EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Throughout the fall of 2020 , the San Francisco Public Works Racial Equity Working Group did extensive outreach among staff through discussion circles , paper surveys , online surveys , one-onone conversations and presentations at team meetings to gather experiences and ideas on how race and racism affects us individually and as a department . About 400 Public Works employees — or about a quarter of the total workforce — participated . It took time and courage to step into these difficult but necessary conversations . This Action Plan is rooted in these voices .
The Racial Equity Action Plan has two phases . Phase 1 , due January 30 , 2021 , focuses on internal department programs and policies . Phase 2 , which will be developed in 2021 , is outward-facing and will address how the department delivers services and community programs .
WHY WE ARE DOING THIS WORK :
The goal of the Racial Equity Action Plan is to transform our great department into an even better one — one that understands the impacts of historical and systematic racism on all of us , and works to be a more equitable organization . Every City department is drafting a plan , and we are working across City government to share ideas and align values .
HOW WE ARE DOING THIS WORK :
The Racial Equity Working Group has been guided by the following values :
• Transparency . In collecting feedback , we have emphasized that we are listeners , facilitators and messengers — not experts . We have asked staff to be honest , even when it has been uncomfortable or painful to share experiences or when people have doubted that a plan can change entrenched racial inequities . We seek to build trust by sharing our work and actively asking for suggestions and help to implement change .
• Accountability . This plan will not accomplish its goals unless we as a department – line staff and managers – are accountable for its success . It is all of our responsibility to communicate and track benchmarks for success and report where we are falling short and why .
• Inclusiveness . We are committed to include everyone who wants to participate , and this means being proactive and creative in our outreach . We need to work intentionally to engage staff who don ’ t feel like their opinions matter .
WHAT WE ’ VE HEARD FROM PUBLIC WORKS STAFF :
This phase of the Racial Equity Action Plan , based on the collective feedback of staff , identifies the following priorities :
The foundation of the Action Plan work will be department-wide racial-equity training , which focuses on best practices to effect organizational change . Public Works is a diverse department and trainings will be customized , in part , by division and section so that specific needs can be addressed . With training , we will develop racial-equity tools that help us analyze budgets , processes and policies through a racial-equity lens .
10 San Francisco Public Works