TIMELINE

•  October 2018: Human Resources & Risk Management began researching consultants to kick start the City of Auburn’s racial equity program.
• January 2019: Received proposal from Racing to Equity co-founder, Bernardo Ruiz.
  • January - April 2019: Conducted meetings with Mayor and staff
• May 2019 – Contract discussed with Council with modified cost and proposal.
• July 2019 – Two year contract approved for $140k investment in racial equity program.
• August 2019 – Inclusive Auburn kick off meeting with Racing to Equity.
• September 2019 – Six day training with Mayor and Directors began.
  • Topics covered:
    • Shared Analysis of Team Auburn leaders on racial equity and social justice
    • Understanding the role of government in advancing racial equity and social justice
    • National best practices to transform City to dismantle institutional and structural racism
• January 2020 – Six day training program for Mayor/Directors ends
• January 2020 – Employee interviews and focus groups begin
• February 2020 – Community engagement workgroup begins
• March 2020 to current –
  • Development of employee and community survey
  • Community outreach and engagement to set up community focus groups
  • 5 day Governing for Equity training for Council
  • Citywide implicit bias keynote
  * All items were previously scheduled, and had to be canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.

WHAT'S NEXT

• Employee survey engagement
• Online racial equity and implicit bias training for staff
• Finalization of organizational assessment using interviews, surveys, focus group data on identifying areas of continued work in the City of Auburn on racial equity issues
• Reschedule Governing for Equity training for Council as restrictions permit
• Reschedule citywide keynote speaker on implicit bias (Dr. Marks)
• City of Auburn Equity Team creation, formation and training
• City of Auburn affinity caucusing
• Equity tool development

**This glossary of terms was formatted and adapted by UWT’s Diversity Resource Center using a number of resources, including universities, community centers, and the wisdom and experience of various people engaged in social justice. This glossary is a comprehensive, but not exhaustive, listing of terminology used in our conversations about diversity and equity. Because language is a reflection of the lived experience, many of these words and terms will continue to evolve as the lived experience evolves. Even so, it is still useful to have a reference that provides basic working definitions to facilitate shared discussions.  View the Diversity and Inclusion Glossary (PDF).

Work began to facilitate community focus groups in February 2020. While we still intend to engage the community in meaningful discussion in this way, efforts are on pause until guidance from State has allowed large gatherings.

• Washington State - Workforce diversity, equity and inclusion
• King County - Equity and Social Justice
• LivingCities.org - Racial Equity and Inclusion
• Portland, OR - Office of Equity and Human Rights