RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
A Road Map for Government, Organizations and Communities
In partnership with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights
and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan
Special Thanks:
MDCR would like to thank the following graduate students
and faculty from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public
Policy at the University of Michigan for their meaningful
contributions, insight and expertise in the research, creation
and development of this toolkit:
• Danisha Sornum, Master of Public Policy, 2018
• Kalia Vang, Master of Public Policy, 2018
• Sruthi Naraharisetti, Master of Public Policy, 2018
• Martha Fedorowicz, Master of Public Policy, 2018
• Elisabeth Gerber, Professor of Public Policy
The Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) investigates and
resolves discrimination complaints and works to prevent discrimination
through educational programs that promote voluntary compliance with
civil rights laws. The work of prevention through education is of vital
importance, since it can help us understand and address the impact of
implicit bias, residential segregation, racial isolation, marginalization,
and many other interpersonal, institutional, and structural conditions
that have shaped and continue to sustain social disparities of the past
and present.
The history of cultural practices that have systematically shaped social
and economic advantage and disadvantage require strategies that
help create equitable access to opportunities for all Michiganders. This
toolkit oers racially conscious approaches for dismantling barriers to
inclusion that can serve as a platform for the work that lies ahead.
As we embrace a future where discriminatory and exclusive practices
become something of the past, this toolkit may set the foundation
for beginning the work of increasing racial consciousness and cultural
competency through an equity lens. The Racial Equity Toolkit provides
a step-by-step guide for any government agency, organization, and
community to proactively engage in solutions that thrive in the
creativity and broader perspectives that reside in diversity, while
recognizing that inclusion is not a natural consequence of diversity.
It is our hope that the Racial Equity Toolkit can help organizations
become more immersed in racial equity work with the understanding
that racial equity focuses on race extensively but not exclusively. In
other words, the racial equity lens provides venues for dismantling a
system of advantage based on race in eorts to assess the intersection
points that shape the social condition and experiences of marginalized
groups.
This toolkit can serve as a resource and a template for organizations
seeking to increase inclusive practices through a socially conscious
approach that is rooted in the expertise of state and national work, and
the recognition that problems that have persisted for centuries demand
innovative responses rooted in our shared capacity to think systemically.
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Table of Contents
Racial Equity ............................................................................. 2
How the Past Shapes the Present ....................................... 6
Racial Equity and MDCR ........................................................ 9
Why a Racial Equity Toolkit? .............................................11
Racial Equity Toolkit ..............................................................14
Step 1 ......................... 15
Step 2 ........................19
Step 3 ....................... 23
Step 4....................... 28
Step 5 ........................ 31
Step 6 ....................... 33
Working Together Toward an Equitable Michigan ........35
MDCR Racial Equity Toolkit Version 2 - February 2021
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Why Focus on Race?
Race is a social construct that has evolved over time and is frequently
misunderstood. Race is often assumed to have a biological basis and ethnic
groups are perceived as sharing genetic bloodlines – misconceptions that can
lead to assumptions about the correlation between race and behavior, physical
attributes, skin color and more. However, race, like ethnicity in general, is a
cultural category rather than a biological reality. “Races” are defined through
socially-constructed categories rather than from scientific classifications based
on common genes.
1
As communities remain segregated and racially isolated
due to historical practices, the opportunities for meaningful multicultural
exposure – a process that helps to dismantle assumptions and stereotypes –
become limited.
For all residents of Michigan to experience and create equitable opportunities
to grow and thrive, we need to promote a shared understanding of the role
that history and culture play in perpetuating racial disparities. Through this
shared knowledge, we can develop intentional approaches to dismantle
institutional and structural inequities that are found across indicators for
success, such as education, employment, housing, health, quality of life and
incarceration.
Racism – a system of advantage based on race – is pervasive, yet it can be
dismantled through strategies that promote systemic change along with real
conversations about shared values and principles. For instance, by reviewing
racially discriminatory practices and policies that have led to the allocation
of resources based on where we live, we can begin to understand why some
communities have prospered while others have not. Too often we try to
address these racial disparities through “color blind” and/or “race neutral”
approaches that do not take into account the impact of unconscious biases
influenced by racialized societal messages. Intentional strategies aimed at
acknowledging the impact of structural marginalization and discrimination are
needed to create meaningful and long-lasting change.
1
Cultural Anthropology, Appreciating Cultural Diversity, 17th Edition, Conrad Phillip Kottak
Racial Equity
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Why Now?
If we want to create an eective and inclusive democracy, now is the
time to act. The demographics of the United States, including Michigan,
are changing. Between 2000 and 2015, Michigan witnessed rapid growth
in its Middle Eastern, Asian and Latinx populations.
2
To benefit from the
innovation, creativity and broader perspective that reside in diverse
communities, Michigan will need to be intentional about developing policies
and practices designed specifically to address and/or eliminate embedded
systems of exclusion.
Why is a Systems Approach Important?
To bring about constructive change, we need to develop the habit and the
capacity to think systemically in order to better understand how systems
of advantage create inequities. Systems of advantage are embedded in
history, culture and identity. They have internal components and external
components. These components are moved by power and economics.
The internal components are shaped by biases, privilege and internalized
messages about race. The external components play out in relationships
which are interpersonal, institutional and structural.
3
The Four Dimensions – A System of Advantage
Based on Race
Internalized: refers to biases and ideas about race induced by our human
predisposition to form in-groups and out-groups and the impact of
internalized racialized messages.
4
When these processes are combined with
our natural tendency to follow cognitive scripts,
5
we begin to experience
dissonance between our conscious values and unconscious biases.
Interpersonal: refers to internalized cultural messages that are shared
through personal interactions. Since human beings do not live in isolation,
these messages are sustained through shared practices that often include
some individuals and groups and exclude others.
Institutional: refers to institutions and organizations adopting and/or
maintaining policies and procedures that result in inequitable outcomes
for people of color. Institutional racism may occur within schools, courts,
the military, government agencies, businesses and any number of other
organizations and societal structures. Some of these institutional practices
lead to disparities in employment, education, incarceration, health and more.
2
Michigan’s Changing Demographics – What do they mean for our Future? Presentation to
Michigan State University’s 2016 Legislative Leadership Program, Kurt Metzger, Dec 6 2016.
http://ippsr.msu.edu/sites/default/files/llp/metzger_llp.pdf
3
Cracking the Codes – The System of Racial Inequity by Shakti Butler
4
Jane Elliot – A Class Divided
5
Association for Psychological Science
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Structural: refers to the way historical, social, psychological, cultural and
political norms perpetuate advantages based on race. An example would be
the way racial disparities in income, wealth and access to quality education
originated from a combination of factors including our history of slavery, Jim
Crow laws and educational or governmental policies that created access for
some and barriers for others.
