Sacramento Racial Equity Committee Meeting – January 25, 2022

The Sacramento Racial Equity Committee met by teleconference on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, from 10:03 a.m. to 11:42 a.m., under AB361 pandemic teleconference rules. Mayor Darrell Steinberg chaired; Councilmember Mai Vang co-chaired; Councilmembers Jay Schenirer (arrived at 10:33 a.m.) and Rick Jennings II participated. The agenda included an update on the SCORE initiative and discussion of a draft Cannabis Equity Study RFP, plus staff and public comment periods.

Public Comments & Testimony

• On the Cannabis Equity Study RFP, Barry Boyd asked whether the Office of Cannabis Management had engaged neighborhood associations and community radio stations in addition to posting the draft RFP on the city website. Malaki Amen (also written Malachi Amen), director of the Institute for More, expressed concern that the racial equity study is a separate companion to the EPS study, that there was no evidence the council would wait for the equity study before making cannabis policy decisions, and that independent researchers had not been brought into the EPS scope; he suggested the study could be done without going to bid to save time and money.
• During public comments on matters not on the agenda, Malachi Amen said he had not seen a timer during his earlier comment and reiterated that the EPS contract was not competitively bid, questioning why the racial equity study had to go out to bid and saying it would add about a year. Barry Boyd asked whether concerns from an audit of cannabis tax collection (including lax or non-collection of taxes through a cash-only payment system) had been addressed, and requested publicly available 2021 cannabis tax figures, including a breakdown by minority and non-minority ownership.

Discussion Items

SCORE Initiative Update

• Kelly F. Rivas, Mayor Steinberg's chief of staff, reviewed the multi-year Sacramento Centered On Racial Equity (SCORE) initiative, a long-term engagement project to develop a citywide racial equity definition, resolution, and lens for city decisions. She said the work began in fall 2020 and that Race Forward and community members confirmed support in late October 2021, including a trust-building component.
• Race Forward staff (Nora Liu and Jesse Villalobos) described Race Forward's history in Sacramento, including workshops beginning in summer 2019, the pandemic's exposure of racial inequities, and the creation of the Sacramento Racial Equity Leadership Network.
• Network members explained the network's structure and goals. Kim Williams (Building Healthy Communities/Black Child Legacy) said the network has about 23 members and is focused on sustainability and accountability. Nia Moore-Wethers (Youth Forward) described membership criteria and said the network is designed to center Black, Brown, Native, youth, and LGBTQIA+ voices. Bobby Roy (District 8 neighborhood resident) said the network had adopted a responsibilities and capacities document for the Racial Equity Council, which will help guide the city's community engagement and racial equity assessment tools. A representative of the Council on American Islamic Relations emphasized that centering community must maintain community agency and follow community-led solutions.
• Councilmembers discussed the need to move at the speed of trust, increase transparency, and recruit additional network and council members. Mayor Steinberg acknowledged his own discomfort about his role and asked for examples of past decisions that could be used as learning tools. He also asked how the SCORE work intersects with the city's reparations initiative; Race Forward said it would bring that question to the network's next meeting.
• Councilmember Vang asked what support the network and council need. Kim Williams asked the city to be honest and not discard community work. Nia Moore-Wethers requested future budget funding for the network, grassroots organizations, and racial equity training. Nora Liu clarified that the current contract includes funding for Racial Equity Council members, but not necessarily for members of the broader leadership network. Bobby Roy said an apology would help restore trust.

Cannabis Equity Study RFP Discussion

• Davina Smith, program manager with the Office of Cannabis Management, presented the draft RFP for a Cannabis Equity Study. The study is intended to provide deeper data on barriers and opportunities and to inform policy, procedure, and practice changes to improve equity in Sacramento's cannabis industry. The draft had been posted on the city website for about two weeks, and the RFP was expected to be issued the following week.
• Smith explained that the Cannabis Equity Study is phase two of the earlier EPS study. The EPS study is a phase-one overview, expected in a few weeks, over 200 pages, with law and legislation hearings scheduled for February and March and a recommendation package aimed for April/May.
• Councilmember Vang asked about alignment between the studies and suggested applying an equity lens to phase-one recommendations. Councilmember Schenirer asked that phase two be completed before phase-one recommendations are finalized; staff responded that some decisions, such as ownership and tax structure changes, may need to occur in 2022.

Racial Equity Staff Report

• Leyne Milstein, assistant city manager, announced that mid-year funding will be requested for a citywide racial equity study to establish baseline data on racial inequities in economy, education, transportation, air quality, environment, housing, public safety, neighborhoods, and civic life. The RFP would involve the racial equity network and council for input.
• Milstein also reported that the executive team would take a DELTA training (Developing Equity Leadership Through Action) on Friday, developed by GARE and Race Forward. She described it as a six-hour training; staff later clarified it is 5.5 hours. Committee members supported extending the training to council members and staff. Staff will schedule it, and the committee will report to the full council with a formal ask.

Key Outcomes

• The committee discussed the SCORE initiative and workplan; no formal vote was taken. Staff and Race Forward will revisit the timeline for the citywide racial equity resolution and bring the reparations intersection question to the next network meeting.
• The committee reviewed the draft Cannabis Equity Study RFP and provided feedback. The Office of Cannabis Management will finalize and release the RFP, with attention to aligning phase one and phase two.
• The committee supported DELTA training for council members and staff and agreed to communicate that request to the full council.
• The meeting adjourned at 11:42 a.m.