The Equity Office has built its approach through partnerships with national networks and local promising practices. We believe racial equity requires a cycle of Normalizing, Organizing, and Operationalizing. For details on our work to this point, check out our departmental Equity Dashboards.

Institutional racism is like water to a fish. It's a fundamental reality of their existence, but invisible until it's pointed out. Normalizing works to point this out to City staff. We must establish a set of shared definitions and normalize the use of them. Working with race is uncomfortable. Providing support and exposing City Staff to the language of racial equity is one of the most important steps for the Equity Office.

No individual department or organization can create racial equity on its own. Dismantling something so universal requires building relationships across the spectrum. The City of Austin has a diverse community organizing culture. The Office must stay grounded in the lived experience of Austin's communities of color. In Organizing, we ensure the work reflects the voice of those most harmed by inequity. Join the Office in working for racial equity here.

This step brings the other steps together, and feeds back into them. In Operationalizing, the Office works to advance racial equity. With City departments, this means understanding where their work drives or addresses inequity. For special projects, such as the Bond Election Advisory Task Force, this means analyzing the proposals to consult on the impact to equity. Read more about the Equity Office's Programs here.