Developing a Common Language
The cultural factors that shape our shared understanding are often guided
by the words and language we inherit from our communities. Edward
Sapir, widely acknowledged as the founder of American anthropology,
believed that the language we use influences the way we think and how we
understand the world around us. He suggested that once we become a part
of a linguistic system, the system imposes and dictates our orientation in
the world.
6
To increase shared understanding, it is important to clearly define the terms
we use in conversations. Words with dierent meanings are often used as
synonyms in discussions about race, which can lead to confusion. Although
the terms below are interconnected, they are not synonyms and must be
used with precision.
Defining the Terms
Diversity vs. Inclusion
In conversations about race, we often hear the terms diversity and inclusion
used as synonyms. But diversity simply points to dierence. On the other
hand, inclusion describes the need to incorporate these dierences on a
shared platform where they are accepted and valued. At times, the concept
of diversity is used to imply something positive, yet the term by itself is
neutral as there are many environments that are diverse but not necessarily
inclusive. For instance, we may find a workplace where leadership belongs
to the dominant group while those outside of the dominant group occupy
the remaining roles. We must take proactive steps to create and sustain
inclusion, recognizing that diversity does not necessarily lead to integration
and inclusive practices.
Equality vs. Equity
Equality is often associated with justice and sameness, yet when its practice
and implementation lack an equity lens through which physical, structural
and historical dierences are acknowledged, inequitable outcomes are
created and sustained. Equity takes into consideration how the past has
shaped the present and assesses social advantages/disadvantages in order
to promote justice and fairness.
6
Ottenheimer, Harriet Joseph. The Anthropology of Language An Introduction
to Linguistic Anthropology. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2005.
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Prejudice vs. Racism
Prejudices are preconceived notions and opinions about an individual based
on limited information. A person can harbor prejudices that are not exclusive
to race. On the other hand, racism, a system of advantage based on race
is shaped by racial prejudice and derives its strength from the collective
actions and practices sustained throughout history by an ideology of racial
hierarchy. Although people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds have
internalized prejudices and stereotypes which devalue groups based on
assumptions about behavior, values, capabilities or attributes, the dominant
group is often sheltered by the system of advantage in ways that dier from
those who reside outside of it.
Melting Pot (Assimilation) vs. Pluralism (Multiculturalism)
The concept of a melting pot is often used to represent an open and
inclusive society. It describes a place where people from all over the world
come to build a better life and eventually become one united group.
However, this concept directly relates to the concept of assimilation, a
process where formerly distinct groups socially merge together to form
one cultural identity. These ideas are often used hand in hand with notions
of pluralism and multiculturalism. Yet, pluralism is shaped by a process
where distinct groups share and coexist with others of diering cultural
and social identities. Multiculturalism recognizes that while we share many
things in common, our cultural experiences are not the same. Pluralism and
multiculturalism share at their core the recognition that dierences are not
deficiencies. The melting pot notion is often controlled by the dominant
culture and forces others to comply with the prescribed norms set in place
by those in power.
Why Focus on Racial Equity?
A racial equity lens is valuable because it sharpens and improves the
decision-making process by separating symptoms from causes when
identifying solutions to persistent problems. The implementation of racial
equity shapes a social condition where racial identity no longer predicts how
one fares in society, and a focus on racial equity allows us to acknowledge
the intergenerational eects of discrimination while purposefully seeking
to promote strategies where those who have been marginalized can fully
participate. Through a racial equity lens, decision makers can identify and
dismantle policies, practices, attitudes and cultural messages that sustain
dierential outcomes by race and/or fail to eliminate them.
7
7
Center for Assessment and Policy Development
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
How the
Past Shapes
the Present
From the 1930s through the 1960s, Federal Housing Administration
policies explicitly limited loans to neighborhoods of color based on race.
8
Approximately 98% of FHA loans during this time went to white applicants.
This practice combined with others – segregation in schools and a lack of
access for people of color to housing based on location through exclusionary
brokering – illustrate how past practices that shaped residential segregation
and racial isolation led to disproportionate generational wealth accumulation
and racial inequities today.
The Fair Housing Law of 1968 was designed to protect buyers and renters
from sellers’ and landlords’ discriminatory practices and to provide housing
opportunities to all people. The Fair Housing Act (Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1968) introduced mechanisms to prohibit:
• Refusing to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of race, color,
religion, sex or nation origin.
• Discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in the
terms, conditions or privilege of the sale or rental of a dwelling.
• Advertising the sale or rental of a dwelling indicating preference based
on race, color, religion or national origin.
• Coercing, threatening, intimidating or interfering with a person’s
enjoyment or exercise of housing rights based on discriminatory reasons,
or retaliating against a person or organization that aids or encourages
the exercise or enjoyment of fair housing rights.
Even with the implementation of mechanisms to disrupt discrimination,
residential segregation and racial isolation continue to increase. Intentional
strategies that raise awareness of the root causes of systemic inequities
strategically help to sustain long-term inclusive policies and practices.
8
Race and Recession – Applied Research Center
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Exploring Racism Within Your Community
The metaphor of a lens – a racial equity lens – allows us to see present day
problems, such as gentrification and the marginalization of communities of
color, in new ways. Viewing these issues through a racial equity lens reveals
that disparities in Michigan are the result of historic policies, practices and
power dynamics which disproportionately aect communities of color
and are not the result of inherent racial dierences based on skin color.
To address past injustices and serve the residents of Michigan adequately,
we need to acknowledge the historical root causes of racial disparities
and a racial equity lens serves as an eective tool for creating systemic
solutions for change.
As an initial step, decision makers can utilize a racial equity impact
assessment (REIA) tool to measure desired goals and challenges to avoid
unintended consequences. An REIA is a systematic examination of how
dierent racial and ethnic groups are likely to be aected by a proposed
decision or action.
9
In other words, a REIA helps to engage decision makers in a process that
promotes intentional change and anticipates adverse consequences. The
REIA provides clear options for dismantling, reducing and preventing
inequitable outcomes. It is best used during the decision-making process,
prior to enacting a new proposal. It is used to inform decisions, much like
environmental impact statements, fiscal impact reports and workplace
risk assessments.
10
REIA Samples:
REIA – Race Forward
REIA – Center for the Study of Social Policy
For a list of nationwide resources and examples that advocate for racial
equity in economic policies and public budgets, see Resource File.
Targeted vs. Universal Strategies
In a time of perceived scarcity and contracting government budgets,
targeted policies may be viewed as favoring a particular constituent group
rather than the public good.
11
As a default alternative to targeted policies,
a universal approach – often depicted as race neutral – is introduced as a
method to increase equal positive outcomes for everyone. Both targeted
and universal approaches are often controversial since they appear to favor
certain groups and/or neglect historical inequities. An alternative to either
a straight universal approach or a targeted one is targeted universalism.
