Page 6 - Race & Social Justice Initiative

Four years ago, in the Spring of 2017 when three new Village trustees were seated, the Oak Park Community Relations Commission proposed that the Village of Oak Park adopt a “Governing for Racial Equity” model, a state-of-the art approach to addressing institutional racism and advancing equity that is being implemented in municipal governments across the country.
The CRC proposed the following:
1. Update the Village Diversity Statement and adopt a new Equity Policy;
2. Engage Village leadership in a consultation and review of current practices;
3. Train and educate all Village leadership in racial justice and equity frameworks;
4. Use Racial Equity Impact Assessments and Racial Equity Tools;
5. Unite major Oak Park stakeholders in a commitment to achieving racial equity; and
6. Join the Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE) – a national network of local municipal governments that are actively engaged in advancing racial equity.
For the next two years, despite continued requests from the CRC and many community residents concerned about racial justice, the Village took no action to implement any of the proposals. In early 2018, the trustees held a public study session on the Governing for Racial Equity model, then directed village staff to further study the model, with very little follow-up.
In Spring of 2019, the CRC drafted and recommended to the Board of Trustees an updated “Equity, Diversity and Inclusion” Statement. After six months of wrangling and opposition from several trustees, a modified Statement was adopted in October 2019. The Board continued to obstruct and delay most of the CRC’s efforts. The Village president then refused to fill commission vacancies, removed the CRC chair, and replaced him with his own appointee, passing over two women of color on the CRC who applied for the position.
In 2020, the Village selected a vendor to provide racial equity training for the staff, without providing the CRC a role in the selection process. Six members of the CRC, among the most racially diverse commissions in the Village, resigned together after continuing disre- spect and disregard for their work by a majority of the Village Board and president. Without the CRC’s initiative and leadership, efforts to significantly move forward on racial equity have been stalled.
By 2021, four years after the CRC’s Governing for Racial Equity recommendations, the Village still has no Race and Equity Policy. Meanwhile, both Oak Park school districts adopted new policies. The new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement articulates a powerful vision and core values, but is troubling in that it requires no action or accountabil- ity. There are no clear goals, plans, timetables or public reporting on progress.
Oak Park was once a leader on race issues, but now, hundreds of municipalities across the country have moved ahead of us, adopting and implementing a systemic framework so that their services better reach and serve the full community. With four members of the Village Board of Trustees, including the president not seeking re-election, the Spring of 2021 brings with it a unique opportunity to move forward once again and reclaim our progressive identity. A new board of trustees, with a majority of members committed to forward momentum, steeped in equity and inclusion, as well as racial and social justice is an opportunity to turn the Village’s vision and values into actions and results so that all residents can thrive.
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