CINCINNATI, OH - on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, City Council approved a motion sponsored by Councilmember Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, approving a new partnership with All-In Cincinnati - an initiative supported by Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Interact for Health, and the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. This new partnership between All-In Cincinnati and the City of Cincinnati will provide City administration officials, staff, and City department heads with racial equity training opportunities in 2021.

Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) is committed to conversations about racial equity that build connections and move Cincinnati forward with enhanced insights and shared purpose. To help advance that imperative goal, GCF offers a series of education events — Racial Equity Matters, presented by bi3 — to focus on understanding and addressing the root causes of racism. As part of GCF’s partnership with the City of Cincinnati, City officials and staff will take part in the Racial Equity Matters “Groundwater” and “Phase 1” sessions. All training will be provided at no cost to the City thanks to the generosity of multiple allies, including presenting sponsor bi3.

“We’re thankful for All-In Cincinnati for extending this opportunity for City employees to receive quality racial equity training like this,” says Councilmember Kearney. “Deeply rooted structural racism and inequities have held our institutions back for too long, so we’re thankful for their generosity in providing us with this training at the right time and at no-cost to taxpayers.”

Racial Equity Matters, presented by bi3, encompasses two parts — a half-day Groundwater session and a two-day Phase 1 session — both of which will be offered periodically throughout 2021. The Groundwater session is an introduction to racial equity that uses stories and data to illustrate the structural and cross-sector nature of racism. The Groundwater session dovetails with the Phase 1 workshop and is recommended as an introduction to the full two-day workshop. The Phase 1 workshop is a two-day training that provides talking points, historical factors and an organizational definition of racism.

“By advancing equity in local government, we can create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone,” says Kearney. “Government's goal in advancing equity must be to provide everyone with the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

City leaders must be equipped to assess whether, and to what extent, government programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color and other underserved populations. Such assessments enable agencies to develop policies and programs that deliver resources and benefits equitable to all. In line with this approach, the mission of All-In Cincinnati is to dismantle racial inequities in health, housing, education, economic mobility, and justice by uplifting Black women in Hamilton County. By partnering with the City, All-In Cincinnati is delivering on its mission to create a more vibrant place to live, work, and play for all people in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. To learn more about All-In Cincinnati, visit https://www.gcfdn.org/.