This method rejects the tendency of a universal approach that often
discards the reality of historically oppressed groups who are often situated
dierently relative to the institutional access to resources in society. It also
rejects the controversial methods found in targeted strategies.
9
raceforward
10
RaceForward.org
11
Poverty and Race Research Action Council
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Targeting within universalism means being proactive and goal-oriented
about achievable outcomes and requires intentional steps:
Step 1
Define a universal goal – i.e., 100% proficiency in eight grade math.
Step 2
Measure how the overall population fares relative to the universal goal –
i.e., 80% of eight graders are proficient.
Step 3
Measure the performance of population segments relative to the universal
goal – i.e., 70% of Latinxs are proficient.
Step 4
Understand how structures and other factors support or impede group
progress toward the universal goal – i.e., classroom instruction materials
and lessons designed for English speakers may impede learning including
math proficiency in Latinx students.
Step 5
Implement targeted strategies so that each group can achieve the
universal goal based upon their need and circumstances – i.e., ESL-
specific math tutoring for Latinx students (another group may require a
completely dierent strategy to achieve the same universal goal.)
Targeted universalism is a frame for designing policy that acknowledges
our common goals while also addressing the sharp contrasts in access to
opportunity between dierently-situated sub-groups, such as barriers to
quality education, well-paying work, fair mortgages and more. To transform
structural inequity into structural opportunity, policies need to address
these contrasts and measure success based on outcomes.
12
The implementation of equity requires that we view inequities through a
systemic lens, recognizing that culturally principles based on meritocracy,
equal opportunity and personal responsibility are often shaped and
influenced by external factors that generate advantages for some and
disadvantages for others. To create and implement equity, we must build
into the decision-making process intentional steps designed to dismantle
patterns of discrimination created by these systems of advantage.
12
Projectlinkedfate.org
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
In January 2016, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission (MCRC) passed a
resolution to investigate the intersection of civil rights and the Flint Water
Crisis. After hearing from Flint residents, elected ocials, experts, and
considering generations of racially-exclusionary public policies and practices
that contributed to these circumstances, MCRC issued its Flint Water Report
on February 17, 2017. Among its recommendations, the Commission called for
the development of a racial equity framework at all levels of government to
examine the opportunity gap that persists in Michigan, especially for people
of color. The Commission directed the Michigan Department of Civil Rights
(MDCR) to develop a plan to embed racial equity analysis into its work, which
will serve as a blueprint for working with other state departments and local
units of government.
MDCR is the lead agency in championing equity in the state of Michigan. It
is responsible for carrying out the guarantees against discrimination in the
Michigan Constitution and state civil rights laws, which include ensuring equal
opportunity and equal access for all in the areas of education, employment,
housing, public accommodations and public services.
To begin to address the opportunity gap, MDCR became a member of the
Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a network of state and
local governments across the United States working to achieve racial equity
and advance opportunities for all. Through its membership in GARE, MDCR
seeks to work with cities and counties across the state to champion racial
equity policy-making.
To advance racial equity in the state of Michigan, MDCR aims to serve as
a resource hub, a network facilitator and a partner to local governments
committed to this work. Through its Community Engagement ocers,
MDCR will provide training and education to local government ocials and
community leaders and encourage collaboration with communities across
the state. MDCR will also advance racial equity policies at the state level and
attempt to reduce the opportunity gap that persists within our state.
Long-term sustainable changes within MDCR and in Michigan communities
Racial Equity
and MDCR
10
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
will require a comprehensive pro-equity approach in housing,
employment, education, public accommodation and public services. While
state and local government institutions may not be solely responsible
for creating the institutional and systemic racial disparities in our state,
they are able to address it. The eort will require increased coordination,
collaboration and cross-sectoral approaches and solutions that match
the scale of the inequities that exist. Only by creating a network of
communities committed to change and by integrating a racial equity
framework into our day-to-day work can we hope to achieve our goal
of achieving racial equity in Michigan and ensuring that Michigan is a
welcoming, diverse, inclusive and thriving state with equal opportunity
and access for all.
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Why a Racial
Equity Toolkit?
Government, from the federal level to the municipal level, has at times upheld
laws, public policies and practices that have had devastating consequences
for communities of color. Government has upheld racial hierarchy through
policies that have sustained – through seemingly race-neutral approaches
– unintentional forms of prejudices which normalize one dominant racial
experience and result in policies and practices that negatively impact
individuals who are not members of the dominant group. In this way,
government has actively decided who benefits and who is burdened by
these policies and practices. Examples include developing infrastructure
in neighborhoods where people of color would be most impacted without
evaluating the projected harms and benefits to this community, promoting
healthcare practices that are culturally insensitive resulting in decreased
participation and distrust, and imposing identification requirements to
receive social services that disadvantage families with mixed citizenship
status.
What role does local government play in
advancing a racially equitable future?
Agencies of local governments are closest to the people. As such, they
possess a unique and significant role in advancing racial equity. Local
government can advance racial equity by revising or removing harmful
policies and laws, creating new policies and practices to eradicate barriers,
and collaborating with influential institutions and systems to advance
equitable outcomes. Municipal government can address the root causes
of racism and racial inequities rather than focusing on its symptoms. By
eliminating inequitable policies and practices, local government opens the
door for more participation and access to opportunities and encourages
cultural competency through shared learning.
By using a Racial Equity Toolkit, local governments can develop a framework,
strategy and the resources needed to intentionally disrupt unintended
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
outcomes and maximize the eectiveness of strategies designed to
eliminate racial inequities in their communities. Given the complicated and
pervasive nature of racism, this eort requires focus and specificity, as
each inequitable outcome requires a tailored strategy that:
• Seeks to proactively eliminate racial inequities and advance equity.
• Identifies clear goals, objectives and measurable outcomes.
• Engages community in decision-making processes.
• Identifies who will benefit or be burdened by a given decision,
examines potential unintended consequences of a decision,
advances racial equity and mitigates unintended negative
consequences.
• Develops mechanisms for successful implementation and
evaluation of impact.
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Purpose/Mission/Goal/Commitment
The racial equity toolkit is a compilation of frameworks, strategies,
implementation processes and resources from localities working on racial
equity. It serves as a step-by-step guide to help municipal governments
start their racial equity work. While the toolkit has a general structure, it
is by no means a one-size-fits-all model. It is a beginning guide providing
tangible options – options that have been tried by other cities and
townships – that can assist governments in deciding which methods would
best suit the demographics and needs of their communities and their
goals. With this toolkit, local governments can better assess their internal
and external capabilities to accomplish their racial equity goals.
Who Should Use This Toolkit?
The MDCR racial equity toolkit – the first of its kind – is designed to
guide government, communities and organizational leaders committed
to building a more equitable Michigan. The toolkit was created with local
government, elected ocials and community-based organizations in mind,
as each has a unique role in shaping equitable policies and practices and
ensuring that communities participate throughout the process.
