What We Do

RSJI embeds racial equity and social justice principles into the City’s programs, budgets, and culture. Our holistic work focuses on organizing for racial justice, capacity building, foundational knowledge about race, and personal accountability to advancing equity.

The passage of Council Bill 120525 in 2023 made RSJI a permanent part of the City of Seattle and established long-term objectives for the Initiative. We align those institutional objectives with racial justice campaigns led by BIPOC communities.

RSJI's strategies for change focus on Culture Shift, Gatherings, and Partnerships.

Culture Shift

RSJI creates culture shift by changing practices and policies to prioritize racial equity. Culture shift includes the learning, tools, and consultation that we provide to City of Seattle employees. We integrate healing and belonging principles to intentionally disrupt oppressive government norms.

Trainings

RSJI provides trainings on race and social justice for City of Seattle employees. Those trainings include: foundational racial equity knowledge, advanced racial justice practices, Racial Equity Toolkit technical assistance, and more.

Annual RSJI Deliverables

RSJ collects deliverables from departments that show their annual plans or progress around advancing racial equity. Deliverables include Racial Equity Toolkits (RETs), which provide decision-making guidance that helps departments analyze the racial equity impact of policies, programs, and budget proposals.

Advising City of Seattle departments

RSJI and SOCR provide consultation to City of Seattle departments on race and social justice. We provide feedback on integrating equitable practices into City programs, capacity building, and more.

Gatherings

RSJI builds the capacity of race and social justice practitioners in the City of Seattle through regular gatherings. These gatherings are an opportunity for practitioners to share knowledge and build community. In addition, RSJI celebrates the organizers in the City of Seattle who work to advance racial equity.

RSJI Summit

The RSJI Summit is an annual event that provides a forum for City of Seattle staff to share knowledge on race and social justice. It also celebrates the race and social justice organizing happening in the City of Seattle and in the community at large.

Learning Cohort

The Learning Cohort is an interdepartmental community of practice that centers leadership strategies for healing and belonging, generative dialogue, intentional equitable processes, and accountable community partnerships. RSJI invites selected departments in the City of Seattle with shared business and services to collectively address a community concern.

Interdepartmental collaborations

The RSJI team gathers employees and groups across the City of Seattle to organize for racial justice. In 2024, the Change Team Charter IDT will create unifying guidelines for Change Teams and other staff equity groups in the City of Seattle. 

Partnerships

Systemic change is only possible through strategic partnerships. RSJI partners with departments, groups, and individuals in the City of Seattle that are committed to race and social justice work. We break down silos to move toward a collective pursuit of racial equity.

Change Teams

Change Teams are staff-led groups that advocate for equity inside their respective departments. RSJ provides guidance to the Change Teams and their respective departments, including a partnership with Change Team Co-Leads.

City Budget Office partnership

RSJI partners with the City Budget Office to integrate equitable budgeting practices into the City’s budgeting process.

Workforce Equity partnership

RSJ supports and reinforces the critical workforce equity efforts in Seattle Human Resources and across the City of Seattle.

Learn more about RSJI

Visit the About page to see a summary of RSJI, and visit the Principles page to see our values. The Ordinance page provides more details about the RSJ Ordinance that passed in 2023.