Long Beach Launches Office of Equity to Engage, Educate, and Serve by Adam M. Lara Long Beach (pop. 472,217) is committed to creating a city where everyone can thrive. In July 2016, the Long Beach City Council asked the City Manager’s Office to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of aligning, better coordinating, and improving the efficiency of several existing initiatives and programs. These included the city’s Language Access Plan, Safe Long Beach Violence Prevention Plan, and the My Brother’s Keeper and People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) programs. The council also asked for the study to include an assessment of the feasibility and benefits of establishing a new Office of Equity.
Council Member Rex Richardson brought the issue to the council’s attention in 2016. He said, “While Long Beach has had a commitment to preventing violence, creating better outcomes for our residents, the efforts are fragmented across departments. [This] proposal ... demonstrate[s] that Long Beach is serious about equity, violence prevention, and diversity by taking the natural step of providing these critical areas of focus a real home in our city.”
Adam M. Lara is a policy and programs analyst for the City of Long Beach and can be reached at Adam.Lara@longbeach.gov.
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