In the racial equity toolkit, we discuss how to begin an honest conversation
within local government or a specific department on racial equity. We then
move to information gathering to understand the specific racial inequities
in a community. Equipped with a better understanding, local governments
can then begin developing a strategic plan to address racial inequities with
13
Government Alliance on Race and Equity
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
community engagement where possible. One approach may be to pilot
test the plan by working with a particular area or unit, modifying the plan
as needed. Once it has proven successful, governments can roll out their
strategic plan on a broader scale, keeping in mind existing government
structures, procedures and the role of community engagement. During
and after the implementation phase, local governments will want to
continuously evaluate their work and make changes as needed.
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
RACIAL
EQUITY
TOOLKIT
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MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Starting the Conversation
Beginning a conversation about race and racial inequity within
communities or organizations can be a dicult process, but it is an
important part of building a foundation for change. When talking about
sensitive topics, creating a climate of dialogue conducive to growth takes
time, patience and faith in the process. Building a framework for open and
frank dialogue is a central component of building better understanding.
When getting started, it is important to keep in mind a few key aspects to
creating a climate conducive to constructive dialogue.
Participation
In the beginning stages, consider working with a small group of
participants. We recommend limiting the size of each group to 10
individuals to allow the dialogue to function most eectively. A small
group will help build trust, ensure personal investment, allow participants
to practice the process, and peak the interest of others who may be
interested in participating. If participation is mandatory in a dialogue,
keep in mind that there may be greater resistance and skepticism from
participants. Leaders will need to exercise careful consideration in
developing creative methods to promote dialogue and engagement.
Developing a Common Language
It is essential to develop a common language, where terminology is
defined and provides a foundation for clear understanding. The definition
of terms such as diversity, inclusion, equality, racism and prejudice
need to be reviewed and revised. Participants must recognize that the
conversation will focus on race extensively but not exclusively, since the
exploration of systemic advantage frequently leads to conversations that
extend beyond race to other areas such as gender and class.
STEP 1:
Begin a Conversation About Race
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Finding a Facilitator
In building the space for dialogue, participants come with titles and positions.
As such, it is important that all participants feel that they are on equal footing.
A well-trained facilitator can serve a mediating role between sta and directors
and should be someone who can foster meaningful dialogue. Individuals
in managerial or supervisory positions need to be conscious of the power
dynamic their presence may create. Being mindful of these distinctions will
help to create the space required to achieve sustainable change in the long run.
Having a facilitator with experience in addressing the questions that will arise
is important.
Facilitator’s Role
Good facilitators help establish an environment where participants can
discuss complex and sometimes emotionally-charged issues. Facilitators also
help participants understand that the dialogue is a place for shared learning
and not a forum for participants to voice their opinion without listening to
others.
14
Facilitators must adopt an approach that promotes a sense of shared
responsibility to be a part of the solution. Facilitators must help participants
understand that the ideology that has sustained racism and discrimination
for centuries did not go away with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Facilitators
must remind participants that what sustains racism in the 21st century is
no longer solely rooted in overt discrimination, but rather in unintentional
practices rooted in social dissonance, implicit bias and cultural conditioning.
Facilitators must present racism as a system based on racial hierarchy in order
to eectively dismantle the commonly-held perception that personal success
is rooted in individual eorts isolated from systemic advantages. Developing
the capacity to think systemically will help participants understand the need
to unlearn internalized social messages in order to create the new level of
awareness needed to develop socially-conscious solutions.
Facilitators must guide the conversation by using specific talking points
that engage participants through a compassionate approach that promotes
collective engagement and a desire to be a part of the solution. Some helpful
talking points include:
• We all have internalized messages that shape our biases; the work of
breaking down those biases is and will always be an on-going process
of unlearning old messages and learning new ones.
• Racism today is primarily sustained through implicit bias rather than
overt discrimination.
14
Inclusion, Diversity & Equity – University of Missouri
17
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
• We did not create the system of advantage, but we have a social
responsibility to dismantle it.
• Color consciousness is dierent than color blindness. The former is
rooted in the recognition that we do see color, the latter is focused on
sameness and often ignores systemic advantages that have created
an uneven playing field.
15
Setting Common Group Expectations
In holding the initial dialogue session, work as a group to develop a list of
common expectations that all agree on. The facilitator should refer to these
expectations if conversation begins to derail or participants stray too far from
these expectations. Agreed-upon expectations ensure that everyone involved
feels safe, heard and challenged to grow. Examples of common group
expectations include:
I am a Teacher and a Learner – This phrase means that everyone has
something to share and teach the group from their personal experiences
and expertise, and at the same time, everyone is a learner and can learn new
information from the teachers surrounding them. When practiced regularly,
this phrase can help to equalize power dynamics within a dialogue. One
technique is to invite every participant to repeat this phrase as the dialogue
begins and everyone is introducing themselves.
Listen Actively – This group expectation creates a distinction between
hearing what a person says and truly listening to what someone is sharing
or allowing yourself to become preoccupied with what to say next. To listen
actively, all individuals in the group must maintain eye contact with the
speaker, display body language that demonstrates engagement and practice
empathy in understanding what someone is sharing. To encourage active
listening, the group should discuss this phrase in the initial dialogue session
and have individuals talk about how we know that someone is truly listening
to us when we are speaking.
Step Up, Step Up – This phrase is a reminder for individuals who are typically
more vocal to step up by listening more, and for people who are typically
quieter to step up and speak and share more.
Use I Statements – This expectation asks individuals to speak for themselves
and refrain from using stereotypes or generalizations about groups of
people using “we” or “they” statements. This also allows individuals to take
responsibility for their thoughts and opinions. Examples of “I” statements
include, “I think…”, “I feel…”, “I’ve heard...”, “I know…”
15
For more information regarding the facilitation process – see guideline in resource section.
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RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Intent vs. Impact – Acknowledge that although we may have good intentions,
our words may have a negative impact. To participate in community dialogue,
keep in mind that impact matters more than intent.
Address the Idea, Not the Person – Ask everyone to be mindful of
distinguishing between information received and the person providing the
information. When discussing what someone says, it is helpful to address the
idea someone shared and to avoid personalizing it. This allows individuals to
disagree or agree with what was said without placing blame, shame or praise
on a particular person. For example, one might say “I don’t agree with the
idea shared because…” instead of “I don’t agree with Maya…”
Practice Mindfulness – be aware of your personal connection to the topic and
remain receptive to multiple perspectives. Each person’s sharing provides an
opportunity for learning. Focus on understanding the person’s point of view
rather than on your counter-response.
