What role does a county play in creating equitable systems? How can counties support harm reduction for those who experience direct or systemic violence? What should the top priorities be when it comes to advancing equity? These are the questions that the Contra Costa County Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice (ORESJ) Committee is trying to answer.
“The county or the government…I can’t say that they are responsible for every racial harm in the book,” says Donté Blue, a member of the ORESJ Committee and Chief Program Officer for Rubicon Programs. “But when you break it down, they’ve had a primary central space and place in creating a racialized society, racialized neighborhoods, racialized schools, etc. So when issues come up, the way in which they respond to the issue at times feels racialized. In order to change that narrative, you have to take this anti-racist stance. It’s not going to be good enough just to say ‘I don’t discriminate.’ You actually have to go out and act in an anti-racist way. So it’s important for people to see that in this office, in order to see that they have people in government that are actually approaching the work with that lens.”
In November 2020, Contra Costa County approved the creation of the ORESJ in an effort to address equity concerns in areas where the County might have influence. The office is one of many across the country that is being developed in response to community demand for governmental action against systemic injustices. Since the ORESJ’s approval, committee members have been working with communities throughout Contra Costa County during the planning process to learn more about what residents want and need from the office. Community-based organizations, including Rubicon Programs, have held dozens of listening sessions in a variety of languages and modalities to gain deeper insights that will inform how the office takes shape.
“The one thing that really stands out in this work is getting the community input first and using that to drive the proposal around the structure and priorities of the office,” says Kimi Barnes, an ORESJ Committee member and Special Projects Manager for Rubicon Programs. “This is unique from what we see nationally, in the sense of the amount of inclusion. Giving community voice and insight into the process, it seems our group slogan has become ‘We’re moving at the speed of trust.’”
The next phase of the planning process begins this month at four Community Café sessions, where county residents will hear and discuss the data collected from all of the listening sessions and community surveys. The discussions will shape the report and recommendations that will go to the Board of Supervisors for approval later this year.
If you live or work in Contra Costa County, you can register to attend any or all of the Community Cafés by clicking the links below.
- July 12, 5:30-8:00 pm: East County Focus [Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, Bay Point, Discovery Bay, Byron, Bethel Island]. Register here.
- July 14, 5:30-8:00 pm: Central County Focus [Concord, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Moraga, Walnut Creek, Clayton, Orinda, Martinez, Pacheco, Briones, Rossmoor]. Register here.
- July 25, 5:30-8:00 pm: South County Focus [San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk]. Register here.
- July 27, 5:30-8:00 pm: West County Focus [Richmond, El Cerrito, Pinole, San Pablo, Hercules, North Richmond, El Sobrante, Rodeo, East Richmond Heights, Crockett]. Register here.