Philadelphia unveils Racial Equity Strategy Dashboard; city departments required to complete racial equity plans by end of year

So far, 23 departments have completed their initial racial equity action plans. All departments will need to complete theirs by the end of the year.

Cory Sharber

June 22, 2023

City and department leaders gathered for a photo op following a press conference at City Hall on June 22, 2023. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)

Philadelphia’s Racial Equity Strategy Dashboard offers residents a look into how the city government is working to eliminate racial disparities.

The dashboard was created by the Mayor’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI), and is part of the city’s Racial Equity Strategy, which requires all departments to create an initial racial equity action plan by the end of 2023.

So far, 23 departments have completed their initial racial equity action plans and by the end of 2023, all departmental racial equity action plans will be complete.

During a news conference at City Hall on Thursday, Mayor Jim Kenney said the dashboard is part of a plan “to build a government that reflects the diversity of the city and improve outcomes for Philadelphians of every race and identity.”

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“These plans have one purpose: to build racial equity into the way city government operates,” Kenney said. “With today’s launch of the Racial Equity Strategy Dashboard, we’re also committed to giving Philadelphians the chance to see the change as it happens.”

Jim Kenney speaking at a podium — Mayor Jim Kenney signed Executive Order No. 1-20, which established the City’s Racial Equity Policy and required all departments to create an initial racial equity action plan by the end of 2023. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)

In order for the dashboard to be implemented, it requires every city department reporting to the mayor “to go through a rigorous cohort process to identify policies and practices that contribute to inequities and develop an action plan to disrupt, mitigate, or eliminate those conditions,” according to a news release.

Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Josie Pickens said the dashboard provides an avenue for citizens to see how the government “historically caused harm to communities of color.”

“We’re trying to reverse the damage done by old policies, and we’re also finding ways for government to be a force for good and improving the lives of communities,” Pickens said.

Josie Pickens speaking at a podium — Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Josie Pickens said the dashboard is a tool for the government “to be a force for good and improving the lives of communities.” (Cory Sharber/WHYY)

The dashboard tracks the status of implementation of the plans and provides regular updates on departments’ racial equity strategies including the following:

List of strategies: Which strategies are departments currently pursuing to advance racial equity?
Status Update: How is implementation going? Is the strategy in early planning and development stages, on track, or postponed/delayed?
Strategy summaries: What is the core goal of the strategy?
Key Successes: What progress has been made so far?

The dashboard will be updated annually, and more departments will be added to it when they complete their racial equity action plans.

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