SINCE 1934

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Every child deserves a place where they belong.

Jameson Ranch Camp has welcomed children to California's Sierra Nevada foothills since 1934. Across three generations of family ownership, we have held a consistent belief: every child deserves a place where they belong. That belief compels us to speak plainly about who we are and what we stand for.

We believe in the ongoing work of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

DEI is not a trend or a talking point at Jameson Ranch Camp — it is a practice rooted in decades of intentional community building. We acknowledge the history of oppression and systemic racism that exists within American society, and we recognize that the world of summer camps has long been, and in many ways continues to be, a space shaped by the norms of white America.

As one of few independent camps owned by a person of color, we are proud of our perspective and the responsibility that comes with it. We take that responsibility seriously every day.

We affirm and support all BIPOC communities.

Black lives matter. The lives of Indigenous, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and all people of color matter — not as an abstraction, but as a commitment reflected in how we hire, whom we serve, and how we build our camp family.

Racial diversity has been important at Jameson Ranch Camp for decades. Our hiring practices center on finding exceptional staff from around the world, and we are candid that even our global reach has presented challenges in building staffs as racially diverse as we aspire them to be. We will continue that work. We are equally committed to diversifying our camper community. We know that camp represents a significant financial commitment for many families, and we will continue to provide meaningful financial assistance to ensure that Jameson Ranch Camp serves children of all backgrounds, ethnicities, races, socioeconomic circumstances, and nationalities.

We are gender-affirming.

Every child who comes to Jameson Ranch Camp is seen and respected for who they are. We support transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive young people, and we are committed to creating an environment where all campers and staff can participate fully and authentically.

This is not a political position — it is a child-welfare position, consistent with the guidance of every major medical and psychological professional organization in the United States.

We trust research-based science.

Our policies and practices are informed by evidence, not ideology. From the developmental benefits of outdoor, screen-free experiences to the well-documented importance of affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth, we follow the science. We look to peer-reviewed research, the consensus of professional medical and mental health organizations, and the expertise of child development specialists to guide how we care for the young people entrusted to us.

We respect history as a discipline.

History is not a set of comfortable stories — it is a rigorous, evidence-based field of inquiry. We believe that understanding the full and honest history of this country, including its injustices, is essential to building a more equitable future. We reject efforts to sanitize, suppress, or politicize the teaching of American history, and we believe that young people are made stronger, not weaker, by learning the truth.

We are proud of the community we have built, and we are honest that our past is not perfect. Growth requires accountability, and we are committed to continuing to improve — to listening, to learning, and to doing the work that makes Jameson Ranch Camp a place where everyone is welcome, valued, and free to be exactly who they are.

QUESTIONS & CONVERSATION

Erica

Camp Director

661.889.2271 erica@jamesonranchcamp.com www.jamesonranchcamp.com