Incorporating Opinions and Data
The facilitator and individuals involved in planning a dialogue session
should prepare a guide or generalized goal for the session. Keep in mind
that this plan is always subject to change because of the natural flow of the
dialogue. The plan should involve ways to introduce dialogue and develop
an approach for a given controversial topic. Throughout the session, the plan
should include a means to introduce new information based on research,
data and trends. Introducing facts and data is essential and allows opinions
to be articulated within an understanding of the data. This framework can
help challenge preconceived notions or stereotypes that may appear to be
commonly accepted within your community. The definitions and data that you
will find throughout this toolkit can aid in developing a robust conversation
around dicult topics.
19
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
STEP 2:
Understand the State of Your
Community’s Racial Equity
Why Start a Community Dialogue?
To begin an authentic and sustainable dialogue, it is important to consider the
ways that racial inequities are understood and discussed within your community.
After completing step 1, these same principles and structure for dialogue can take
place within the greater community at large. With a more informed understanding
of your community’s current state in terms of racial equity, you can meet the wider
community where they are and develop a more realistic plan to move forward.
Facilitate a Community Dialogue
The focus of your community dialogue should be to hear from members of your
community and their current thoughts and feelings about race relations. We
encourage local government employees who are comfortable with the topic to
play the role of facilitators in listening to community members, as opposed to
introducing data and facts. Keep in mind that eective community dialogue:
• Moves toward solutions rather than continuing to discuss the problem.
• Reaches beyond usual boundaries and oers opportunities for new
partnership.
• Aims for a change of heart, going beyond sharing and understanding to
transforming participants.
Here are some technical details to keep in mind when facilitating a community
dialogue:
• Seek appropriate ways to gather more information from residents.
• If possible, have participants sign waiver forms for participation and to
allow use of residents’ feedback.
• Follow up with participants should you decide to include their feedback in
any future public information.
20
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
How Can MDCR Help?
MDCR and its partners in racial equity have a shared vision that Michigan
can become a place where residents from all communities have equitable
opportunities to grow and thrive. To achieve this mission, MDCR can
oer technical assistance as communities begin to do this work. MDCR
sta have been trained on racial equity and recognize that addressing
racial equity is not an easily-achieved goal. MDCR is available to answer
questions, to develop a plan for creating change and to support
communities as they run into unexpected hurdles along the way.
Conduct a Community Survey and Create a
Community Equity Profile
When developing a strategic plan for addressing racial inequity, it is
important to accurately address the challenges that residents will face,
and the role racism has played within your community and the state
of Michigan. To direct departments within your city or county to make
necessary policy or program changes, provide examples of disparate
outcomes that exist within your community. For example, some
communities may face significant racial disparities in health outcomes but
not in educational outcomes. In other communities, access to aordable
housing might be the greatest challenge, while access to other city services
might not be an issue.
To support the work you plan to do within your department, among
partner departments and organizations and externally to the community,
consider creating a Community Equity Profile that accurately displays the
demographics and outcomes in your community. Data collected to create
your profile may come from:
• Census data
• Local and state-level data
• Qualitative surveys conducted with community members
• Qualitative surveys conducted with government employees around
racial equity policies and programs
• Comments collected during your community dialogue
• National racial equity groups
Quantitative data and qualitative data oer dierent stories about the
outcomes based on race in your community. In addition to collecting raw
data from sources like the U.S. Census or from the Michigan Open Data
portal, consider developing and implementing a Community Survey to
measure attitudes and knowledge about disparate outcomes in your
community. This allows you to gather information specifically on the policy
areas of greatest interest or impact.
21
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Making the data you’ve gathered available is also important. Creating easy-to-
read graphs and tables which can be understood by a variety of audiences and
pulling out poignant quotes from your survey data is helpful in developing a
compelling case as to why it’s important to eliminate racial inequities. Producing
high-quality materials may help with competitive grants centered on achieving
racial equity in government.
Here are some resources which can help you gather this data:
• American Fact Finder: The U.S. Census Bureau’s website is free to use
and contains Decennial Census data as well as 5-year, 3-year, and 1-year
estimates from the American Community Survey.
• National Equity Atlas: Created by PolicyLink and the USC Program for
Environmental and Regional Equity, the National Equity Atlas is a data and
policy tool which maps many equity-related variables in the 100 largest
cities and 150 largest metro areas in the country. To generate city-specific
or region-specific data, type a city or metro area name into the search box
under the Data Summaries tab. Cities and regions in Michigan for which
data is available on the NEA include:
o City of Detroit
o Ann Arbor
o Detroit-Warren-Livonia Metro
o Flint Metro
o Grand Rapids-Wyoming Metro
o Kalamazoo-Portage Metro
o Lansing-East Lansing Metro
• Detroit Open Data: In the City of Detroit’s open data portal includes
information on education, public health, transportation, public safety
and property.
• Michigan Open Data: The State of Michigan’s open data portal consists
of data from the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Michigan
Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan Bureau of Labor Statistics
and Michigan school data.
• City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative Employee Survey:
A summary of the findings of the City of Seattle’s Employee Survey on
Race and Social Justice, the survey asks respondents if they are familiar
with the concept of racial equity, have ever participated in Race and Social
Justice Initiative (RSJI) trainings or programs, have ever implemented a
racial equity policy in their department, and what their feelings are about
race relations within their department. At the end of the report is a copy
of the survey that was given to City of Seattle employees, which can be
modified and used to survey municipal employees in your community.
22
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
For examples of how this data can be displayed once collected, consult the
following resources:
• Inclusive Dubuque Community Equity Profile
• Kansas City Equity Profile
• Equitable Growth Profile of Fairfax County, Virginia
Understand Your Community’s Unique History
and Your Government’s Role in Creating
Racial Inequities
The last step before you design your strategic plan for addressing racial
inequity is to understand your community’s unique history on race relations
and how your local government may have contributed to creating racial
inequities. As stated in the City of Portland Racial Equity Toolkit, “Past harm
is likely to still have current day impacts on people’s quality of life and
most certainly on communities’ lack of trust in government.” This context
is useful when developing community engagement strategies and crafting a
specific community engagement plan.
16
In attempting to look closer at your community’s history, finding specific
information about this harm at the local level may be dicult. Many
communities have only recently begun to capture data which breaks down
impact and participation by race. It also may be dicult to track the direct
impact of policies created in the past on present-day racial inequities.
Areas to consider in your research may include the impact of housing
policy in your community, trends in housing aordability, locations of new
public housing units and the racial demographics of people moving in and
out of your community. Another example is examining the neighborhoods
where residents of color live and attempting to trace the dierences in
property values in these neighborhoods compared to neighborhoods with
predominantly white residents. You can also research dierences in police/
community relations through trac stops data analysis as well as school
district’s eorts to address racial disparities in suspension, expulsion, etc.
The City of Portland’s Racial Equity Toolkit suggests that your city’s
human resources and procurement departments “…may be able to provide
the history of barriers people of color faced in attaining employment
in city government or obstacles contractors of color faced in securing
public contracts.”
17
While collecting city or county-specific data on disparate impact policies
may be dicult, it is essential to pointing out dierences in outcomes in
your community based on race/color.
