WASHINGTON, D.C., October 4, 2019 – ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, and the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) have created a new strategic affiliation to work together advancing equity and inclusion in local government leadership roles, and helping local governments develop and implement equity and inclusion strategies. In recent months, ICMA and GARE have worked to strengthen their affiliation, recognizing the critical role that the Association’s membership plays in improving outcomes for communities of color through improved governance.

“GARE is grateful for ICMA’s work in raising the issue of racial equity with their members. GARE is excited to partner at the upcoming national ICMA conference in Nashville, TN, and we look forward to continuing to find ways that city and county managers – many of whom lead GARE member jurisdictions – can further the racial equity strategies of local governments across the country,” said Julie Nelson, Co-Director, GARE.

“When minds and experiences are missing from the spaces where decisions are made, underlying problems persist,” said Marc A. Ott, executive director, ICMA. “ICMA has been working to advance underrepresented professionals in the local government management profession because, in every sector—public, private, and non-profit—women and people of color occupy a disproportionately low percent of management roles. We are delighted to join forces with GARE. This partnership will help both organizations make strides toward achieving our goals of making communities more successful through engaging their strengths in and through diversity.”

The 2019 ICMA Annual Conference will feature an educational track on equity and inclusion. Sessions will focus on the benefits of making local government workplaces and communities more inclusive; strategies for engaging communities of color; and implementing strategies to combat implicit bias and institutional racism.

About ICMA

ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government management worldwide through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics. ICMA provides member support; publications; data and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to more than 12,000 city, town, and county experts and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of individuals living in thousands of communities, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas. ICMA has gathered more data on local government than any organization except the federal government, spanning a broad spectrum from economic development to local government innovation.

2019 ICMA Annual Conference

The 105^th ICMA Annual Conference offers educational, information-sharing and networking tools to ensure professionals of all backgrounds and career stages are plugged into the most innovative ideas and practical strategies needed to manage the challenges facing local governments. The 2019 ICMA Annual Conference will be held at the Music City Center, Nashville, TN October 20-23, 2019. For more information and to register, visit https://conference.icma.org.

About GARE

The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a joint project of Race Forward and the Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society, is a national network of local governments working to achieve racial equity in order to advance opportunities for everyone. With more than 180 jurisdictional members nationwide, GARE is leading the effort to attain racial equity in government. With strong leadership, cities and counties are far more able to make the necessary changes to policies, practices, and procedures that can make a real difference in communities throughout the nation. For more information about the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, visit their web site.

About Race Forward

Race Forward brings systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity while catalyzing community, government, and other institutions to dismantle structural racial inequity and create equitable outcomes for all.