Racial Equity Plan:
The Lane County 2021-2022 Racial Equity Action Plan was adopted in January of 2021 following a robust engagement effort with staff of all levels, the Board of County Commissioners, and the Equity and Access Advisory Board. The plan includes the following three priorities:
- Normalize racial equity through training and communication
- Organize by strengthening the equity program
- Operationalize racial equity through the establishment and implementation of an equity lens
Click here to see the Racial Equity Plan.
How we got to where we are:
From 1992 through 2012, Lane County had a number of on-going human rights efforts. An advisory body served as the primary think-tank for human rights efforts. The body was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners.
In 2014, Lane County received a community request to re-establish the Human Rights Advisory Committee. The County Administrator and Interim Director of Operations participated in a series of meetings with community members that led to a larger community conversation about needs and plans around human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, and what gaps the County had a role in filling.
The top three priorities identified by community stakeholders were:
- Improve recruitment, retention and advancement
- Establish a culture in Lane County that: is asking tough questions, gets at the real issues, is addressing the moral/professional/ethical commitment to equity and inclusion, and engages in courageous conversations
- Institutionalization of equity work
In October 2015, the Board of County Commissioners approved the following framework unanimously:
- Create a Human Rights Advisory Board
- Institutionalize Equity Efforts
- Improve Recruitment, Selection, Retention, and Advancement
- Require Annual Equity and Access Training for Lane County Employees
- Engage Community Partners as an Equity and Service Resource
In September of 2016, Lane County hired an Equity and Access Coordinator. In February of 2017, the Lane County Equity and Access Advisory Board was formed.
In June of 2018, Lane County Health and Human Services and County Administration brought forward a Health Equity Proposal that included:
- Make a public commitment to advancing equity in Lane County
- Develop a Health Equity Strategic Plan
- Institutionalize and Embed Equity Practices
The Board passed this proposal unanimously.
From June 2019 through February 2020, nine County staff, from departments across the organization, participated in the NW learning cohort through the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (G.A.R.E.). This group shared learning about the history of government creating racial inequities, how to do a root cause analysis and collect data that does not perpetuate harm to communities of color, community engagement strategies, how to use a racial equity tool, and more.
In the fall of 2019, the GARE cohort, the County Commissioners, Department Directors, and the Equity and Education (E2) Committee attended a series of meetings to identify the top equity priorities for Lane County. The purpose of these meetings was to establish equity priorities for the County that unify, focus, and motivate staff and leadership.
In 2022, the Equity Team was expanded to include both an Equity Manager and an Equity Strategist to help guide the work and priorities for Lane County.