16
Brooks, Danielle, et al. City of Portland Racial Equity Toolkit. Oce of Equity
and Human Rights, https://www.portlandoregon.gov/oehr/71685.
17
Ibid.
23
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
STEP 3:
Develop Your Racial Equity Strategic Plan
Identify Community and Intergovernmental Partners
You want to engage residents in a thoughtful and meaningful way at every stage
of the process – from the beginning stages of information gathering and strategic
planning to implementation and finally evaluation. Consider recruiting residents from
various local non-profits, community development corporations and community-
based organizations to create a Resident Advisory Board, which will be actively
involved in the racial equity work you do. This board can provide feedback and
guidance during all stages of the planning, implementation and evaluation processes.
To create policies and programs which undo existing racial inequities, it is important
to work with various departments of government as well as with regional policy-
making bodies to devise a strategy that brings all relevant stakeholders to the
table and capitalizes on the resources, funding, networks and capacity that each
organization or department possesses.
For example, if your community identifies that significant racial disparities exist
in health, you might bring together stakeholders from the City and County Health
Departments, the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the
local Red Cross chapter, the public school system and university health researchers
who study health locally. If housing is of great concern, you might bring together
the city’s housing department, local real estate developer groups, the local Public
Housing Authority and the local fair housing centers. At the state and national
levels, there are many organizations committed to racial equity work which may be
interested in supporting your eorts, including:
• Government Alliance on Race and Equity: GARE is a national network of
governments working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities
for all.
• Michigan Department of Civil Rights: MDCR investigates and resolves
discrimination complaints and works to prevent discrimination through
educational programs that promote voluntary compliance with civil rights laws.
• Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion: The Roundtable is one of the
oldest human rights organizations in Detroit, going back to before the 1943
race uprising. The Roundtable conducts community engagement campaigns
and trainings around the state to educate people about racial equity, LGBTQ
issues and cultural competency, and they provide youth programming.
18
18
Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, http://www.miroundtable.org
24
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
• The Center for Michigan: The Center for Michigan is a “think-and-do”
tank founded in 2006 by former newspaper publisher and University of
Michigan Regent Phil Power. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Center’s
objective is to make Michigan a better place by encouraging greater
understanding and involvement in policy issues among the state’s citizens
and making sure their voices are heard. The Center achieves its mission
by regularly soliciting citizen views, amplifying those views and projecting
them into the halls of power.
19
• Michigan League for Public Policy: The Michigan League for Public Policy
is a nonpartisan policy institute dedicated to economic opportunity
for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a
comprehensive way. No other organization in the state examines state
revenues and expenditures and their impact on low-income people. All the
League’s work is done through a racial equity lens.
20
• The W.K. Kellogg Foundation: Embedded deep within the fabric of its work,
mission and vision, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation is committed to racial
equity, to developing leaders and to engaging communities in solving their
own problems through a racial equity lens.
Set Priorities for Policy and Program Change and
Develop a Timeline
Your plans will work best if you lay out clear, measurable and attainable goals
with specific indicators assigned to each goal in order to measure if it has been
met. Many organizations utilize the Results-Based Accountability framework
pioneered by Mark Friedman, which begins planning at the end stage and works
backward to develop clear indicators for measuring progress on final goals.
21
Example:
Measurement Indicators Goal
1. Asthma rates for children ages 4-18
2. Number of children on free and
reduced lunch
3. Obesity rates for children ages 4-18
Eliminate health disparities among
children of color and white children.
19
The Center for Michigan, http://thecenterformichigan.net/.
20
“Racial Equity.” Michigan League for Public Policy,
http://www.mlpp.org/our-work/race-equity.
21
“What Is Results-Based Accountability?” Clear Impact: Reach Your Peak, 2016,
https://clearimpact.com/results-based-accountability/.
25
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
The All-In Cities Policy Toolkit created by PolicyLink is a comprehensive example
of strategies, key considerations and their assigned stakeholders based on
dierent policy areas like housing, good jobs and economic security.
Establishing a clear timeline for collecting data will help you measure your
progress in reaching your goals. Because many of the goals may take years to
accomplish, developing a timeline may be one of the most challenging parts of
the strategic planning process.
Determine Your Desired Inputs, Outputs and Outcomes
and Establish Your Baseline
Once you have worked with residents and partner organizations and identified
racial equity priorities, you will need to map your Racial Equity Strategic Plan.
Though plans may dier from one community to the next, every strategic plan
should include the following items:
• Inputs: What resources, funding and partners will you apply to reach
your goal?
• Measurement Indicators: What are the measures you will use to know
if you have reached your goal? Are these indicators changes in data
points or changes in attitudes and participation rates?
• Outputs: What are the products resulting from your work?
• Outcomes/Goals: What changes or dierences have resulted from
the outputs?
Here are some examples of how this structure might look in your Racial Equity
Strategic Plan:
Input
Measurement
Indicator
Output Outcome/Goal
Lead Organization:
City of Jackson
Health Department
Funding: Michigan
Healthy Children
Grant
Asthma rates for
children ages 4-18
Reduce asthma
rates among
children of color
by 10 percentage
points.
Eliminate health
disparities among
children of color
and white children.
Baseline Data: Currently in Jackson, 25% of children of color between ages 4 and
18 have asthma while only ___% white children have asthma.
26
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Input
Measurement
Indicator
Output Outcome/Goal
Lead Organization:
Jackson City
Council Resources:
Participatory
Planning Exercises
Responses to
the question “Do
you feel that you,
as an individual,
are included
in community
decision-making?”
Increase “agree”
and “strongly
agree” responses
by 20 percentage
points.
People of color in
Jackson feel that
they are included
in community
decision-making.
Baseline Data: Currently in Jackson, 15% of people of color responded either
“agree” or “strongly agree” to the question, “Do you feel that you, as an
individual, are included in community decision-making?” When asked the same
question, ___% of whites responded either “agree” or “strongly agree.”
Remember, it is helpful to think first of what goals you would like to achieve
and then work backwards to determine more specifically how you will reach
them.
After creating your Strategic Plan, use the data you gathered in Step 2 to
Establish Your Baseline. In other words, what is the starting point from
which you will measure progress? This baseline can be a percentage or a raw
number, but if you are using a raw number to measure progress, be careful to
contextualize the number in a way that it is clear to those reading the report
whether or not you have made significant progress.
Identify Budgetary and Sta Needs and Determine
Who Will Champion Your Plan
Consider budgetary and sta needs. Depending on the number of needs and
capacity of your sta to do the work, you may be able to outsource some
parts of the plan. It is important to designate a team or senior manager/
supervisor who will champion your plan and push it forward regardless of how
many sta or how much money you allocate to your eorts.
