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Consider Adopting the OneOrange Countywide Racial Equity Framework.
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Staff: |
Department: |
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Loryn Clark, Deputy Town Manager |
Town Manager’s Office |
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Shenekia Weeks, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer |
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Overview: In January 2020 the Government Alliance on Race and Equity Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force, One Orange, established subcommittees to work on each plan section. One Orange comprises staff from the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Orange County.
One Orange is committed to creating a community where race no longer predicts life outcomes and is eager to share this plan with the community. There are five mutually reinforcing pillars of the Racial Equity Framework. Each is represented by a multi-jurisdictional subcommittee led by at least one jurisdictional member and includes staff from each jurisdiction. The subcommittees are Training, Racial Equity Tool Kit, now more aptly named the Racial Equity Assessment Lens (REAL), Community Engagement, Racial Equity Index, and Evaluation and Accountability. Through the work of these committees, a draft plan was established.
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Recommendation(s): |
That the Council receive and adopt the OneOrange Countywide Racial Equity Framework: Catalyst for Moving Forward.
Background
In June 2021, the Orange County Board of Commissioners received the Orange County Racial Equity Plan: A Framework for Moving Forward <https://www.orangecountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17039/One-Orange-Countywide-Racial-Equity-Plan-?bidId=>. Since June 2021, the One Orange staff team organized community outreach events, shared the draft plan with the community, and received valuable feedback.
Three general sessions, held online, were designed to inform, involve, and consult with the community by sharing the purpose and status of the draft plan and by asking a series of questions to gauge if the plan met the community’s interests and needs in advancing racial equity. The responses were used to create questionnaire for targeted outreach engagement. Information about the racial equity plan was provided along with the questionnaire. One Orange utilized the feedback to refine the Racial Equity Plan.
Since the Plan was initially presented, the One Orange team has made the following adjustments:
• Revised Racial Equity Tool provides a more detailed analysis.
• Developed Racial Equity Assessment Lens FAQ.
• Expanded the Community Engagement section includes suggested strategies and tools.
Key Issues:
The One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework Catalyst for Moving Forward relies on developing and implementing five pillars: Training, Racial Equity Assessment Lens (REAL), Community Engagement, Racial Equity Index, and Evaluation and Accountability.
Training, Racial Equity Assessment Lens, and Community Engagement are the mechanism by which each jurisdiction can begin to normalize conversations around race and organize their internal structures to begin uncovering bias within their practices, policies, and programs.
o Training Progress
§ 28 Town employees have attended GARE’s Racial Equity Training. Post-training surveys reflected:
• 100% understand the role of government in advancing equity
• 94% better understand diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) terms
• 87% better understand the need to operationalize and organize DEI efforts
§ Implemented a Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion Academy for Town employees addressing the following topics:
• Sourcing & Recruitment
• Retention
• Promotion and Development
§ Wellness Lunch & Learn on Medical Microaggressions
§ Black History Lunch & Learn Series
§ Racial Equity Institute Training (Phase 1 & 2)
o Racial Equity Assessment Lens Progress
Infrastructure implemented to operationalize REAL Tool:
§ Established a Town Equity Lab, a bi-monthly space for staff to become new learners of REAL Lens and begin applying the lens to current and future initiatives while receiving support from the DEI Officer.
o Community Engagement Progress
The current community engagement tools have influenced the following initiatives:
§ American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Implementation
§ Reimagining Community Safety Task Force Implementation
§ Community Connections Strategies
§ Let’s Talk Town
§ Land Use Management Ordinance (LUMO) Revision
§ Boards and Commissions Recruitment Strategies
§ Town’s Community Survey
Strategies Under Development
o The Racial Equity Index informs community-level outcome measures and jurisdictional racial disparity reduction strategies when fully established and combined with community engagement. Discussions are ongoing with data vendors.
o Evaluation and accountability will measure the implementation of county-wide and jurisdictional racial equity initiatives.
Coordinated plan presentations are currently underway; Orange County Commissioners adopted the plan on January 18. If the Council chooses to receive and adopt this plan, the Equity Lab will serve as the infrastructure to transition Town staff from early adopters of racial equity tools to racial equity practitioners. Moving racial equity from innovation to standard practice is the goal.
Fiscal Impact/Resources: There is no fiscal impact associated with adoption of the County-wide Racial Equity Plan. Adoption of the plan would require staff to continue coordinating implementation and planning with our county wide partners.
Next Steps: We anticipate returning to the Council in the Fall for guidance and potential financial support for the following items: Racialized History Report, Racial Equity Capacity Building Training, and Racial Equity Index and evaluation and accountability.
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Attachments: |
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• Resolution |
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• Draft Staff Presentation |
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• One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework: Catalyst for Moving Forward |
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE ONEORANGE COUNTYWIDE RACIAL EQUITY FRAMEWORK (2022-01-26/R-7)
WHEREAS, One Orange is committed to creating a community where race no longer predicts life outcomes and is eager to share this plan with the community.; and
WHEREAS, in January 2020, the GARE Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force, One Orange, established subcommittees to work on each plan section. One Orange comprises staff from the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Orange County; and
WHEREAS, the One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework Catalyst for Moving Forward relies on developing and implementing five pillars: Training, Racial Equity Assessment Lens (REAL), Community Engagement, Racial Equity Index, and Evaluation and Accountability; and
WHEREAS, Training, Racial Equity Assessment Lens, and Community Engagement are the mechanism by which each jurisdiction can begin to normalize conversations around race and organize their internal structures to begin uncovering bias within their practices, policies, and programs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council, in coordination with Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Orange County, commits to building racial equity capacity within the Town of Chapel Hill by adopting the One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework: Catalyst For Moving Forward, as described in the January 26, 2022 meeting materials.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Training, Racial Equity Assessment Lens, and Community Engagement are the mechanisms the Town of Chapel Hill will implement to normalize conversations around race and organize their internal structures to begin uncovering bias within their practices, policies, and programs.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the One Orange Multi-jurisdictional team will continue to meet to coordinate the Racial Equity Index and the Evaluation and accountability measures.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the One Orange Multi-jurisdictional Team will return to the Council in the Fall of 2022 for guidance and potential financial support for the following items: Racialized History Report, Racial Equity Capacity Building Training, and Racial Equity Index.
This the 26th day of January, 2022.
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The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting. |
presenter
PRESENTER: Shenekia Weeks, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
RECOMMENDATION: That the Council receive and adopt the One Orange Countywide Racial Equity Framework: Catalyst for Moving Forward.