Sacramento City Council reaffirms commitment to racial equity and community
Sacramento (Dec. 6, 2024) - On Tuesday, the Sacramento City Council unanimously passed two resolutions to outline and reaffirm the City’s commitment to racial equity and continue exploration of potential reparations for African Americans in Sacramento.
The resolutions, led by Mayor Steinberg and Councilmember Mai Vang, lay the groundwork for a citywide work plan to collaborate with the community to address racial inequities and past harms.
“We are not a great city unless we back up our commitment to racial equity with real action,” said Mayor Steinberg. “Let’s be strategic, practical and make this a living document and apply this lens to every major decision that the next mayor and council make, in partnership with the community.”
Racial Equity Resolution:
Under the Racial Equity Resolution, the City commits to:
Prioritizing racial equity and social justice across all City operations;
Incorporating anti-racist tenets into leadership, staffing and resource allocation;
Concentrating efforts to support marginalized groups and close the racial equity gap; and
Proactively adjusting policies, procedures and systems to benefit people of color and other marginalized populations.
In addition, the resolution directs the City Manager to:
Develop impact assessment tools to evaluate budgets, policies, plans, procedures and practices through the lens of racial equity
Apply racial equity impact assessments to identify how racial and ethnic groups may be affected by proposed actions or decisions.
Create a racial equity plan by the end of 2026 to guide the City's efforts.
Collaborate with community groups to develop and measure the impact of racial equity strategies.
Provide annual updates to the Council on the progress of racial equity initiatives and the Office of Diversity & Equity.
In 2021, the City Council directed staff to provide a framework to address racial equity and inequitable policies and practices, including by developing a definition of “racial equity.” This effort was driven by the 2020 Sacramento Centered on Racial Equity (SCORE) initiative, created in partnership with Race Forward, a national non-profit organization.
Future efforts will be lead in partnership with the community-led Racial Equity Council and Alliance, the City Manager and the City Council.
Reparations Resolution:
The second resolution advances the Mayoral Reparations Initiative by directing the City Manager’s office to continue exploring a potential reparative program for the descendants of slavery in Sacramento.
Since 2021, Mayor Steinberg has met and worked with local community leaders and national organizations to develop a baseline of information and resources for a potential reparations effort. The resolution expands the effort from the Mayor’s initiative to a City-led program and ensures that the initiative remains transparent, inclusive and accountable to the affected communities.
“We have an opportunity to show the world that racial equity is necessary to create a more just city,” said Councilmember Vang. “We are going to double down and stand up for the importance of this work.”
"These two resolutions will play a vital role in shaping our City's future and defining our collective identity,” said Aimée Zenzele Barnes, Diversity & Equity Manager. “They offer a robust framework for building trust between the City and its residents and fostering a more just Sacramento."
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