities, racial profiling from law enforcement and slurs from fellow service members, according to a first-of-its-kind survey that takes a deep dive into the experiences of service members of color and their families.
The study provides new insights into a workforce that is, in large part, a microcosm of American society in terms of representation.
Stars And Stripes
US service members balk at some duty posts over racism fears, survey finds
February 2022
Military personnel who are minorities or have family members of color can face an agonizing decision when they receive assignments to places where they think they will face racial discrimination, a study commissioned by a military family advocacy group found.
And numerous respondents said that turning down a duty assignment over concerns of how they would be treated had harmed their military careers.
CNN Champions for Change
After a career of breaking barriers in the Army, this retired General is now fighting for military families of color
October 2021
REIC Co-Chair LtG Gwen Bingham (U.S. Army, Ret.) was highlighted as a part of CNN's Champions for Change program.
Military Influencer Magazine
Organization Launches $1 Million Racial Equity Initiative
February 2021
The launch of REI was featured in an issue of Military Influencer Magazine. In it, you will learn more about the story behind the launch of this initiative — as told by key stakeholders.
Behind the Mission Podcast
BTM07 - Kathy Roth-Douquet and Sinclair Harris | Blue Star Families' Racial Equity and Inclusion Initiative
February 23rd, 2021
Length: 24 minutes
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Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families, and retired Navy Rear Admiral Sinclair Harris join the Behind the Mission Podcast to talk about diversity, equity, inclusion, and Blue Star Families' Racial Equity and Inclusion Initiative.