Racial Equity and Social Justice

Summary of objective implementation status (achievements or progress over last year; significant delays or issues, etc.)

In the Spring of 2021, the OOE established a racial equity Core Team, made up of 76 members initially representing 25 County Departments who participated in the Office of Equity’s Racial Equity Learning Program.

The Racial Equity Learning Program, which has been first of its kind in the County organization, included the creation of affinity and learning spaces, as well as trainings for members of the Core Team to develop technical expertise in Anti-Racist Results-Based Accountability (AR RBA) and to develop facilitation expertise in conversations about race equity.

Beginning the Fall of 2021, facilitated Race Affinity Groups created spaces in which participants were able to listen, support, and build trust around each other grounded in their shared experiences as employees of the County of Sonoma and received Racial Equity foundational training. All 76 members of the Core Team were invited to participate in this training which was held in facilitated affinity spaces for Black, White, and Non-Black staff of color. As part of the Racial Equity Foundations Training, Core Team members developed an understanding of the four levels of racism and well as our role and responsibility as public servants to mitigate and stop institutional harm, with particular regard to clients and communities of color.

Following the end of the Racial Equity Foundation Series, the OOE launched three professional development offerings for Core Team members: an intensive facilitators training, an Anti-Racist Results-Based Accountability training series, and a leadership development opportunity as part of the OOE Steering Committee. Core Team members were invited to sign up for the opportunity or opportunities that were of most interest to them, according to their own experiences and departmental support.

The Core Team training facilitators delivered Racial Equity Training for County Department Heads in October 2023 and rolled out the Countywide Racial Equity Training for County Management starting in March 2024.

Key milestone update (include relevant metrics, if applicable)

• In June 2022, 20 Core Team members representing 9 departments completed the intensive facilitation training. Participating departments and agencies include: Agriculture/Weights & Measures, Board of Supervisors (District 3), County Administrator’s Office, Community Development Commission, Health Services, Human Services, Permit Sonoma, Sonoma Water, and the Office of Equity.
• Core Team facilitators spent the summer of 2023 developing a Racial Equity Training for County Department Heads, which was delivered in October 2023. 19 Department Heads attended the day-long training in which newly trained facilitators showcased their skills and continued to expand their comfort in leading conversations and teaching concepts about race.
• After delivering the Racial Equity Training for County leadership, the Office of Equity launched a survey to receive feedback on the experience of Department Heads taking the training. 5% of Department Heads responding to our post-training survey found the content of the training “very relevant,” and 75% reported being “very” (5 -max score) satisfied with the overall training.
• The Trainer team facilitated two 3-hour soft launches in January 2024 and early March 2024, for Core Team members and members of departmental grassroots equity groups and Human Resources (HR) Leadership, respectively.
• Since then, the team has held monthly 4-hour trainings, both in-person and virtual, for County management from March through November 2024, including additional trainings for specific departments, reaching 300+ County of Sonoma leaders, plus an additional 100+ County of Sonoma staff of all levels. The trainer team facilitated 42 hours of training (not including preparation time) in 2024, for all audiences.

Coordination and partnership update

The Office of Equity works closely with the Human Resources department and with the group of Core Team facilitators and its department leadership to deliver the Racial Equity 101 Training for all county employees.

Community, equity and climate update

The Office of Equity operates using anti-racist and equitable principles in all of our work.

If this objective received Strategic Plan funding, please provide amount spent to date for non-position related funding.

The OOE has received an ongoing Strategic Plan funding award of $50,000 to maintain the Core Team (RESJ Goal 1, Objective 1).