Event Description:

ILG is excited to invite California local government leaders to a special event that explores how best to operationalize equity in local government. Attendees will hear from local jurisdictions that have already embarked on their equity journey. Attendees will also have the chance to connect with each other to share ideas, challenges and successes about their equity journeys. This event is intended for staff and elected officials in cities, counties and special districts across California state. Anyone with an interest in advancing equity in their municipalities should attend.  

Background: 

The pandemic has brought equity to the forefront as a mainstream issue that local governments across California are starting to tackle. Some local agencies are creating equity ordinances, hiring or appointing equity officers, updating hiring and recruitment practices and re-examining their public policies and programs. But with so much to do, it may be hard to know where to start.  Every local agency needs to strategize and implement an equity approach that works for them and their community.  While resources exist, many are navigating this journey alone.  ILG aims to lift-up best practices and lessons learned on the ground and create spaces for jurisdictions to connect and learn from each other.

Guest Speakers:

• Scheereen Dedman, County Clerk, Mono County
• Kelly Gonzalez, Director of Business and Public Affairs, Cosumnes Community Services District
• Randi Johl, Director of Legislative Affairs/City Clerk, City of Temecula
• Rosemary Soto, Management Analyst III, County Administrative Office, Monterey County

This webinar is presented in partnership with Cal Cities, CSAC and CSDA.

Article in the December 2021 Western City Magazine highlighting the event: Change happens at the speed of trust: Key lessons from ILG’s equity roundtable

Presentation

Equity Roundtable Presentation

Recording

Books recommended by speakers and participants during the session:

• The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
• Caste
• Sum of Us
• So You Want to Talk About Race
• The New Jim Crow
• How to be an Antiracist 
• White Fragility 
• Racing to Justice 
• The Book of Unknown Americans 
• The Vanishing Half 

Resources shared by participants during the session:

• Town of San Anselmo’s RFP for a Racial Equity Audit and Training:  https://www.townofsananselmo.org/DocumentCenter/View/27731/TownSanAnselmo-RFP-DEI-Policy-Audit_Training-2021?bidId=
• City of Mill Valley’s DEI Webpage: https://www.cityofmillvalley.org/174/Diversity-Equity-Inclusion
• Palomar College: Example of Official Land Acknowledgement read at all Board meeting shttps://go.boarddocs.com/ca/pccd/Board.nsf/files/C85U4F60769B/$file/Palomar’s%20Official%20Land%20Acknowledgment.pdf
• Example Staff Survey Questions from Cosumnes Community Services District
  Example Staff Survey Questions from Cosumnes Community Services District
• City of Temecula:
  • Example of single electronic boards/commissions application, including the REDI Commission (see attached). 
  • The role and purpose of the REDI Commission can be found in Res. 2020-59 here: https://temeculaca.gov/1421/Race-Equity-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Comm
  • Definition of DEI in the City Council’s resolution:   WHEREAS, for purposes of common understanding, diversity means the commitment to the presence of variety, which is expressed in a myriad of forms (race, ethnicity, gender, culture, age, disability, religion, perspective, etc.), inclusion means the commitment to create an environment and a condition where those differences are welcome, different perspectives are heard, and everyone has a sense of belonging, and equity means the commitment to work on policies that may directly or indirectly discriminate on a variety of factors (race, age, socio-economics, religion, etc.) and provide an opportunity for all persons to succeed based on what their needs are to achieve that success.
    Temecula Boards and Commissions Application