Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), first initiated in 2004 with the goal of addressing racism and achieving social equity in the city, is a lighthouse program nationwide, one of the first of its kind.  To achieve a socially just, sustainable city, RSJI fosters awareness that the municipal system, which disabled many residents of Seattle in the past from utilizing services and opportunities, is an ever-improving system.

Recently, reaching a new milestone, Seattle codified RSJI as a part of municipal code: codifying work and oversight through the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR); authorizing the development of an accountability structure and metrics; detailing how the Seattle Department of Human Resources will amend civil service; and directing exempt position job descriptions to be in line with RSJI.

RSJI is guided by four core principles. The program:

1. Institutionalizes racial equity.
2. Develops a shared language.
3. Fosters fair internal policies.
4. Justly allocates resources.

Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) provides significant impetus for developing policies for a sustainable community. RSJI ensures that all residents have access to the opportunities and resources necessary to thrive.

One success of RSJI is the development of the Racial Equity Toolkit. The toolkit provides a framework for clarifying how policies and programs impact communities of color and for identifying strategies to promote equity. The toolkit helps develop and focus policies and programs across a range of areas, including in part, transportation, housing, education, and environment.

One example of the use of the toolkit in decision-making included consideration of cannabis business licensing in the city. In 2020, the Racial Equity Toolkit assisted Seattle Finance and Administrative Services, which regulated cannabis business licensing, to convene 100 community, industry, and government employees to explore the causes of disparity of cannabis business ownership that did not reflect Seattle demographics. This problem is reflected in other cities and states. The resultant Cannabis Equity in Our Community forum included representatives from the Seattle, Washington, Commission on African American Affairs, and Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.

Five themes were identified at this forum:

1. Communities most affected should receive assistance/benefits from the equity efforts.
2. Data collection should be based on residence not on geographic locations.
3. Investment should consider provision of banking startup money and business training.
4. Analysis should include medical marijuana impacts.
5. Analysis should include viability of a racial equity program.

The RSJI faces some challenges, including assuring implementation consistency across all city departments and developing a shared definition of racial equity. RSJI occasionally garners criticism that it limits its criteria to race.

In response, RSJI states that people of color face “pervasive and deep” disparities. RSJI recognizes that:

1. Challenging institutional and structural racism is vital to support a just and equitable society.
2. Years of community organizing demanded that Seattle address racial inequity by supporting all affected communities.
3. Focused efforts to eliminate racism are essential to achieving an equitable society.
4. Those efforts by themselves are insufficient.

Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) may “lead with race,” however, SOCR is also working on institutionalized sexism, heterosexism, ableism, and other oppressions. By focusing on race and racism, RSJI promotes a positive impact on all communities.

Over time, RSJI leads to community sustainability through environmental justice. Communities of color and low-income communities are frequently disproportionately impacted by such environmental hazards as pollution and climate change. The RSJI, directly and indirectly, mitigates the social and economic factors that contribute to environmental degradation by improving transportation; by increasing access to green jobs; by reducing poverty; by increasing access to education, childcare, and healthcare; and by promoting affordable housing. Through these focuses, the RSJI contributes to a more resilient and sustainable community.

Over the years, RSJI has helped expand and support Seattle’s race and social justice network, including environmental sustainability interests.

For instance, the SOCR and RSJI coordinate with Seattle’s Equity and Environmental Initiative (EEI, launched in 2015). The EEI implements policies and programs to increase access to green spaces, to promote sustainable transportation, and to address environmental health fairness. Program engagement with communities of color and low-income communities ensures that voices are heard and concerns are addressed. Epidemiological assessment reveals that these communities are where changes are most needed to improve job access, residential accessibility, and healthy lifestyles. By prioritizing the needs of historically marginalized neighborhoods and communities, the EEI program helps actualize a more just and sustainable city for all residents.

The Equity and Environmental Initiative completes a RSJI Racial Equity Toolkit every year as a core part of analysis, update, and development of environmental policies and programs.

Codifying RSJI clearly establishes Seattle Office for Civil Rights as responsible for the ongoing implementation of the initiative. SOCR also trains and provides technical assistance to city staff on issues related to racial equity and social justice.

RSJI evolves and adapts. The initiative continues to refine its focus beyond race to include other forms of discrimination, such as gender and sexual orientation. RSJI also works to develop partnerships with Seattle agencies, community organizations, and with residents in the process of promoting social equity. RSJI models best practices that can be replicated.

View the Racial Equity Toolkit in a web browser and download for free.