Equity Office Feedback – Summary by Judith Mowry, Office of Neighborhood Involvement

July 18, 2011

The following is a synthesis of the feedback received regarding the Equity office from the following sources:

• Emails to Commissioner Fritz (approximately 65)
• Public forum 5/18/11 on the Equity Office with over 200 participants
• Minutes from meetings with City staff on the development of the office
• Recommendations from community organizations
• Creation Committee meeting summaries

This document focuses on feedback that addresses the role, structure and focus of the office. There is much more input that covers a wide variety of issues and ideas, including, but not limited to:

• Examples of inequities
• Ideas on approaches and methodologies
• Suggestions for target populations, etc.

We will continue to catalogue this feedback for use as the process moves forward.

Common themes (received through all sources, repeatedly):

• Lead with race
• Include the Portland Commission on Disability
• Start internally by addressing institutional inequities (clean the City’s house first)
• Be transparent, data driven (measurements that matter) and employ existing best practices.
• Coordinate with other established equity initiatives (county, health, schools, housing, other cities)
• Accountability (includes transparency and consequences)
• Work closely with the community
• Need commitment and leadership from the “top”

Steps to building the Office of Equity:

• Develop definition of equity
• Internal assessment
• Involve the 5 council members in assessing equity issues within their portfolio
• Develop equity lens for use by all City bureaus, employees and delivery of services
• Develop community messaging

Additional suggestions for functions to include in the Office:

• ADA Title II Compliance
• Civil Rights Title VI Compliance
• Campaign to engage and educate Portland about equity

Suggested existing Commissions to be staffed by the Office based on community feedback:

• Human Rights
• Disability

Additional new Commissions were proposed by the Commission on Disability, to be potentially staffed by the Office of Equity:

• Immigrant and Refugee Commission
• Sexual Minority Commission
• Homeless Commission