HomeMy WebLinkAbout1275 - A RESOLUTION committing the City Of Boulder to promote racial equity in city relationships, programs, services and policiesRESOLUTION 1275
A RESOLUTION COMMITTING THE CITY OF BOULDER TO
PROMOTE RACIAL EQUITY IN CITY RELATIONSHIPS,
PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND POLICIES.
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is
faced. - James Baldwin
The Boulder community has long benefited from its beautiful natural surroundings. Originally
the home of the Southern Arapaho, Cheyenne and several other tribes, the land on which we sit,
was stolen from them. In 1858, the first non-native community in Boulder County was
established in the area now known as Settlers Park, in violation of the 1851 Treaty of Fort
Laramie. Many of the Indigenous inhabitants were killed or forced to relocate as a result of these
white settlers. In later decades the city continued deliberate discrimination against immigrant
people of color. In the 1920's the Ku Klux Klan developed a unique presence in the state, and
many members took up various positions in office and in government administration. Klan
members then used their positions to further segregate people of color and maintain deeply
rooted systems of oppression.
The KKK eventually became a powerful organization in Boulder County and at the state
level, and many of the attacks in Boulder County were targeted at Latinx. individuals. Their
exclusion from the community was exemplified in signs saying "No Mexicans Allowed" posted
out front of shops and restaurants across Colorado.' Due to a labor shortage the immigrant work
force was somewhat welcomed for a short time throughout the early/mid-twentieth century.
However, after demands subsided and laborers were less needed, people were sent away. On
May 18, 1932, the Boulder County Commissioners passed a resolution funding the deportation
of Mexican families to the United States -Mexico border based on "there being no prospect of
them finding employment. 592
In 1928, the city adopted its first zoning code, which prioritized single family housing in
much of the city and pushed "obnoxious industries" to the outskirts. This, on top of Boulder's
already high real estate prices, effectively excluded people who had not had or had been denied
access to the education required for the allowed industries. (Carnegie Library for Local History,
BouIder's First Zoning Ordinance report, by Dan Corson, 1997, 998-5-15) In the ensuing years,
skilled and unskilled laborers (often those denied access to higher education) had to find jobs
outside of Boulder.
As the city continued to grow Boulder became a hub for scientific research and
technology industries. The dominance of these advanced and highly technical industries in the
' Bowley, Nicoli R., "Ten Dollars to Hate Somebody": Hispanic Communities and the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado,
1917-1925 (2017), retrieved from
https:/lscholar.Colorado.eduiegi:`viewcontent.egi?article-.2497&context-honr theses
Boulder County Commissioners' Resolution, agreeing to pay train fare for unemployed Mexican families to the
border, May 18, 1932, retrieved from https:','teachbocolatinohistory.Colorado.edu primarysource/boulder-county;
com missioners-resolution-19321"
city ultimately excluded people of color from many job opportunities because, historically, they
were denied an education and most desired industries require an education.3
In 1974 the City of Boulder elected its first and only black mayor, Penfield Tate II. He
was mayor until 1976. Tate advocated for equality for all and due to his protection against
discrimination and actions to make the LGBTQ community feel more welcome,4 and his attempt
at introducing a "sexual preference" amendment to the Boulder's Human Rights Ordinance lost
adoption by the general public. Residents sought to recall Tate and all council members who
supported the amendment. While the recall of Tate failed, in the next election he was voted
out.' Tate is quoted as saying, "The measure of a great city and a great country is not the size of
its greenbelt, but how it treats its people."
Across the United States a person's race remains a key predictor of access, opportunity,
safety and well-being. Boulder is no exception to this. For example, according to the American
Community Survey, in 2017 the overall poverty rate in Boulder County was 12.6% for white
individuals, the rate jumps to an average of 23.4% for all other races and 23.5% for Latinx
county residents. Over the years, the City of Boulder has attempted to examine, as individuals
and groups, what diversity, equity and inclusion means to our organization and
community. Despite these efforts and intentions, this work has failed to achieve racial equity.
The city intends to understand its relationship with race and will endeavor to collect data
that supports a deeper understanding of actions and impacts, as well as data to help identify and
track outcomes of racial equity work.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO, FINDS
THAT:
A. The Boulder City Council believes every person has the freedom to feel valued and
respected and anyone who threatens the freedom of one individual threatens the freedom for all
of us.
