Sustained inequities have created an unequal playing field stemming from longstanding systemic and structural racial and socio-economic inequities. Ensuring services and gains are equitably shared among employees and customers, regardless of race or socio-economic status, sits at the heart of the Council’s purpose. The Council challenges the status quo and builds capacity that supports actions to sustain an anti-racist and inclusive culture for increasingly diverse communities, employees and customers.

A 13-member cross section of a broad diversity of multi-generational employees, including custodians, managers and staff chartered to strengthen institutional capacity for change and a climate for working inclusively, fairly, productively and without bias where support for critical research and dialogue is advocated and all dimensions of diversity are valued and respected as the Council equitably serves, engages and supports the needs of employees, communities and customers.

Partnerships with fellow city agencies, librarians, grant-funded nonprofits, and anti-racism and DEI educators are critical elements for DEI capacity-building efforts. In this way, development of racial and social equity tools such as focus groups, surveys, demographic profiles for neighborhoods, customers and employees are underway that will support an inclusive model for development of inputs for social and racial justice work and accountability.