RACIAL EQUITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT TOOL
Why assess how racial and ethnic groups are impacted by our decisions? Asking questions related to racial equity can have a meaningful impact on city programs, policies, services and procedures. We strongly recommend that departments read through the questions below when working on programs, policies, services and procedures. We also advise departments to coordinate with their EIO and the DEI Team before any action is taken.
Why do we lead with race in our approach?
We lead with race because racism is baked into policies, practices and procedures that continue to perpetuate racial inequities across all systems. There are race-based inequities across all identities (e.g., age, gender identity, disability, religion, socioeconomic status, language, and citizenship status) that must be acknowledged. Racial equity is a process of eliminating racial disparities and improving outcomes for everyone no matter their identities. It’s when race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes.
PRE-PLANNING
1. Who will benefit from or be burdened by the particular proposed policy, practice or decision?
a. Does the decision worsen or ignore existing disparities?
2. What does the current data tell us?
3. Are there strategies to mitigate the unintended consequences?
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
4. Are all racial and ethnic groups that are affected by the policy, practice or decision at the table? How have you included the Gabrielino, Tongva and Kizh meaningfully in this process?
a. What are the racial equity impacts of this particular decision?
5. How specifically have you engaged communities?
6. How is the proposed policy, practice or decision perceived by each group?
7. Have you made an effort to build relationships with community members who you intend to solicit information from or partner with?
a. If so, explain how?
b. If not, what are your plans to get to know them and stay in contact with them on a consistent basis so they don’t feel you’re extracting information from them and then disappearing once you get what you need?
c. Are there opportunities to expand engagement?
8. When consulting with people from marginalized communities, it is best practice to compensate them for their time.
a. Have you set aside funds in your budget to do this?
b. If not, then what in-kind offer would you provide instead?
IMPLEMENTATION
9. What is your plan for implementation?
10. What is your plan for communicating to community about your implementation plan?
POST-IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
11. Post-Implementation: What does the data tell us?
a. Quantity: How much did we do?
b. Quality: How well did we do it?
c. Is anyone better off?
12. How will you ensure accountability?
a. How will you evaluate results?
b. How will you communicate the results to the community? i. What worked (based on community feedback and feasibility)? ii. What didn’t work (based on community feedback and feasibility)? iii. Improvements that could be made in the future (based on community feedback and feasibility)?
For questions, contact your department EIO.
Sources: GARE, Center for the Study of Social Policy