City Council Statement Regarding Racial Equity & Racial Justice
The City Council of the City of Vancouver, Washington, acknowledges the existence of systemic racism and societal inequalities, both in our country and our community, and these issues demand our attention and action.
We have listened and learned in our listening sessions and we have a greater appreciation for how systemic racism is affecting members of our community. As a result, we will increase our commitment to taking pro-active steps to address its many manifestations in our community.
Together with our community partners, we will work on public health and prosperity inequities that have negatively impacted our community. These include low educational attainment, high rates of unemployment, food insecurity, insufficient access to housing and home ownership, high incidence of chronic health conditions and inadequate access to health care.
The City of Vancouver is not just where we work, but as your City Council, it is also our home. As your public servants, we will bring about change for the better. We will not just acknowledge inequity but will actively focus on equity and justice in our institution, policies, and programs.
We are committed to continuing our work to make our community and our City government places where all are treated with respect, feel safe, and are heard. We value inclusion, mutual knowledge and respect for diversity. We oppose racism and oppression in our City.
We will continue to build an equitable and inclusive culture and fight racism throughout our community.