B. The City Council recognizes the history of racism in our country and how it has led to
many current -day disparities in education, health and safety, job attainment, income and wealth;
housing and healthcare; disproportionate incarceration rates for people of color; and other
pernicious systems of injustice. The City Council further recognizes the existence of white
privilege, meaning the systemic advantages that white people have relative to non-white people.
C. The City Council recognizes that racial inequities have become institutionalized in the
policies and practices of many agencies, governmental and otherwise.
D. The City Council recognizes that the issues of racial equity must be addressed proactively
and deliberately in the course of decision making to increase the success for all groups and the
3 Delgado, Richard and Stefancic, dean, Home -Grown Racism: Colorado's Historic Embrace - And Denial - Of
Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (1999), retrieved from
htt 5:: a ers.ssrn.comfsol3J a ers.crm'labstract id=2=111625
Taylor, Carol, Boulder's LGBT history has many lessons to teach, including that backlash often follows progress
(2016), retrieved from htt :r'? et bou I der.com/bou I ders- I LYN- h i storyl
S University of Colorado Boulder, Penfield Wallace Tate II (1968), retrieved from
https: www.colorado.edu/law/pen-wallace-tate-ii-68
need to meet people who are actively trying to understand oppression and bias, where they are in
their learning journeys while approaching them with compassion and kindness to support their
growth.
E. The City Council recognizes the need to examine seemingly neutral policies and practices
to determine whether they are contributing to racial inequity and, where needed, change or
eliminate the policy or practice as the city has a Iong history of decision and policy making that
has resulted in classist and racist outcomes.
F. The City Council engaged in a community listening session on March 18 following an
interaction between an African American college student and members of the city's Police
Department after the student was approached while picking up trash in his yard. Personal stories
were shared by people from a variety of races, ethnicities, as well as perspectives of family
members with mixed race backgrounds.
G. The city completed Community Perceptions Assessment in 2017, where it learned there
is a general lack of awareness in the Boulder community of the discrimination and exclusion that
many individuals experience, as well as a lack of racial and socioeconomic diversity. This has
led to a negative impact on the experiences of belonging and the general awareness of
inequalities present within the city for communities who are most often underserved by the city.
H. The City Council recommits to the 2015 Inclusivity Resolution no. 1178 (Attachment A)
a resolution re -affirming Boulder's status as and commitment to be an inclusive community, its
commitment to working with local partners to improve support for and inclusion of diversity,
and encouraging other jurisdictions and their elected leaders to do the same.
I. The city strives to partner with other community partners to learn about and address
issues of racial equity including, but not limited to, the University of Colorado Boulder, Naropa
University, the Community Foundation Boulder County and community organizations
representing people of color.
J. The city collaborates with other municipalities as members of the Government Alliance
on Race and Equity to advance racial equity through mindful governance practices, recognizing
racial inequities are embedded into government and that racial inequities across all indicators for
success are deep and pervasive. Additionally, other groups of people are still marginalized based
on gender, sexual orientation, class, religion, and age, among other factors. Focusing on racial
equity provides the opportunity for local government to create frameworks, tools and resources
that can also be applied to other marginalized people.
K. The city is a member of the initial cohort communities within the National League of
Cities composed of multiple cities that have faced racial tension within the past year with the aim
to strengthen local Ieaders' knowledge and capacity to sustain community conversations on race
relations, justice and equity.
L. The City Council recommits to the Minority Issues Coalition's statement (Attachment B)
entitled Boulder United Against Racism Declaration of November 1, 2001, drafted after the
national tragedy of September 11, 2001, which called upon every member of the community to
ensure they protect the freedom for all to feel valued and respected.
M. The coalition encouraged everyone to openly speak out against intolerant acts of bigotry
and to stand up for others who are unjustly disparaged, discredited and abused because of their
race, ethnic identity or beliefs. The coalition encouraged people to speak out or take a stand so
that it is known that we are a united community in our effort to rid Boulder of ethnic and racial
intimidation.
N. The city will seek out and support ways to honor, acknowledge and memorialize the
lives, deaths, straggles and contributions of people of color from Boulder to justice, equity and
parity in Boulder and beyond.
O. The city is in the midst of a request for proposal requiring bias and microaggression
training for all city staff, city council members, boards and commissions.
