Racial Equity

The Racial Equity Council leads initiatives and works to create a safe space to discuss how best practices in county agencies can be achieved.

DEI Board of Commissioners Organizational Efforts

The Franklin County Commissioners and the Administration’s push for equity throughout Franklin County, includes an internal review of the county’s policies and racial breakdown. Disparities have long been entrenched in daily life that many go unrecognized for the inequities they cause. The county’s efforts below and others will help Franklin County reach its goal of equity.

The Racial Equity Council

The Racial Equity Council was created to assist in identifying areas in which the Board of Commissioner agencies lead initiatives, activities, programs, and services through diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Racial Equity Council works to create a safe space of diversity of thought and individuals who learn DEI best practices and how to apply those practices within the council and BOC organization.

The inaugural Racial Equity Council was made up of representatives from each of the 14 BOC agencies. They engaged in DEI concepts and education to become DEI champions. The DEI Champions of the Racial Equity Council developed 11 Racial Equity Recommendations to embed DEI into the fabric of BOC.

Racial Equity Council

Those 11 Recommendations Are:

  1. Establish DEI standards and criteria for all Board of Commissioners agencies and community partners.
  2. Create council groups within other Agencies to help staff find their “why”, the “why” that they should care about this work, and to coordinate efforts across all agencies.
  3. Engage DEI Trauma Specialist to embed DEI within Franklin County.
  4. Review, revise and create trainings to build empathy, create safe spaces, and generate buy-in.
  5. Infuse recruitment and retention efforts with DEI best practices. Incorporate strategic recruitment tactics.
  6. Implement and maintain DEI standards into Board of Commissioners agencies.
  7. Enhance resident experience flow through all agencies. Make processes flow more efficient for county residents, where agencies work to remove barriers and assist residents to their final resolution.
  8. Showcase available resources available in the community to support all Franklin County partners. Join forces with team developing new community service portal for Franklin Co. residents to make equity recommendations and ideas for improvement.
  9. Evaluate external partnerships and build in equity expectations. We know it can be done. Partnership between equity and operations.
  10. Tell our story about how FC is engraining racial equity into operations and services through ongoing, transparent, communication with public and audiences.
  11. Engage DEI position to embed DEI into contract process throughout Franklin County.

In July 2021, the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion conducted Franklin County’s first Cultural Climate Audit

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