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GARE Communications Guide May 2018 GARE Communications Guide May, 2018 “Achieving a truly inclusive “How we talk about race matters. Historically, democracy means that racial inequities were intentionally created — government must proactively take we must now be even more intentional as we dismantle racial inequity, using a common on structural racism. Today we shared understanding of institutional and have the opportunity to change structural racism. Fortunately, we have tools how local government works so like this guide to help us become the people and that racial equity is a priority in country to which we aspire, with liberty and both policy and practice.” justice for all.” Update: May 18th, 2018 LOCAL & REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON RACE & EQUITY CONTENTS 3 WELCOME! 5 About GARE 10 How to use this guide 12 INTRO TO RACIAL EQUITY 41 MESSAGING STRATEGY 49 AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT 57 CONTENT & STORYTELLING 58 Content development 67 Ready-to-go resources 75 Examples from across the country 78 Storytelling LINKS TO OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS THIS PDF TRAINING RESOURCES TEMPLATES WELCOME This guide is meant to serve as your toolkit for informal and formal communications about your jurisdiction's This guide was developed by the team at the Government Alliance on Race and work toward racial equity. Equity (GARE), in partnership with GARE jurisdictions all over the country, the Racial Equity Here cohort cities (Albuquerque, Austin, Grand Rapids, Louisville and Communicating about race and structural racial inequities Philadelphia), staff at theCenter for can feel like a challenge, but it doesn't have to be. We've Social Inclusion, (which united with Race Forward in 2018) Living Cities, the Haas learned and developed many best practices over the last Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society 15 years as our team has supported more than 150 local at the University of California, Berkeley and Provoc, a communications firm. jurisdictions to advance racial equity and improve outcomes Throughout, we reference existing for all. materials and research developed by these organizations and others — we've provided links for you to dig deeper in every section. LOCAL & REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON 3 GARE Communications Guide May 2018 RACE & EQUITY OUR VISION Across the country, cities work in partnership with communities to dismantle structural racism and accelerate a more equitable future for all. The Government Alliance on Race & Equity is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. GARE is a joint project of the Center for Social Inclusion (now a part of Race Forward) and the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society at the University of RacialEquityAlliance.org California, Berkeley. NORMALIZE • A shared analysis & definitions ABOUT GARE • Urgency/prioritize GARE is working to advance racial equity in over 150 local jurisdictions OPERATIONALIZE VISUALIZE in 30 states. • Racial equity tools • Data to develop strategies & drive results ORGANIZE • Internal infrastructure • Partnerships Our Approach NORMALIZE ORGANIZE OPERATIONALIZE USE A RACIAL EQUITY FRAMEWORK BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY IMPLEMENT RACIAL EQUITY TOOLS Jurisdictions need to use a racial equity Jurisdictions need to be committed to the breadth Racial inequities are not random—they have been framework that clearly names the history of and depth of institutional transformation. created and sustained over time. Inequities will government in creating and maintaining racial While the leadership of elected members and not disappear on their own. Tools must be used to inequities; envisions and operationalizes a new top officials is critical, changes take place on the change the policies, programs, and practices that role; and utilizes clear and easily understood ground, and infrastructure that creates racial are perpetuating inequities, as well as used in the definitions of racial equity and inequity. equity experts and teams throughout local and development of new policies and programs. regional government is necessary. COMMUNICATE & ACT WITH URGENCY BE DATA-DRIVEN Despite the belief that change is hard and takes PARTNER WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS & Measurement must take place at two levels time, we have seen repeatedly that when racial COMMUNITIES — first, to measure the success of specific equity is an urgently felt priority, change can To achieve racial equity, local and regional programmatic and policy changes, and second, to be embraced and take place quickly. Building government must work with a network of develop baselines, set goals, and measure progress in institutional accountability mechanisms via partners: institutions, business, education, towards community goals. a clear plan of action will allow accountability. philanthropy, among others, and center the work Collectively, we must create greater urgency and on impacted communities. public will to achieve racial equity. LOCAL & REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON 5 GARE Communications Guide May 2018 RACE & EQUITY ACT: AFFIRM, COUNTER, TRANSFORM Affirm, Counter, Transform (ACT) is an easy-to-remember acronym with many of our communications best practices baked in. Throughout the guide, we'll note ways to adapt it for various purposes. For the research behind these insights, see the Center for Social Inclusion's Talking About Race Toolkit AFFIRM COUNTER TRANSFORM Explain the challenge, focusing on the institutional and structural Start with heart, reiterate that Begin by affirming core values drivers that have created and we're all in this together, and that your listener or audience maintained racial inequity. Be offer your audience or listener shares with this effort. explicit about race, contrasting a concrete step they can take Reinforce the idea that we're reality with the vision and values or we can take together to all in this together. you've shared. Use facts & stories to transform our current reality persuade your listener of the reality into the vision we share. and importance of the problem. Yet, only 50% of African-American, Disparities based on race are harmful Latino and Native students graduate on EXAMPLE: to students, their families and our time. Many structural factors — including communities. Fortunately, we have tools higher suspension rates for children of to address inequity: policy changes, color, lack of access to computers at home, “All our children deserve high-quality restorative justice programs and racial and racially skewed school budgets driven public education.” equity tools can dramatically reduce by property values — influence this disparities in our schools. racially disparate outcome. LOCAL & REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON 6 GARE Communications Guide May 2018 RACE & EQUITY OUR CORE VALUES JUSTICE COMMUNITY MOMENTUM We are clear-eyed about The principle “nothing about us Our work to advance racial the past and rigorously without us” is a core tenet of our equity is urgent, but we committed to a new way of approach. We partner with and know that lasting change governing, one that intention- support the leadership of those can’t happen overnight. most impacted by our history ally creates just, equitable of inequities, communities of We balance progress with outcomes for people of color. color, to guide and shape efforts pragmatism, seeking not Government played a toward racial equity. perfection but meaningful steps forward every day. primary role in the historical The history of progress creation of racial inequities, in the United States has We build solutions, constantly and, despite milestone civil been driven by community evolving, learning and adapting rights laws, has continued to organizing. While we are to accelerate the pace of our maintain racial inequities. working to build the skills of collective progress. Local governments are leaders and workers within uniquely situated to examine government to advance racial and transform policies and equity, we recognize we can practices toward racial equity. only achieve success when we center and collaborate with communities of color. LOCAL & REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE ON 7 GARE Communications Guide May 2018 RACE & EQUITY GARE CORE BELIEFS RACE MATTERS MOVEMENT MATTERS Although tensions or anxiety can sometimes be a part of conversations Racial inequities have been intentionally created and maintained about race, we know it is necessary for us to name race head-on, both in over an extended period of time. They will not disappear on their the details of our work and how we work with each other. own. To advance racial equity, we must be organizing within our own institutions and across institutions, always putting community at INCLUSION MATTERS the center. We believe that a racial equity movement must build and People impacted by a decision should be engaged in the decision-mak- expand the engagement of governmental jurisdictions (and others) ing process. across the country. HISTORY MATTERS POWER MATTERS While the institution of racism was created well before our time, we Because power has so often been used to perpetuate inequities, we are dealing with both the historical legacy and current reality. Racism recognize that we can sometimes have an awkward relationship with and racial inequities have resulted in trauma, both to individuals and power. We believe in intentionally examining, considering, negotiating to communities. A trauma-informed approach to our work is necessary and claiming power that advances racial equity. for our collective humanity. LEARNING MATTERS LEADERSHIP MATTERS Creating environments
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