Equity Indicators

Challenge:

It is well-known that racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, individuals living in poverty, and other marginalized groups are vulnerable to the forces of inequity across numerous spheres of life, from economic opportunity and education to public health, criminal justice—and beyond. Though disparities have long disadvantaged these groups, recent events have brought these issues into sharp relief. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic’s outsized impact on Black and Brown communities has magnified existing health and economic disparities, while the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, and countless others have forced a reckoning over the unequal treatment of people of color by the police and criminal justice system. 

While these events have elevated public awareness of these issues and the urgent need for reform, addressing disparities requires substantial changes to policy and practice, and sustained attention and monitoring of progress over time as changes are implemented. When it comes to city and state efforts to create effective solutions, it is challenging to understand quantitatively where the actual disparities exist—and where to target those solutions. By shedding light on individual cities’ specific challenges when it comes to expanding equity, a measurement tool that provides key data points across critical aspects of life can help cities make informed decisions and direct resources toward areas of greatest impact.

Approach:

In partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation, ISLG set out to create a flexible methodology that could be used to create Equity Indicators tools in cities with a wide range of needs and priorities. These tools provide a mechanism for cities to understand and measure equity and track progress toward increasing it over time. They look across multiple substantive areas—such as economic opportunity, public health, and criminal justice—to provide a holistic picture of the disparities experienced by people of color and other marginalized groups, and a guide to where change efforts should focus. Rather than serving as an academic tool, they are specifically designed to guide decisions about policy and practice, providing information about whether initiatives meant to reduce disparities are working and where new initiatives and targeted resources may be needed. Initially piloted in New York City, the tool is designed with a versatile methodology that has since been expanded to a nationwide cohort of cities, each of which we have guided and supported toward establishing a unique, localized tool.

The areas, groups, and indicators examined by the tool can be tailored to meet each individual city’s needs and align with its most pressing priorities, utilizing community and other stakeholder engagement to determine the optimal areas of measurement. Each tool relies on multiple data sources, but uses a common metric to score indicators. This means that scores can be evaluated across indicators for a high-level view on a city’s performance, or drilled down to examine specific areas such as early education or labor force participation. The information gathered is public-facing, both increasing transparency and enabling it to be used by a broad audience of community stakeholders to support their advocacy and decision-making.

Progress:

ISLG has raised the profile and impact of the Equity Indicators considerably, moving it from the New York City pilot to a multi-city effort, operating in Dallas, Oakland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Tulsa. The tools have had a major impact in each city, used to make budgeting allocations, spur new policies and procedures, inspire data collection efforts, and galvanize numerous collaborations among city agencies and broader communities. Specific effects have ranged from catalyzing the first public hearings ever held by Tulsa’s City Council, to a budgeting for equity effort in Dallas, a door-knocking campaign in Oakland, and development of a regional dashboard in St. Louis County. The City of Pittsburgh used findings to make targeted investments in areas where the greatest inequities were found, with efforts including a violence prevention program to reduce disparities in homicide rates, and an initiative to increase financial empowerment among communities of color. The project has also helped spur the establishment of equity offices in Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Tulsa, further ensuring a targeted focus on—and investment in—equity moving forward. 

In addition to the creation of Equity Indicators tools, ISLG continues to serve as a convener and advisor on equity and measurement. This work has ranged from hosting a well-attended six-city conference, to guiding additional jurisdictions large and small, national and international, on how to assess different facets of equity or even develop their own tools. The project and ISLG staff have continued to act as a resource for numerous types of stakeholders, from city agencies to nonprofits and community groups, and are currently working with new cities, including Fort Collins, Colorado, to establish Equity Indicators using modified versions of our original methodology. We welcome further collaboration.

Learn more on the Equity Indicators site, or contact Victoria Lawson, Director of the Equity Indicators, at Victoria.Lawson@islg.cuny.edu for more information.