Racial Equity Committee Meeting October 25, 2022: Race Forward, Cannabis Study, Sports Field Dashboard

The Sacramento Racial Equity Committee met on October 25, 2022, from 10:02 a.m. to 12:03 p.m. The meeting included a land acknowledgement, pledge of allegiance, consent calendar approval, and three discussion items: an update from the Racial Equity Alliance and Race Forward on the SCORE initiative, a status update on the Cannabis Racial Equity Study, and a presentation of the Sports Field Equity Lens Dashboard. Public comments raised concerns about trust, accountability, and notification.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1 – Racial Equity Committee Meeting Minutes (July 26, 2022): Approved unanimously by a motion from Mayor Steinberg, seconded by Councilmember Schenirer, with all members voting yes (Councilmember Jennings, Councilmember Schenirer, Councilmember Vang, Mayor Steinberg).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lambert Davis (Items 2, 3, 4, and non-agenda): Expressed frustration with delays, lack of accountability, and called for termination of staff who do not deliver on equity goals. Criticized the quality of a soccer field at Robertson Community Center as inequitable.
• Michael Snell (Items 2, 3, and non-agenda): Emphasized the need for trust through action, highlighted the slow process for core members trying to open dispensaries, and urged holding officials accountable.
• Malachi Amen (Item 3): Expressed concern about the delay of the cannabis equity study and questioned the qualifications of the new research team.
• Barry Boyd (non-agenda): Criticized the lack of public notification for the meeting, stating he only found it by chance.
• Kim Mims (non-agenda): Raised issues with notification and proposed a co-working center in Del Paso; asked how to get proposals in front of city council for revitalization.
• Jerry Hill (Item 2): Urged immediate action on active community issues (gun violence, after-school programs) rather than prolonged planning.

Discussion Items

• Item 2 – Race Forward and Racial Equity Council Update (Oral Report): D’Angelo, Ryan McClinton, and Nia Mooreweathers from the Racial Equity Alliance presented on a recent two-day retreat focused on truth-telling and trust-building. They proposed a formal city apology for historical wrongs followed by an action plan. Mayor Steinberg supported an apology but stressed linking it to tangible action, especially in the upcoming budget. Councilmember Vang directed staff to work with the Alliance and Council to co-create future agendas and roll out a list of members publicly. The committee agreed to prioritize truth-telling and trust-building as the first task of the SCORE initiative.
• Item 3 – Status Update on Cannabis Racial Equity Study: Davina Smith reported that the study, originally due by end of 2022, has been delayed to the first quarter of 2023 due to contracting issues and staff turnover. Applied Memetics was selected as the contractor. Public commenters expressed disappointment with the delay and called for accountability. The item was received and filed.
• Item 4 – Sports Field Equity Lens Dashboard: Raymond Constantino and Brianna Moland presented a draft GIS dashboard that scores each of the 210 city sports fields using an equity lens. Scores incorporate quality of service (27–55 scale), child density ranking (1–10), low-income ranking (1–10), and CalEnviroScreen 4.0 data (0–100). The dashboard can filter by council district and field type. Mayor Steinberg proposed using the dashboard in a joint workshop with the Racial Equity Alliance to set budget priorities. Councilmember Vang endorsed the idea and asked staff to coordinate with the Alliance. Councilmember Schenirer noted the tool’s potential for broader application.

Key Outcomes

• Item 2 direction: City staff (Kelly and Ami) will work with the Racial Equity Alliance and Council to co-create the next committee agenda, develop a formal apology linked to an action plan, and determine how to publicly share Alliance and Council members.
• Item 3: Receive and file; staff will report back when the study is completed (expected Q1 2023).
• Item 4 direction: Staff will explore a joint public workshop with the Racial Equity Alliance to apply the dashboard to the 2023–24 budget process.
• Committee comments: Councilmember Vang directed staff to develop a mandatory cultural competency and humility training policy for all elected officials and exempt management employees, informed by the SCORE initiative and the Racial Equity Alliance.
• Staff announcement: The Office of Diversity and Equity introduced new staff members Larissa Wall (Strategic Workforce Equity Analyst) and Robert Bell (Equity Analyst).
• Notification improvement: Councilmember Vang directed staff to establish a listserv to notify interested community members of upcoming Racial Equity Committee and Council meetings.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 12:03 p.m.