P. The City Council is exploring and instituting methods that have worked in cities around
the country to update, eliminate or create government policies, practices and programs
specifically to dismantle existing racial disparities.
Q. The City Council acknowledges potential difficulties in assessing the impact of decisions
on racial equity, but is committed to applying a racial equity lens in a systematic way in its
decision-making processes with the goal of continuing to build an inclusive, equitable
community and ensure a vibrant and healthy community for all Boulder residents and visitors.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF BOULDER, COLORADO:
That the Boulder City Council:
1. Commits to the Inclusivity Resolution (Resolution no. 1178 its status as, and commitment
to be, an inclusive community and explicitly welcome all residents regardless of their age, race,
ethnicity, country of origin, sexual orientation or gender identity, ability, religion, income,
political persuasion, or cultural practices) and re -affirms its commitment to working with local
partners in continuing to pursue policies and programs that improve our community's support for
and inclusion of diversity; and encourages other jurisdictions and their elected leaders to do the
same.
2. Commits to the Minority Issues Coalition's statement entitled Boulder United Against
Racism Declaration of November 1, 2001, drafted after the national tragedy of September 11,
2001.
3. Commits itself to systematically and deliberately applying a racial equity lens in its
decision making henceforth with the goal of continuing to build an equitable community and
ensure a healthy community for all Boulder residents and visitors. Council acknowledges
community values will bump up against each other and hard work will be needed to ensure
meaningful decisions are made.
4. Commits to Ibram X. Kendi's words that racial inequity is most often the problem of bad
policy, not bad people and as such commits to identify racial inequity and all its intersections and
manifestations while monitoring outcomes to ensure anti -racist policies that reduce and eliminate
racial inequity. When policies fail, the people should not be blamed and commits itself to start
over and seek out new and more effective anti -racist treatments until they work.
S. Commits to on-going race relations training, including being among the first groups
along with other city boards and commissions to be trained in the bias and microaggressions
training as soon as possible, as well as to participate in Advancing Racial Equity: The Role of
Government.
6. Will further explore coaching and training in the Right Use of Power and other training
opportunities focused on systemic racism and white privilege.
7. Directs the city manager, together with the community, to develop a plan for delivering
city services in a manner that promotes racial equity. The plan will direct strategic actions to
advance opportunities and achieve equity that includes:
a. intentional collective leadership;
b. community engagement;
c. equity tools and infrastructure to support and sustain systemic changes;
d. and shared accountability with metrics on progress that would be reported back to
the community including training by city council members.
8. Will continue to work with the community to address racial equity issues identified in the
2017 Community Perceptions Assessment.
9. Commits to continuing to participate in racial equity efforts with partner institutions and
organizations, including the diversity summits at the University of Colorado Boulder and
the programs of the Governmental Alliance on Race and Equity and the National League
of Cities.
10. Be it further resolved, it is anticipated there will be future race and equity resolutions to
continue to demonstrate the city's intention and commitment to impact.
ADOPTED this 1-7 day of � 2019.
CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
Mayor
Attest:
I C� 4it�E�
Lynn e B k, Cily Clerk
Attachment A
RESOLUTION NO. 1178
A RESOLUTION RE -AFFIRMING BOULDER'S STATUS
AS AND COMMITMENT TO BE AN INCLUSIVE
COMMUNITY, ITS COMMITMENT TO WORKING WITH
LOCAL PARTNERS TO IMPROVE SUPPORT FOR AND
INCLUSION OF DIVERSITY, AND ENCOURAGING
OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND THEIR ELECTED
LEADERS TO DO THE SAME.
