Racial Equity

Cities and towns are the heartbeat of Indiana and recent events have left our hearts broken.  Like the coronavirus pandemic, municipal leaders are leaning into the pain of our minority communities and using this time to learn, focusing first on healing and improving.  Aim is here to assist our members through education, resources, and engagement. 

Please do not hesitate to send documents and links you believe would be helpful to your peers to Jennifer Simmons at [email protected]. We are happy to review them and determine if they are appropriate for this site.

 

Definitions

Racial Equity

“Closing the gaps” so that race does not predict one’s success, while also improving outcomes for all.

Institutional Racism

Policies, practices and procedures that work better for white people than for people of color, often unintentionally or inadvertently.

Structural Racism

A history and current reality of institutional racism across all institutions, combining to create a system that negatively impacts communities of color.

National League of Cities Resources

Race, Equity, And Leadership (REAL)

NLC’s Race, Equity, And Leadership (REAL) initiative serves to strengthen local leaders’ knowledge and capacity to eliminate racial disparities, heal racial divisions, and build more equitable communities. Through training and online resources, REAL helps NLC members build safe places where people from all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds thrive socially, economically, academically and physically.

Municipal Action Guide: Advancing Racial Equity in Your City

Tackling issues related to racial inequity in your city can seem like a daunting task. The Municipal Action Guide includes six steps to get you started on the road to improving outcomes for all of your residents. 

Repository of Racial Equity Policies and Decisions

Examples of concrete policy and budgetary changes local elected officials have made to prioritize racial equity in their municipalities. These actions cut across the multiple functions of local government including budget decisions, ordinances and other high-level decisions that are shaped by cities’ commitments and investment of political will and resources.

Organizations to Help

Criminal Justice Lab, NYU Law

NYU Law’s Criminal Justice Lab aims to provide the resources and expertise to support the development of a bold, 21st century model for criminal justice that can dramatically reduce both crime and incarceration in our lifetimes. They take a systemic and interdisciplinary approach to the problem – breaking down barriers between different parts of the criminal justice system and drawing on expertise from other social sectors (such as health care and behavioral science) to identify the most effective methods for preventing and responding to crime. The Criminal Justice Lab leverages data, analytics, and technology to develop tools to empower decision-makers to enhance public safety and fairness in a smarter, more effective way.

U.S. Minority Contractors Association

USMCA‘s mission is to provide unique professional, educational, technical and consultive services to both the membership and the community at large. USMCA endeavors to provide the best consultive services possible in the construction, environmental, building maintenance, architectural engineering design, hospitality training and general service industries. USMCA will serve as the advocacy agency for minority contractors and subcontractors in the suburban community.

U.S. Minority Contractors Association

USMCA‘s mission is to provide unique professional, educational, technical and consultive services to both the membership and the community at large. USMCA endeavors to provide the best consultive services possible in the construction, environmental, building maintenance, architectural engineering design, hospitality training and general service industries. USMCA will serve as the advocacy agency for minority contractors and subcontractors in the suburban community.

Indiana Communities

Town of Avon

The Town of Avon issued a statement about the town’s commitment to bolstering the cause for equality, integrity, and a level of respect that transcends all social and economic barriers.

City of Bloomington

The City of Bloomington updated its homepage with a link to FAQ’s about the Bloomington Police Department’s policies.

City of Fort Wayne

Mayor Henry and the City of Fort Wayne announced a Moving Forward Together Action Plan to address public safety and racial justice.

The City and Fort Wayne United have introduced United Front, a program featuring Zoom education sessions to provide strategies for cultural competency training, racial healing, and unity. 

City of Gary

Mayor Prince signed an Executive Order to Establish a Police Advisory Commission.

City of Jeffersonville

The City of Jeffersonville’s updated its website with an update from Mayor Moore about protests and their police department policies.

City of Noblesville

Mayor Jensen released a statement on Peaceful Protests that can be found on the City of Noblesville’s website.

Town of Zionsville

Launching a Community Conversations series to discuss implicit bias.

The Town of Zionsville’s police department is in the process of facilitating a community discussion to examine issues like diversity, inclusion, implicit bias and police-community relations.

Mayor Emily Styron and Zionsville Town Council released a statement and call to action on social justice

The Town Council passed a Resolution to Call for Social Justice.

City of Valparaiso

The City of Valparaiso issued a statement about equality and highlighted programs, including the Human Relations Council established in 2011.

City of Warsaw

Mayor Thallemer shared a personal letter about the City of Warsaw’s commitment to better understand others, reevaluate policies and practices, and be intolerant of bias.

Members