FY25 Proposed Budget

Equity & Human Rights

The Office of Equity & Human Rights enforces the antidiscrimination laws for the City, develops and implements programs, workshops, and tools that advance city and community goals related to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, and serves as staff to the Human Rights Commission and the Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission,

General Fund Activities:

• The Equity & Human Rights Office works with city departments to create justice focused equity, diversity, and inclusion strategies that are sustainable, measurable, and drive organizational outcomes. • Enforces the anti-discrimination laws for the city by investigating and making probable cause decisions on complaints alleging unlawful discrimination. • Provides a complimentary monthly seminar and newsletter (The Lens) that focuses on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) open to community members and city staff. • Provides training to the community on unlawful discrimination, Iowa’s civil rights history, and on advancing racial equity within municipal government. • The Black Lives Matter activity accounts for funds allocated by City Council on June 16, 2020 City Council passed Resolution 20-159, outlining 17 actions to be taken by the City to address the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and systemic racism. One of the action items included committing $1,000,000 to local efforts promoting racial equity and social justice including the development of a new affordable housing plan and the creation of an Ad Hoc Truth & Reconciliation Commission to carry out restorative justice.

69