20210217-003a: Watershed Protection Department Equity Update — original pdf

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Watershed Protection Department Equity Update Environmental Commission February 17, 2021 Presenters: Jorge Morales, Nikki Fowler, Kelly Gagnon, Victor Nelms, Janna Renfro, Ramesh Swaminathan 1 WPD Equity Timeline Council resolution directs creation of Equity Assessment Tool 1st cohort of departments begin Equity Assessment Watershed Action Planning Watershed – Building Institutional Infrastructure and Capacity Austin hires 1st Chief Equity Officer + Creates Equity Office Watershed Equity Assessment Watershed Implementation – Teams, Training, Relationships 2 Guiding Principles • Shared definition of equity: ◦ Racial equity is the condition when race is no longer a predictor of quality of life outcomes in our community. • Lead with Race: ◦ Race is the most reliable predictor of quality of life in Austin. • Transformation, not transaction. • Normalize. Organize. Operationalize. 3 Watershed Focus Drinking Water Protection Zone Desired Development Zone High SVI Low SVI Edwards Plateau Blackland Prairie Transition Line SVI = Social Vulnerability Index as defined by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) 4 2018 Equity Assessment Process EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL Departmental Analysis Budget Engagement Strategic Outcomes WATERSHED FOCUS AREAS INTERNAL EQUITY DATA PRIORITIZATION ENGAGEMENT 5 • • • Internal Equity People of color primarily work in Operations & Maintenance compared to “office” staff which is whiter. How are power + resources shared between these two spaces? How does quality of life differ? Is Watershed culture inclusive of all? Can we adequately serve the community if we don’t “look” like the community we serve across across all areas? • Are we meeting our full potential as an organization without a diverse professional staff across all areas? 6 Data • Are people of color more likely to face adverse impacts from flooding, erosion, and poor water quality? • How are we collecting data so that it can be disaggregated by race? • What are the best ways to measure, analyze, and predict outcomes related to Watershed mission areas? 7 Prioritization close those gaps? • Once we know where inequity exists, how do we prioritize funding to • How do we make sure our dollars are reaching the right communities? • Are we choosing solutions in a way that considers the different ways in which communities are situated? • How do we improve infrastructure without worsening gentrification? 8 Engagement • How can we expand our model of public participation to fully reflect community values and reach those we have marginalized? • How can we work better with people already organizing within communities of color? • What does it look like to share power with community? 9 2019 Action Planning + Rollout • Action Plan Goals • Rollout + Recruit ◦ Develop Teams around Focus Areas ◦ 19 presentations to all staff ◦ Recruited 100+ staff interested in participating  Internal Equity  Data  Prioritization  Engagement ◦ Expand Training Opportunities ◦ Continue to build existing relationships 10 Seeing results in the workforce… 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50% 45% Watershed 84% 73% 72% 67% 62% 68% 65% 63% 59% 59% Valuable to Discuss Impacts of Race Leadership Supports Discussion of Race Department Committed to Racial Equity Department Taken Steps to Reduce Racial Inequity Comfortable Talking about Race 2018 2019 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 50% 45% Citywide Valuable to Discuss Impacts of Race Leadership Supports Discussion of Race Department Committed to Racial Equity Department Taken Steps to Reduce Racial Inequity Comfortable Talking about Race (Citywide) 65.72% 60.45% 56.16% 52.52% 49.95% 2018 67.35% 63.69% 55.77% 55.68% 53.68% 2019 2020 Implementation • Teams worked from July — September ◦ Normalize and organize ◦ Developed recommendations for further exploration • Training ◦ Undoing Racism ◦ Groundwater Analysis • Building Relationships 12 2021 Infrastructure + Capacity STRATEGIC Equity Coordinator • New FTE • • 100% dedicated to Equity Primary lead for initiative COORDINATED (5 PPL) Equity Support Team • • • Training Organization Equity Assessment/Action Planning Equity Office Coordination CREATED FROM WITHIN CULTURAL Equity Technical Team (10-15 PPL) WPD Equity Action Team (OPEN DOOR) • Representative of department • • Common Equity Analysis Technical Experts • Open Door • Community Included • Horizon issues and discussion 13 Strategic Plan Update + Engagement • Strategic Plan Purpose ◦ Guiding Blueprint for Department ◦ Evaluation Framework ◦ Communication Tool • Purpose of Update ◦ Original adoption in 2001; last major update completed in 2014 ◦ Time to re-engage community and address current challenges  Assess values, evaluate guiding principles, update goals and objectives, revise prioritization methods, track progress 14 Strategic Plan Update + Engagement • Goals for Update ◦ Reflect Community Values ◦ Incorporate Equity and Climate Resilience ◦ Accessible and Informative • Community Engagement Priorities ◦ Under-served groups ◦ Impacted groups ◦ Community expertise 15 Strategic Plan Update + Engagement • Draft Timeline ◦ 2021: Planning (in progress) and Community Engagement (rounds 1 & 2) ◦ 2022: Community Engagement (cont.) and Plan Development ◦ 2023: Community Engagement (round 3) and Document Adoption • Late Spring 2021: Send proposed Scope of Work to Council (by 4/30) and present to Environmental Commission 16 Resources • Equity Office Website https://austintexas.gov/department/equity-office • Watershed Protection Equity Dashboard https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=abc25cbc68c041249aa79dab1d9253ae • Watershed Protection Strategic Plan Website https://www.austintexas.gov/department/watershed-protection-master-plan 17 Questions? 18