Cities across the country have developed dierent solutions to determining
who within their cities will lead racial equity work. In Multnomah County,
Oregon, the local government created an Oce of Diversity & Equity which
developed an Equity and Empowerment Lens by which to evaluate county
policies.
22
In Seattle, Washington, each city department is required to submit
a Racial Equity Work Plan to the mayor and city council and report regularly
on their progress. In St. Paul, Minnesota, city departments established Racial
Equity Change Teams – groups of people within each department who are
22
“Equity and Empowerment Lens.” Multnomah County, 2016, https://multco.us/
diversity-equity/equity-and-empowerment-lens.
27
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
responsible for carrying out racial equity work. Though each of these approaches
to delegating and stang are dierent, each approach clearly delineates the
people responsible for carrying out the racial equity charge. At MDCR, both the
executive director and equity ocer have been designated to develop and further
the work of racial equity internally and externally.
Anticipate Unintended Consequences
The final step in the planning process is to anticipate unintended consequences of
your work and mitigate these challenges if possible. One unintended consequence
may be pushback from dierent segments of the community.
Whatever the unintended consequence may be, it is your job as the champion of
the strategic plan to articulate the importance of advancing racial equity in order
to jettison deeply-held and often unconscious beliefs and structures that create
and re-create systems of advantage.
28
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
STEP 4:
Seek Plan Approval and Stewardship
Once you’ve drafted and reviewed your racial equity strategic plan, the plan will
need to go through an approval process. Because of dierences in the scope and
extent of intergovernmental and multi-sector involvement, each approval process is
unique. The leading government entity may employ executive powers and authority,
or they may rely on non-executive methods (or possibly a combination of the two)
as a procedural preface to implementing the strategic plan. Local government
may exercise its executive power by creating a racial equity commission or issuing
executive orders. Local government may take non-executive actions such as
reorganizing the structure of departments to better align with its racial equity goals
and to aid sta and leadership in transitioning towards a racial equity framework.
Have Strategic Plan Reviewed by Required Parties
Your plan should undergo a thorough approval process where entities, departments
and or agencies take ownership of both shared and specific responsibilities. At this
critical stage, the strategic plan should not undergo major changes since you risk
losing support from vital stakeholders and delaying timelines.
To ensure transparency and accountability, the strategic plan should be made public
so that all can provide vital feedback before it is approved and implemented.
Identify Potential Challenges to Implementation and
Take Steps to Mitigate Risks
In seeking support for your strategic plan and its implementation, identify potential
challenges from influential stakeholders, timing conflicts, competing policy concerns
and anything else that could delay or obstruct implementation.
Analysis of Risks. Always consider conducting an analysis of potential risks. Be aware
of the agenda, feelings, expectations and politics of those within and external to the
leading governmental agency. Be knowledgeable of possible impediments as well as
conditions that increase the likelihood that the approval process will go as smoothly
as possible. You and your team should have mapped out stakeholders who may
advocate for or against your plan.
Is the Risk Essential to Mitigate? Assess the level of risk for its ability to disrupt the
implementation process. For instance, it could be that the lack of buy-in is a result
of poor marketing or infrequent meetings with a city council member or dierent
parts of the community. In that case, further explanation of the plan may alleviate this
tension. If mitigating a risk jeopardizes the strategic plan itself, you must reassess to
ensure that you have support from key stakeholders and that you are prepared to
move forward.
29
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Marketing and Promotion
Once your strategic plan is approved, it is vital to promote the plan internally
and externally and unify both internal and external stakeholders on the
strategy before you roll it out to the public.
For many people, racial equity is dicult to understand. Many may confuse it
with similar sounding and related concepts like diversity, cultural competency
and equal opportunity. Some may perceive racial equity as the prioritization
of one race over another rather than a process to resolve issues that keep
communities of color from reaching similar levels of achievement as their
white counterparts. The topic of racial equity can easily overwhelm people
who personally experience such disparities.
To get buy-in externally, communicate to evoke empathy and understanding.
GARE recommends the following strategy:
23
1. Arm: Start with the heart by expressing your concern for how a
community is aected by a specific issue; focus on the “what” and
why this matters to the work you are doing (or to you personally). Use
simple language to explain how this issue came to be: “During four
years of internment, Japanese Americans were forced to abandon their
homes, businesses and jobs, leading to a generation of displaced skilled
labor and many Japanese business districts that never fully recovered.”
2. Counter: Explain “shared-fate” in racially-explicit terms; express that
people of all races share similar goals, dreams and ambitions. Take on
race directly; having access to neighborhoods that support success
should not be determined by your race.
3. Transform: Reframe winners and losers; acknowledge pervasive
systemic and institutional racism that results in inequitable outcomes
which cannot be solely caused by person-to-person racism. End with
a heart and a solution; encourage an individual to join a community
dialogue session to learn more about the community and ways to
volunteer with a nonprofit partner that is implementing part of the
racial equity strategic plan.
Internally, to keep the work moving forward and keep everyone engaged,
it is important to communicate with a sense of urgency. Racial equity
overwhelms many who work in the field because it is a long-term goal that is
unlikely to be achievable within a person’s career or that of an administration.
It may appear that you are working at a snail’s pace when the work you are
doing is essential in building toward intermediate and long-term outcomes.
23
“Advancing Racial Equity and Transforming Government.” Government Alliance on
Race and Equity, https://www.racialequityalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/
GARE-Resource_Guide.pdf
30
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
A sense of urgency is not just about acting to capitalize on a window of
opportunity to start or sustain racial equity work. Communicating with
urgency sustains motivation and inspiration in the collective eort of
stakeholders toward reaching the strategic plan’s long-term goals.
24
Since racial equity is unlikely to be achieved within a single administration,
creating short-term wins are critical to sustaining this work. An example
of a short-term win is producing an annual report measuring quantitative
and qualitative progress and creating a periodic blog to highlight your
collective work. These tools serve to share your work and demonstrate
that you are successful in implementing your plan.
24
Ibid, pg. 48. Government Alliance on Race and Equity, https://www.
racialequityalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/GARE-Resource_Guide.pdf
31
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
STEP 5:
Implement Your Strategic Plan
To successfully implement your strategic plan within the designated time frame, you
must ensure that collaborators and funders remain engaged. You also need to apply
a racial equity lens in every step of the decision-making process, to ensure you’re
weighing input from all stakeholders equitably.
Ensure Compliance and Progress
To track and ensure compliance and progress as you implement the strategic plan,
keep in mind the following:
• Is the team meeting periodically with stakeholders and funders to
update them on plan evaluation and progress?
• Are the sta members who are working on the project racially
diverse?
• Are you engaging the community as planned in the initial phases prior
to implementation?
• Are you giving enough attention to each step/action to be taken as
part of the implementation?
• Are additional resources needed during the implementation? If so,
what are you doing to obtain the needed resources so that there is no
undue delay in implementation?
