The Metropolitan Washington Council of Government (MWCOG) leads transportation and environmental planning and the associated implementation of policies, programs, and initiatives to set the regional framework and agenda for the sustainable future of the metropolitan Washington, D.C. region. They sought help to develop resources and strategies with an equity lens to better create programs that result in enhanced mobility, improved access, management of critical assets, improved health outcomes, and the next planning horizon.
Starting in March 2021, PRR and Racing to Equity (R2E) began leading facilitation and organizational change services to advance racial equity at MWCOG. Our team conducted a baseline assessment of MWCOG’s organizational practices, operations, program, and policies for racial equity awareness and competency. We then conducted qualitative and quantitative research, including listening sessions, interviews, and a survey, to hear directly from MWCOG staff and jurisdictional partners about their experiences and insights. Using what we learned, we developed recommendations and action steps that support MWCOG in continuing the journey toward being a sustainably, systemically equitable organization. We also used our findings to develop a tailored racial equity training curriculum for all MWCOG staff and delivered a series of workshops. Lastly, we developed a framework that applies racial equity best practices to strengthen the organization’s ability to advance racial equity through its mission, operations, and strategic direction.
Results include identifying areas in MWCOG’s policies, programming, and decision-making processes that may be advertently or inadvertently contributing to the exacerbation of systemic inequities; a customized racial equity training curriculum; an organization-specific racial equity framework; and recommendations for an action plan.
Facilitating Integrated Resource Planning with a diverse representation of work group members.
Refining creative to effectively reach the audience.
Helping the City of Seattle plan for new mobility.
Promoting online driver license renewals during a pandemic.
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An anti-racist PRR dismantles systems of advantage based on race when and wherever possible. We engage staff of all racial identities in dismantling white supremacy culture at work. This includes personal ideologies, beliefs, and behaviors. And, it includes removing white supremacy culture from the systems, cultural messages, institutional policies, procedures, and practices that PRR and our staff interact with and inform. We believe it is not enough to be “not racist.” We must be “anti-racist.”
