What does it mean to center equity? It means to ensure that in everything we say, everything we do, every action or decision we take or make, we are bringing an equity lens to inform the outcome. 

As an individual this means doing the work of self-reflection, education, learning and awareness to understand who we are and how we show up – explore, listen, learn and act. 

As an organization it means all of this and having a plan of action to move the organization forward to anti-racism in policies, procedures, and processes in our respective roles and capacity, to ensure we have an equity mindset in fulfilling our work.

Racial Equity Efforts in Glencarlyn

At our April 25, DRE Partner Meeting, Challenging Racism Executive Director interviewed Pippy Sickbert of the Glencarlyn Citizens Association who shared how they have established a Racial Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and are developing a Racial Equity Action Plan to achieving their vision:  "A community that enhances the lives of all residents of Glencarlyn and the elimination of racial inequities," with a mission "to foster an anti-racist and racially-equitable community within Glencarlyn and Arlington County."

Listen to what she had to share about their work and experiences thus far and learn more about centering equity in your organization as discussed during the meeting.

What Is Your Approach?

 Do you have a plan for advancing racial equity within your organization? There are a number of tools available to organizations working to advance racial equity and center it in their organizations. Tools provided by the Government Alliance on Race and Equity are ones that the County references. 

Take a look at the Racial Equity Action Plan: How to Manual. In addition, consider the Racial Equity Toolkit: An Opportunity to Operationalize Equity. Visit also, Equity in the Center and the Racial Equity Institute. Each of these organizations offers resources and tools to help you establish a plan of action.

If you have found certain resources articles, podcasts, readings, tools, trainings, to be helpful and you would like to share them with our DRE Partner Network, send them to raceandequity@arlingtonva.us. These below were among those shared by DRE Partners to ground us in Arlington’s history as context to enter into conversations on race:

• Black Heritage Museum of Arlington  
• Alliance for Housing – Race and Housing in Arlington 
• Columbia Pike Documentary Project 
• Equity in the Center
• George Mason University Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence Task Force 
• The American University Antiracist Research and Policy Center 
• Bystander Intervention Training 
• American University Center for Diversity and Inclusion
• White Tears, Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad

Check out these links to articles we have read, books on our to-read list, videos and podcasts as well as some things you can do on your own to learn and grow in the journey to anti-racism.

Articles We Have Pondered …

• What is white fragility, and why is it a problem? (medicalnewstoday.com)
• What if Instead of Calling People Out, We Called Them In? - The New York Times (umich.edu)
• Zoning and Segregation in Virginia: Part 1 (mcguirewoods.com)

Books We Are Reading …

• The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Government Segregated America, by Richard Rothstein
• The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee (Interview: What Racism Costs Everyone: Fresh Air: NPR)

Videos We Are Watching, Things We Are Listening To …

• Opinion | ‘A Conversation With White People on Race’ - The New York Times 
• The Who We Are Project
• Segregated by Design

To Aid You on Your Journey …

• 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge
• Race: The Power of an Illusion
• The AntiRacist Table’s 30-Day Challenge