WHEREAS, the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences of the
American people — native and immigrant - makes our nation and communities richer and
stronger; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder is proud of its long history of working to protect
the civil rights and liberties of all of our residents, partner with our community leaders to
speak out against human injustices and abuses, and welcome immigrants to our
community; and
WHEREAS, Boulder has long advocated for public policies at all levels of
government that promote inclusion, equity, health, and well-being of all people who live
in our community; and
WHEREAS, Boulder strives to be inclusive in our city government through our
hiring practices, our recruitment and appointment of diverse members to serve on
advisory boards and commissions, and our communications and policies; and
WHEREAS, Boulder established a Human Relations Commission in 1973 to
help foster mutual respect, celebrate and promote understanding of the diversity of the
city's population, suggest appropriate changes to ordinances and policies, and enforce the
City of Boulder's human Rights Ordinance to prohibit discrimination; and
WHEREAS, Boulder established an Immigrant Advisory Committee in 2005 to
advise the city on programs, services and processes that encourage and support
immigrants' participation in local government and make recommendations to the city on
policies and legislation affecting immigrants; and
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder's past and current work includes numerous
examples of efforts to embrace and support diversity and inclusion, including providing
services intended to facilitate transition into our community, providing safety net services
for our most vulnerable and marginalized residents, supporting Human Rights
protections, adopting affordable housing programs, supporting diversity through cultural
events such as immigrant heritage celebrations, and providing school-based programs
that offer all students the opportunity to succeed; and
Attachment A
WHEREAS, despite our community's collective efforts to create an inclusive and
supportive community, a number of people still do not feel welcome, included, or safe in
Boulder; and
WHEREAS, some members of our community continue to experience
discrimination, harassment, and intimidation based on their cultural, religious or personal
beliefs, identities, and practices; and
WHEREAS, while a large number of us never personally encounter
discrimination or acts of hatred directed towards us, those that do suffer greatly because
of it; and
WHEREAS, according to recent Community Foundation Trends- reports, less
than half of Boulder County residents feel we are welcoming to immigrants from other
countries or racial and ethnic minorities; and
WHEREAS, recent international incidents of violence and terrorism have
triggered a spate of hateful and hurtful rhetoric and actions in America against refugees
and people of certain religious faiths and ethnic groups, causing local concerns and
triggering a need to explicitly re -confirm our intentions, beliefs and values around
inclusivity;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
BOULDER, COLORADO, that:
Boulder re -affirms its status as, and commitment to be, an inclusive community
and explicitly welcome all residents regardless of their age, race, ethnicity, country of
origin, sexual preference or gender identity, ability, religion, income, political persuasion,
citizenship status, or cultural practices; re -affirms its commitment to working with local
partners in continuing to pursue policies and programs that improve our community's
support for and inclusion of diversity; and encourages other jurisdictions and their elected
leaders to do the same.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 15'H DAY OF DECEMBER, 2015.
Mayor
Attest:
it Clerk
Attachment B
BOULDER UNITED AGAINST RACISM DECLARATION
Nowmba 1, 2001
M speak eat as elected and sekgled leaders and representatives of our community We aro pewuny
aware that institutional racism exists wilt M the Boulder comm mq and that only our intentional odledive
effaris will ar ninato it. We also befww that Ihero should be no sanctions for preserving ass of racism in our
oommunity
There has been mucin d wusslcn around heaEing our nellon follamM the recent alts of terrorism and
cnm: nal acts of intoloraice We bermwe that by pubkly aclvwwfodging this existence of Ns. problem, in our
mrnmunity, we afrord ourselves the opportunity to timely heal the wounds By dwV this, we are taking
proactive steps to discouage subsequent assautts of ettWe and rric,at intolerance
th v* the runt acts of Amidation and raciaVethnic harassment in Boulder mpresent the exploits of a low.
we atknowledpe QvA t u seeds of such beliefs are rooted arrwV many Wfrile we must vain and respell
the cHferent views and opWons of others, we do not encourage reasped for actions and behaviors or bigotry
and bias
We, as the Minority Issues Coaftn in ev IM with other local orgarsations we corrrnitted fo wing our
Amo r= and leadership to stand against time acts of intimidation by denmro fng zero tolerance. We can
upon every member of this community to join us In a sustained effort to educate others and to create an
envncnmert;
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Li Boulder Valley School District
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Brenda Lyle - The Family Learning Center
Jason Robbie- The Boulder Hunan
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George Crochet - Minority Issues Coalition
George Epp - Boulder County ShedIT
Georgi Garda - Boutdtr Valley School
District
Stan Garnett- BVSD School Board
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Cl ']ke Famity Learning Center
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Susan Purdy-- Houlder Housing and Human. Services
Jamey Fruiearocht-Un'ltrslty of Colorado Police
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Jan Gore -Women's International League far Peace
and Pree tom
MarkBeckner- $ouldet•Poltce Department
MiktMdigan - 21eDally Camern
Jaaa Mender.- 34mllder County Comm bsioners
Mary V,gftAu - Ronider District Attorney