Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
4 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY COUNTYWIDE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN <br /> A FRAMEWORK FOR MOVING FORWARD <br /> JUNE 15,2021 <br /> I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW <br /> The Orange Countywide Racial Equity Plan: A Framework for Moving Forward is being developed with a <br /> commitment that we will uncover and address implicit biases in our institutions to ensure that race no <br /> longer can be used to predict life outcomes in our community. Between October 2020 and January 2021 <br /> elected officials of the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Orange County were were <br /> provided with a Progress Report on Racial Equity and agreed to advance racial equity countywide. (See <br /> Appendix A) <br /> This Progress Report was given to elected officials and other stakeholders on the multi-jurisdictional <br /> workgroup tasked with drafting the Orange Countywide Racial Equity Plan on April 16, 2021. The multi- <br /> jurisdictional task force has employees from the Towns of Carrboro,Chapel Hill, Hillsborough,and Orange <br /> County. Carrboro,Chapel Hill,and Orange County completed the Government Alliance on Race and Equity <br /> (GARE) North Carolina Cohort Racial Equity Capacity Building training. Hillsborough is a GARE member <br /> and may participate in the Capacity Building training later but has been through GARE's foundational <br /> training. <br /> II. COMMITTEE REPORTS <br /> In January 2021, the GARE Task Force established subcommittees to work on each section of the plan. <br /> The five multi-jurisdictional subcommittees are led by at least one jurisdictional member, and includes <br /> staff from each jurisdiction. The subcommittees are: Training, Racial Equity Tool Kit, Community <br /> Engagement, Racial Equity Index, and Evaluation and Accountability. The are the Subcommittee Reports: <br /> A. Racial Equity Tool Kit(Carrboro Lead,Anita Jones-McNair) <br /> The Racial Equity Tool Kit Subcommittee conducted preliminary research on how to design a tool that <br /> evaluates jurisdictional governance. Using a Countywide process to dismantle institutional and structural <br /> racism provides consistency, assurance, and accountability with county residents.This evaluation process <br /> can include policies, practices, services, and new initiatives that impact racial equity. <br /> Just to recap the purpose of this tool, the Racial Equity Tool evaluates new and/or existing policies, <br /> practices and initiatives through a racial equity lens. Hopefully the evaluation results align with racial <br /> equity goals. The tool was designed to compile and examine the following information: <br /> 1. Desired Results <br /> 2. Data Collection &Analysis <br /> 3. Community Engagement/Partnership <br /> 4. Strategies <br /> 5. Implementation <br /> 6. Communication, Evaluation, and Accountability <br /> We discovered that through discussion, research, and communication with other jurisdictions using the <br /> racial equity tool, more relevant information emerges. <br /> 1 <br />