Why We Lead with Race
A year into the first iteration of the Strategic Racial Equity Action Plan (SREAP), the City is making steady progress with it's top three priorities to help improve racial equity in the City of Roseville: diversify its workforce, diversify its boards and commissions, and implement a racial equity toolkit.
The City’s approach to the SREAP and plan to address systemic equity begins with the foundational concept that the entire community’s success is dependent on every individual’s ability to succeed. Data has consistently shown that the most persistent and detrimental disparities in regard to education, housing, workforce, public safety, healthcare, and entrepreneurship are largest when looking at race.
The City recognizes that racial inequities, across all indicators for success, are deep and pervasive. The City also realizes that there are many other groups of people who are still marginalized. “Everyone in the community has a cross section of identities often defined by age, gender identity, race, culture, sexual orientation, disability, and economic status, to name a few,” says Equity and Inclusion Manager, Thomas Brooks. “Each of these identities, particularly those not in traditionally dominant groups, have experienced a number of systemic barriers and inequities that play a role in their ability to thrive in our communities today.”
By focusing on racial equity, the City is able to use the framework, tools, and resources it develops and apply it to other marginalized areas.
While it may seem that laws can be changed quickly, it can take generations to undue harm caused to families and communities by exclusive and discriminatory processes and policies. The SREAP and the Racial Equity Toolkit were created to put race in the forefront of the decisions made at the City level. An example of this can be seen in the rate of homeownership. “Redlining,” the discriminatory practice of denying mortgages to residents of certain areas based on their race or ethnicity, first happened in the early 20th century. Yet the repercussions of this practice are still felt today.
“According to the 2016-20 American Community Survey, in Roseville, the homeownership rate of both Black and Hispanic populations are about 27.5%. Homeownership of white households is 73.3%. Conversely, renter statistics show the opposite trend,” says Brooks.
The City of Roseville is working on several programs and projects that support its equity and inclusion goals. For more information about the SREAP, contact Equity and Inclusion Manager Antonio Montez at 651.792-7029 or email.
