Durham city officials are committed to advancing racial equity in partnership with residents. To start the process, city officials created a Racial Equity Task Force, which, in June of 2020, submitted An Urgent and Loving Call to Action, a report highlighting recommendations for improving racial inequities related to wealth, the economy, criminal justice, health, environmental justice, housing, education, and public history. In 2019, the city also established the Equity and Inclusion Department to focus on creating a culturally responsive city government. The city’s next phase of racial-equity work involves implementing recommendations made by the Racial Equity Task Force and a separate Racial Equity Core Team, in conjunction with a newly created, all-volunteer and resident-staffed Racial Equity Commission.
To support this work, the Equity and Inclusion Department will partner with a FUSE Executive Fellow for one year to organize, coordinate, and operationalize the Racial Equity Commission, developing and advancing collective recommendations to address racial equity issues. The FUSE Executive Fellow will also be responsible for the development of a racial equity index that captures key equity measures, producing the accountability and long-term sustainability data needed to create a truly equitable city.
