Submitted By
Dr. Danielle Walker
Reviewed By
A.M. Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager
Agenda Item Title
Title
A Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, on behalf of the University of Illinois Chicago to Provide a Racial Equity Assessment and Report in an Amount Not to Exceed $150,000 and Authorizing its Execution
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Overview
Overview
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is pleased to conduct the first ever racial equity assessment for Oak Park. This assessment will provide valuable data on the state of racial equity in Oak Park. Data from this project will be used to create a racial equity action plan. Please note that the total ARPA amount previously approved by the Board was $300,000 to be spread evenly over FY23 ($150,000) and FY24 ($150,000).
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution.
Background
In fall 2022, the Village of Oak Park’s Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (VOP DEI) presented plans to conduct a racial equity assessment in fiscal year (FY) 2023. VOP DEI secured funding for this assessment through the annual budget process in fall of 2022. The Village Board of Trustees approved the budget for FY 2023 in December of 2022. In addition, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion created an Oak Park Community Advancing Racial Equity and Social Justice (OP CARES) equity framework. OP CARES have four target areas around content, culture, community, and champion. These areas will eventually serve as pillars of the racial equity action plan informed by data findings. Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Dr. Danielle Walker presented to the Village Board of Trustees in January of 2023. This informational presentation discussed what is a racial equity assessment in order gain feedback from the Trustees. This helped clarify aspects of the assessment and gained Board perspective regarding the study. The Village is prepared to enter in step two of creating a racial equity action plan by engaging in a community assessment. This assessment will focus on how structural and institutional racism impacts the community of Oak Park. As it pertains to its people, policies, programs, and practices. Furthermore, assess what has been the impact of current endeavors to combat structural and institutional racism. The assessment will need community data that provides insight into all these elements. Upon the completion of the racial equity community needs assessment, the findings will ground and guide the path forward for Oak Park. Particularly have interest in how the findings illuminate the racial equity impact across the Village’s programs, polices, practices, and its people. Also, the findings will reveal key themes and essential gaps that may need to be addressed. That will be used to develop community indicator, which will inform the racial equity action plan. The assessment’s findings and its subsequent recommendations will inform the development of a racial equity action plan. The plan will encapsulate actionable achievement goals that is aligned with community feedback and data indicators. Which may include community indicators, outcomes, actions, performance measures, timeline, and accountability. A racial equity action plan will also inform the adoption of a racial equity resolution. The deadline for submission was March 14, 2023. Through intentional outreach from Dr. Walker, there were 19 proposals submitted for consideration. Out of those 19, five were interviewed by Dr. Walker and Cassandra Adediran, Community Relations Coordinator. From the interviews, The Great Cities Institute of the University of Illinois at Chicago was selected. The research team will be led by Dr. Kathleen Yang-Clayton.
Fiscal Impact
$150,000 was budgeted in FY23 account # 2078.41300.101.583649 for DEI Initiatives - Racial Equity Assessment Implementation. This expenditure was previously authorized by the Board to be paid out of the ARPA Fund.
DEI Impact
This assessment will provide pivotal data to develop community indicators, and key benchmarks, and help prioritize DEI goals that will be a part of the Racial Equity Action Plan. The creation of this plan will guide Oak Park DEI goals for many years to come.
Alternatives
Seek a different firm
Previous Board Action
N/A
Citizen Advisory Commission Action
N/A
Anticipated Future Actions/Commitments
N/A
Intergovernmental Cooperation Opportunities
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