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27 <br /> 7. Reports <br /> a. One Orange County Racial Equity Plan—A Framework for Moving Forward <br /> The Board received an overview of the Framework for moving forward with the <br /> Countywide Racial Equity Plan and provide staff with any feedback and questions on the Racial <br /> Equity Plan. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> In October 2020, the Orange County Board of Commissioners approved staff moving forward to <br /> work collaboratively with the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough on a Countywide <br /> Racial Equity Plan. After each board agreed, Orange County staff along with the staffs from <br /> each of the three jurisdictions began working in five multi-jurisdictional subcommittees on <br /> separate parts of the racial equity plan. The Subcommittees led by at least one jurisdictional <br /> lead are: Training, Racial Equity Tool Kit, Community Engagement, Racial Equity Index, and <br /> Evaluation and Accountability. <br /> The work of the Subcommittees will be the basis of the racial equity plan. Staff is planning to <br /> include a few other sections in the Plan such as: <br /> 1. Definition Section - There will also be a definition section so that the public can fully <br /> understand the terminology used throughout the document. <br /> 2. History- This summer staff will engage local historians to include the racialized history of <br /> Orange County as part of the Plan. <br /> 3. Current Demographic and Economic Data Analysis -Also a current demographic and <br /> economic analysis will be part of the Plan so that each jurisdiction can assess whether a <br /> disparity study is needed before entering into any race- or gender- based remedial <br /> programs so they each project developed based on racial equity principles can withstand <br /> scrutiny in a court of law.' <br /> The Subcommittees adhered to the Projected Timeline found in Section III of the Framework. <br /> Prior to bringing this document to the Commissioners, team members conducted some <br /> preliminary community engagement. Staff held a Public Comment Period and an Information <br /> Session on the Racial Equity Framework for leaders of Community groups to provide feedback <br /> on the framework and on how to engage with the communities they serve. A sample of those <br /> community stakeholders is included in Section IV of the attached Framework. One comment <br /> was received during the period; but between 40 - 50 stakeholders came to the Community <br /> Forum and actively participated in a discussion about the Framework. The overarching themes <br /> of the responses received were: <br /> 1. The Community wanted to be involved in developing a racial equity plan; <br /> 2. The Community thought there must be reach out to marginalized communities; and <br /> 3. The Community believed the schools must be involved in the Plan. <br />