August 27th, 2021
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren are pleased to announce the launch of the updated website for the Commission on Racial and Structural Equity (RASE). This comes as the Commission moves into the Community Leadership phase of its implementation plan.
“The work of the Commission on Racial and Structural Equity continues, as we now enter the critical phase of working to engage our community members in implementing select recommendations from the report,” said County Executive Bello. “Implementing these recommendations and dismantling structural inequities takes the efforts of all of us. I am so thankful to our nonprofit agencies, community coalitions, and individual citizens for stepping forward and taking ownership for the implementation of some of the recommendations. It is due to the commitment of our staff and community partners that this report will not merely sit on a shelf.”
“Real progress toward racial equity can only be accomplished with a total community effort,” said Mayor Warren. “The City of Rochester has grown and improved to where it is by virtue of its involved citizenry and thanks to the input of our citizens and the members of the Commission on Racial and Structural Equity, our city and our county will be positioned to provide more jobs, safer, more vibrant neighborhoods and better educational opportunities.”
To ensure transparency around implementation of the recommendations, a database has been added to the website. The database will include each working group recommendation along with the responsible entity and a timeframe for implementation. Additionally, there will be a mechanism to allow community members to Get Involved in the process and assist in implementing the recommendations. Quarterly progress updates for listed recommendations will be posted within thirty (30) days of the quarter’s end.
Critical outcomes of the community leadership phase include identifying gaps in recommendations that were not prioritized by the county or city, aligning with community stakeholders and organizational leaders, encouragement of assessment and prioritization of recommendations with the community, and preparation to develop a formal council to manage the implementation of recommendations.
The Commission on Racial and Structural Equity (RASE) is an intergovernmental collaboration between the County of Monroe and City of Rochester. In acknowledgement of national and local calls for systemic and institutional change, RASE was established to review, identify and recommend changes to local laws, policies and practices that will eliminate inequities across our county and city.
To read the complete report and for more information on RASE, visit www.rocrase.com