• Is the team of people working on the program flagging diculties
they encounter during implementation with enough urgency so they
can be addressed as soon as possible?
• Is the team reporting on successes as the plan is being implemented?
• Are there actions that cannot be implemented due to unforeseen
circumstances? Is there a problem that can be solved through
implementing your backup plans? If not, what is the course of action
and why?
• Are you recording or updating measures as actions are completed or
changed?
32
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Collect Data Concurrently With Implementation
Collecting data while implementing the program enables you to evaluate
progress, update funders and other collaborators, and track results at a later
stage. It is helpful to have a data collection plan that is simultaneously tied to
project milestones. This may involve creating a database that tracks progress
as you implement the plan, with a focus on the following:
• What is working and what is not working
• Remedial actions that help move implementation forward
• Financial updates
• Changes in partnership development
• Continuous feedback of your team and other stakeholders as they
implement the plan
• Videos, photos and sound recordings as methods of simultaneous
data collection
Mitigate and Address Unintended Consequences
as They Emerge
Even a well-developed strategic plan faces challenges during the
implementation phase. If the need arises, review the program/policy and
partnership strategies and modify as needed. For example, if you realize
during implementation that the program is over-burdening a particular group
in the community, you may need to re-align your strategy to gain the support
of that group, while also helping them to cope with the changing environment.
33
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
STEP 6:
Evaluate and Communicate Your Impact
Evaluating and communicating the impact of the policy/program/plan is vital to
ensure accountability and transparency.
The key question is: “What has been the impact of the policy/program/plan within
the organization and on the community?” Answering this question requires you to
assess the following:
• Do your specific policy/program/plan outcomes meet your initial
desired results?
• How much did you do?
• How well did you do it?
• Who is better o and to what extent?
Collect Data
Collecting data on the outcomes of the policy/program/plan helps develop better
future strategies and promote racial equity more eciently. To have a clear and
concise idea about the impact of your plan, you will need both qualitative and
quantitative data. There are various ways to collect data on outcomes, including
through the use of survey questions and focus groups.
When designing survey questions and focus groups, make sure that you
communicate the intent to your respondents and that they fully understand the
purpose of the survey or focus group. Pay specific attention to cultural aspects
that could impact the responses you receive. For instance, deciding whether or
not the interviewer or moderator should be of the same racial background as
the interviewee may depend on the issue and the community with whom you
are working.
Devise Communication Strategies
Communicating how advancing racial equity can positively aect a community
can be tedious and dicult to understand. It may be useful to use images and
storytelling to contextualize the data and to make it more comprehensible.
Make sure that you craft messages to target specific audiences. See the Talking
about Race Toolkit available from the Center for Social Inclusion as an example of
how to craft targeted messages.
34
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
Community Mapping can serve as a powerful tool to visualize and display
complex issues in an accessible manner to a broad audience of both experts
and non-experts.
Gather Best Practices and Share Learning
It is worthwhile to determine what works and what does not, and to identify
best practices that may be shared with partners, stakeholders and other
organizations that may be embarking on similar projects. This process involves
documenting lessons learned while devising and implementing the policy/
program/plan, the do’s and don’ts and the best ways to meet challenges. Best
practices may be shared online, through interactive videos or in newsletters.
Gathering best practices and sharing learning are ways in which we can create
a racial equity networking coalition that benefits our state and helps promote
collaboration in advancing racial equity work.
35
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Working Together
Toward an
Equitable Michigan
MDCR has developed this racial equity toolkit to educate local jurisdictions
on advancing racial equity. The toolkit provides a process cities and
counties can use to begin doing racial equity work in Michigan. In taking a
proactive approach, government has the potential to leverage significant
change through adopting best practices, tools and resources in building
and sustaining eorts to eliminate racial disparities at the institutional and
structural levels.
MDCR Supports Local Government Leadership
On Racial Equity
MDCR is committed to working toward an equitable Michigan where every
individual can thrive. Local governments are essential in making that vision
a reality. MDCR supports all municipalities that are committed to advancing
racial equity regardless of their starting point and familiarity with racial equity.
MDCR envisions its role as a resource provider, connector and advocate.
MDCR has gathered tools, resources and contacts from jurisdictions
nationwide that have a record of successfully developing and advancing racial
equity programs and initiatives. MDCR will continue to identify and provide
resources like the toolkit, contacts, training opportunities and whatever else
may aid local governments in this work.
To encourage local governments to coordinate, share best practices and
collaborate with one another, MDCR will act as a connector, facilitating a
platform for local government leaders to regularly convene in person and/or
virtually. MDCR will be a staunch advocate for implementing a racial equity
framework within MDCR and across all departments of state government,
cities and counties. This eort will be structured in various ways, from
incorporating racial equity objectives into job descriptions of state employees
to budget planning.
36
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
To begin the work outlined in this toolkit, MDCR encourages those involved in
racial equity to begin the process with a pledge of commitment and an honest
assessment of where they currently stand before the transformation begins.
Commitment and Resources
MDCR commits to supporting local, government-led racial equity work through:
• Expanding and strengthening local and regional collaborations that are
broadly inclusive and focused on achieving racial equity.
• Producing and distributing Michigan-specific guides, training materials
and other resources on racial equity.
• Building pathways for new jurisdictions to begin doing racial equity work,
including developing new cohorts of jurisdictions.
• Holding periodic convenings to facilitate discussions among local
government leaders on developing racial equity programs and sharing
ideas and progress.
• Providing technical assistance to cities and counties to establish and
implement a racial equity framework and strategic plan.
• Building a state-wide network of local jurisdictions and counties to share
information and best practices, including holding periodic meetings and
an annual conference.
Final Thoughts
Dismantling systemic barriers to equity requires not only our capacity to think
systemically, it demands strategies that move us away from historic practices
that sustain patterns of advantage toward the intentional implementation of
equitable procedures for change. This toolkit reminds us that race-neutral
policies will preserve the status quo as well as the unintended impact of color
blind eorts founded on good intentions. Ultimately, we must collectively
acknowledge that a color conscious approach leads to the creation of inclusion
because it commits time to racially-conscious strategies that anticipate the
complex challenges ahead. We hope this toolkit serves as a guide to move
away from conventional systems toward forward-thinking strategies that infuse
organizations and communities with the innovation, creativity and broader
perspectives that reside in diversity.
Acknowledgements:
James E. White
Executive Director
Mark Bishop
Community Engagement/
Strategic Operations Director
Sylvia Elliott
Managing Attorney, Oce
of Legal Aairs
Alfredo Hernandez
Equity Ocer
Dan Levy
Director of Law and Policy
Anthony Lewis
Director, Business and
Community Aairs
Marcelina Treviño
Attorney, Reconsideration Unit
110 W. Michigan Avenue
Suite 800
Lansing, MI 48933
800-482-3604
Michigan.gov/MDCR