Diversity and Inclusion

Why Local Action Is Important to Combat Police Brutality and Racial Injustice

COMMENTARY | George Floyd's brutal murder two years ago did not inspire bipartisan federal action. Cities have stepped up and are driving a range of reforms. 

  • By Clarence E. Anthony and Doug Linkhart

5 Things Women Job Seekers Want

Women want better pay and work-life balance but also value working in diverse organizations, among other factors, a new Gallup poll reveals.

  • By Andre Claudio

Turning Equity Into Action and Getting Results

COMMENTARY | Government leaders must translate racial equity from an aspirational value to specific, tangible operating principles. Recent affordable housing efforts offer valuable examples of equity in action at the local level.

  • By Jen Tolentino and Sophie Bergmann

How the Rise of Remote Work Intersects With Digital Equity

COMMENTARY | Reliable broadband access is essential to the success of remote worker programs, from the mountains of West Virginia to the rural towns of Oregon.

  • By Kylie Cannon

Making DEI the Cornerstone of the Public Finance Workforce

COMMENTARY | There is an opportunity to create a more diverse public finance sector with the expected increases in employee turnover in the coming years.

  • By Shawn T. Wooden

Even in Black History Month, Interpreting the Past Can Be a Challenge for Local Governments

Inclusiveness and the need to balance priorities are among the issues officials nationwide face. 

  • By Tom Shoop

Three Essential Reasons Governments Must Embrace Remote Work

COMMENTARY | If state and local governments want to be competitive in the job market, then they need to embrace remote work.

  • By Jenny Kosek

Governments Turning to Data to Find Solutions to Equity Issues

It’s easy for leaders to pronounce that they’re going to make a fairer state or locality. Here's how several states, counties and cities are utilizing information to achieve their goals.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

Should States and Localities Have Official Languages?

Voters in one Pennsylvania county will decide whether to remove English as the official language in a city charter. Dozens of states and localities have similar measures on the books.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Lack of Diversity in the Government Workforce Can Lead to Retention and Trust Issues

African Americans and Hispanics are underrepresented among managers and professionals, and women are underrepresented among chief administrative officers, according to a report.

  • By Andre Claudio

As Heat Waves Intensify, Tens of Thousands of US Classrooms Will Be Too Hot for Students To Learn In

America’s public schools, which are over 40 years old on average, are not equipped to handle rising temperatures due to climate change, a new study reveals.

  • By Paul Chinowsky, The Conversation

The Most Racially Diverse States

While the white population still is the largest racial group in most states, many places are much less white and many more people identify as multiracial, according to 2020 U.S. Census data.

  • By Jean Dimeo
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How Local Governments Can Help Minority-Owned Businesses Gain Access to Public Contracts

Procurement of goods and services by localities totals $2.5 trillion annually, but people of color struggle to gain access to lucrative public contracts, according to the National League of Cities.

  • By Jean Dimeo

Online, Mug Shots Are Forever. Some States Want to Change That.

People are innocent until proven guilty, but the public release of mug shots taken at the time of arrest can become a barrier to housing, employment and personal relationships.

  • By The Pew Charitable Trusts

To Budget for Equity, Cities First Must Define Equity

COMMENTARY | Without a clear and shared definition of equity, city leaders cannot understand the underlying conditions that create existing disparities in their community, let alone make informed budget decisions that foster equity.

  • By Anjali Chainani

States and Localities Should Implement Equity Compliance Measures

COMMENTARY | As Americans increasingly demand equitable action from government officials, the ability to model, measure and map equity in real time paves the way for a new model of governing to address injustices.

  • By Martin O'Malley

In the Rush to Digital, Governments Can’t Leave Behind Cash Payers

COMMENTARY | As local and state governments embrace digital payment services, they must ensure that these services are equitable and accessible to all—including people who are unbanked or underbanked.

  • By Liz Fischer

Building Trust in the Covid-19 Vaccine Among People of Color

COMMENTARY | Government and health care organizations must overcome understandable skepticism toward the vaccine among some minority groups. Following three basic communications practices can help.

  • By Juan Cabrera

Hiring a Chief Equity Officer? Here’s What You Need to Know

COMMENTARY | It’s a position that can come with tough challenges. City and county leaders should focus on three key actions to set their chief equity officers up for success.

  • By Alisha Powell Gillis

Making Community Engagement More Accessible and Inclusive

COMMENTARY | The pandemic quickly shifted most community engagement to virtual arrangements, but not all citizens have ready access to online forums. Public officials can address inequities by finding alternative ways to gather valuable community input.

  • By Shaughnessy Daniels

Inclusion Starts with Better Management—Here's What Employees Say about Making Diversity Work

COMMENTARY | To fully tap into the positive outcomes of diversity, organizations need to focus on inclusion.

  • By Kim Brimhall, The Conversation