OVERVIEW OF THE RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
The vision of the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) is racial equity. The Initiative works within City government and with the regional community to get to the root cause of racial inequity: institutional racism. To challenge racism, we must look beyond individual acts of prejudice to the systemic biases that are built into our institutions and groups. Although these systemic biases were set up long before our time, we are responsible for eliminating racism today.
Despite the Seattle area’s overall high standard of living and our reputation as a hub for innovation and creativity, racial disparities in our region are deep and pervasive. They live in every indicator of personal and community well-being. To achieve racial equity in Seattle, institutions and groups in our community – governments, businesses, non-profits, faith-based groups, parent groups, schools, youth groups, neighborhood groups and more – need to work together and share a similar sense of urgency. Only by joining together in a broad partnership with common goals and strategies can we hope to realize racial equity in jobs, education, health, development, housing, criminal justice, the environment, arts & culture and philanthropy.
NEXT STEPS
RSJI is gathering information and commitments from the many groups attending the Pacific Science Center RACE exhibit Group Workshops. Our goal is to connect groups that are working on racial equity. After the workshops have concluded, we will contact your group again. All groups that sign the Commitment to Action will be listed on our web site.