Welcome to the Office of Equity and Inclusion Dashboard!
There is a lot of talk about equity and inclusion. The purpose of this dashboard is to define equity and inclusion, explain why we’re working through a lens of equity and inclusion, and give an overview of what the Office of Equity and Inclusion does.
Office of Equity and Inclusion Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do we focus on equity and not equality?
Equality is about sameness and might work if the playing field were truly level but we can look at data, as well as, historic and modern-day policies, and see that that’s not the case. Equity, on the other hand, is about creating conditions where all people can participate, prosper, and thrive in our society. We prioritize racial equity because racism exacerbates all other forms of oppression.
What do we do in the Office of Equity and Inclusion?
In the Office of Equity and Inclusion we work to foster a fair and inclusive culture across city government by providing training, consultation and promoting equitable policies, practices, and procedures.
Special notice from the Office of Equity and Inclusion
Our world has been changed by two pandemics. One being COVID-19 and the other being systemic racism which has gained national attention with the murder of George Floyd and the resulting civil unrest. It is the current impact of systemic racism and social inequities that allows COVID-19 to disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, People of Color, not only in North Carolina, but across the country. Why is this? Social inequities such as segregation, poverty, and the impact of chronic health outcomes on communities of color has increased vulnerability to COVID-19. As our social consciousness continues to expand, we recognize the need to address racism and social inequities in every one of our institutions. We focus on equity because equity is about process and outcomes. In order to move forward in a way that truly benefits us all, we must recognize the past and present impacts of social inequities on our most impacted communities to work towards a more equitable future.
Equity Today
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City of Asheville announces third phase of Neighborhood Matching Grants; Applications up to $5,000
The third phase of Neighborhood Matching Grants is open for applications, bringing City investments into Asheville’s neighborhoods.
Applications will be accepted from March 27 to May 27, 2022. Neighborhood organizations can apply for up to $5,000 in funds which they will then match through volunteer time, fundraising and in-kind donations.
The Neighborhood Matching Grant program was created […] -
City of Asheville and Buncombe County Community Reparations Commission meets March 20, 2023
The next scheduled meeting for the Community Reparations Commission is Monday, March 20, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Banquet Hall at 87 Haywood Street.
The Commission meeting agenda will be posted at this link
You can plan ahead by referring to the 2023 monthly meeting […] -
City of Asheville and Buncombe County Community Reparations Commission meeting, February 20, 2023
The Community Reparations Commission is empowered to make short, medium, and long-term recommendations that will make significant progress toward repairing the damage caused by public and private systemic racism. The task of the Reparations Commission is to issue a report in a timely manner for consideration by the City, County, and other participating community […] Read More from Equity Today...