Ramsey County is committed to reducing racial- and ethnic-based disparities for Ramsey County residents and employees. Racially and ethnically diverse communities in Ramsey County experience wide disparities across many outcomes in health, education, wealth creation, income, and beyond. These disparities are even worse for our Black and Native American residents.
Racial equity is the intentional practice of addressing historical and systemic inequalities that have disproportionately affected certain racial or ethnic groups. Racial equity is achieved when race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes. This requires intentionally deconstructing long-standing barriers and shifting the organizational culture to improve systems, structures, and policies in ways that promote equitable outcomes for all Ramsey County residents and employees.
Racial equity and shared power
Advancing Racial Equity and Shared Community Power is embedded throughout all of Ramsey County’s strategic priorities. In partnership with community, racial equity and shared community power will be operationalized through countywide tools, policies planning and decision-making processes. By honoring the lived experiences and perspectives of communities most impacted by our system, Ramsey County will create innovative programs and service delivery models that meet the specific needs of our diverse population, reduce unintended consequences, and improve life outcomes for all residents.
Strategic priority goals
- Advance equity within the workplace.
- Ensure Ramsey County employees understand racial equity terms and topics and know how to embed them in their daily work.
- Ensure formal planning and decision-making processes center racial equity and sharing power with community.
- Eliminate inequities in service outcomes and quality.
Actionable strategies
- Ensure Ramsey County’s workforce and leaders reflect community demographics by launching and supporting the implementation of the Hiring for Equity Guide, reporting workforce demographics, and launching countywide effort to increase talent attraction.
- Invest in employee learning and development around racial equity and community engagement by hosting Racial Equity in Action (REiA) as part of New Employee Orientation, launching the WITH the People community engagement framework and training, and offering other easy to access development opportunities such as the Racial Equity Development Guide, bias training, and other culturally specific trainings through the Learning Development System.
- Provide coaching, technical assistance, and tools to departments and county leaders to support equity in planning and decisioning making processes such as research and data analysis, budgeting, performance measures, strategic planning, policy development, contracting, presentations to the Board of Commissioners, Requests for Board Actions (RBAs), hiring processes, and the performance review processes.
- Partner with Racial Equity and Community Engagement Action Teams (RECEATs) to develop Racial Equity Action Plans (REAPs) that outline specific goals, measurable objectives, and strategies that align with relevant performance measures, strategic initiatives and countywide racial equity goals.
