Concept BDesign concept by Clearview for ADI's website RFP. This is not ADI's website — the real one is diversityadk.org. About this concept · See concept A

A program of the Adirondack North Country Association Sign up for ADI news Give diversity@adirondack.org
Adirondack Diversity Initiative, a program of the Adirondack North Country Association — A North Country for All Take part

Our work

Our work · area of focus

Safety & Belonging

Working with police agencies, businesses, schools and families, and making space for leaders to rest and renew, so that everyone, resident or visitor, can feel safe and welcome in the North Country.

A group of uniformed officers and ADI training participants standing together in a meeting room
From ADI's published photographs.
Design note: Each area page holds its programs, the retreats and resources that belong to them, and one way to act. A police chief, a chamber director or a school principal can read the whole area in one scroll and find the one email to send. The Program Guide files the Sustaining BIPOC Leadership Initiative here, under Safety & Belonging, and this concept follows it (the website itself doesn't group programs by area). Three Google Sites (the initiative and its two retreats) become one section, and the participants' own words sit next to the program they describe.

Community Policing Initiative

The goal is to enhance the relationship between police agencies and the Adirondack communities they serve, with a specific focus on addressing and eliminating racial disparities that disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and other marginalized residents and visitors.

ADI works directly with RENZ Consulting, LLC, a firm that specializes in police–community relations at state and local levels. New York State Troopers, DEC forest rangers, correction officers and others have taken part. Trainings are ongoing and expanding to additional agencies.

Cultural Consciousness Building

It's not diversity training.

ADI uses a cognitive-behavioral approach, exploring the underlying reasons for thoughts and behaviors so participants can gain personal insight and make positive changes. Sessions are active conversations, rooted in education, tailored to the community, organization or business that engages ADI, and built to avoid blame or shame.

Welcoming & Belonging micro-credential

A course for local businesses and organizations, with the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and North Country Community College, covering skills and best practices for a welcoming and inclusive environment. Participants who complete it receive an official badge to display online or in their workplace, and join a network that ADI shares with residents and visitors.

Schoolyard Response Toolkit

When a child is targeted because of their race, gender, religion or identity, they deserve the same immediate protection adults give when one child hits another. Many adults are unsure how to respond, and silence or delay leaves the child feeling unsupported.

ADI's resources help teachers, schools, caregivers, families and community members respond swiftly and compassionately — before, during and after a situation arises.

Sustaining BIPOC Leadership Initiative

Founded to reimagine what sustainable leadership looks like for Black, Indigenous and People of Color and other historically marginalized changemakers. Rooted in the belief that nature is a powerful force for healing, the Initiative invests in the rest, wellness, mentorship and interconnection of leaders who too often bear the dual burden of advancing equity while navigating structural oppression.

Through a partnership with local Great Camps, participants recharge in a safe, empowering and intentional environment, then join networking and leadership development opportunities through the year.

Cultivating Community Leaders

For Black, Indigenous and Women of Color leaders and gender-expansive individuals: a four-day retreat with the Harriet Tubman Liberation Foundation and the Sagamore Institute of the Adirondacks at Great Camp Sagamore. The 2026 retreat ran 20–23 August. The 2027 cohort meets in August 2027 (dates to be announced), and applications open in early 2027.

LGBTQIA+ Leaders Retreat

A three-day retreat with the Sagamore Institute of the Adirondacks, bringing together LGBTQIA+ leaders to create a supportive space for peace, empowerment and healing. The 2026 retreat ran 4–6 September at Raquette Lake. Applications are currently closed.

Retreats in this area

All events

Resources for this area

Everything in Learn

Bring ADI to your organization

Cultural Consciousness Building, the micro-credential and policing training are all tailored to the people in the room.

Work with ADI
Made with Nanopage