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Striving for Racial Equity

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Many diverse hands are raised with the words Be the Change above them.

City of Golden Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Task-Force

The REDI (Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Task Force is composed of community members and city staff who have a key role in implementing aspects of the REDI Action Plan, finalized by the City in November of 2022.

The task force meets monthly in the Public Works & Planning Building (1445 10th St.) on the first Thursday of the month from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

The Task Force will focus on promoting accountability for implementing the REDI Action Plan and coordinating community-wide efforts to advance equity.

Each member of the task force was carefully selected to represent different backgrounds and experiences in an effort to create a group of individuals who can help lead this work and these important conversations for the community.

Task Force

Community Members:

  • Virginia Ortiz
  • Michele Minihane
  • Maria Landon-Simpson
  • Eric Bartold
  • Elijah P. Dimon-Ainscough

Staff:

  • Bodhi Horton
  • Clarissa Cutrell
  • Clare Nowalk
  • Angela Gosalvez

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - November, 2022

The final Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan is now available. This action plan identifies goals, strategies, and actions to achieve a vision of Golden as a place where all are welcomed, included, represented, honored, and treated fairly, regardless of identity or ability. The REDI action plan reflects the perspectives, interests, and priorities of a diverse cross-section of Golden community members. Over 250 community members participated in a broad range of outreach activities including focus groups, surveys, and training sessions for City staff and elected officials.

The work of promoting racial equity, diversity, and inclusion is ongoing and this plan aims to lay out strategies and actions over five years to achieve the following goals:

  1. Cultivate a culture of inclusion and belonging in the City.
  2. Increase access to services and resources for diverse community members.
  3. Foster an organizational culture and environment committed to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  4. Expand economic opportunity for diverse businesses.

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan Community Conversation: Sept. 29

Based on community feedback gathered through focus groups and a community survey, we have developed draft goals and strategies for our plan. We would like to learn more from the Golden community about how, working together, we can realize our shared vision for Golden.

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - April, 2022 Update

An update on the work towards the Golden REDI Action Plan is now available. This update describes the work that has been done on community engagement and the training for City staff. A summary of the findings from community engagement efforts. Through the work so far, the City and its consultants have established a vision for REDI in Golden and how things currently are going, what the major issues facing Golden in this area are, and what ideas have been gathered from the community to date. Additionally, The update describes the equity training that City leadership and staff have participated in so far and what the next steps will be.

You can read through the April 2022 REDI Update on Guiding Golden and continue to be involved by staying updated on future REDI work in Golden.

Read and provide feedback on the Golden REDI Action Plan.

Community Engagement for Golden's Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - November, 2021

We are excited to announce that we have completed our initial phase of "listening and learning" from the community regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion in Golden. Here are some of the highlights from the three engagement activities:

  • Key Influencer Interviews - Seven interviews were conducted in October 2021 with the Golden Anti-Racism Collective; Golden United; the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development; the Mayor and the City Council; and the Golden Executive Management Team.
  • Four Community Focus Groups - Four focus groups were conducted in October 2021, including two general community focus groups, a youth focus groups with students of Bell Middle School, and a focus group with students and faculty at the Colorado School of Mines.
  • Community Survey - The online survey was open to the community from October 25 through January 3. We received 184 responses. Participation was representative of the community; the majority of respondents have lived and/or worked in Golden for at least six years.

Thank you to our community members who have provided so much rich input into Golden's Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan Process! A full report summarizing community feedback from our engagement activities will be available April 8th. A summary presentation to Council is available REDI Action Plan Community Input Presentation.

We are continuing to listen and learn in to the spring through the following activities:

  • Racial Equity Training for City leadership staff to help them establish a common understanding and language as they create the REDI Action Plan;
  • A Baseline Equity Assessment of REDI plans, practices, policies, and procedures in the Management Team; and conducting a thorough analysis of the information to create the Baseline Equity Assessment and recommendations for embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the City's operations.
  • City Staff Listening Sessions will allow City staff to provide detailed input on REDI needs and opportunities.

As the Plan development moves forward, we'll continue to ask the community for ideas and feedback. This is your plan - we can't do it without you!

Work begins on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - May, 2021

Staff has meet with the project team to begin work on the assessment phase of the Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan. We have begun to conduct interviews and focus groups discussions about how Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is viewed in Golden currently. Our approach includes the following goals:

  • Leverage Local Networks and Existing Community Engagement Efforts. Build on the variety and depth of existing community involvement initiatives in Golden to effectively and efficiently engage the public in the REDI Action Plan process. Tap into existing community-based networks of local leaders and groups to connect with a wider range of community members.
  • Identify Barriers to Participation. Cultivate an understanding of existing or potential barriers to the full participation of all community members, particularly communities of color and low-income populations, in the REDI Action Plan process.
  • Create Opportunities for Inclusive and Equitable Participation. Provide multiple and varied opportunities for a broad range of community members, businesses, interest groups and City staff to share meaningful input. Unique methods will be designed to specifically engage communities that have not traditionally participated in planning efforts, including disadvantaged communities, youth and limited-English proficient communities, and address barriers to participation identified above.
  • Collaborate and Inform Decision-Making. Collect useful and relevant public input that reflects local expertise and values and informs decision-making related to the REDI Action Plan process.
  • Build Long-Term Capacity for Civic Engagement around Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Build social capital and support those engaged through the process to stay involved and share not only concerns and issues, but also solutions and strategies necessary to implement the REDI Action Plan.
  • To implement this approach, the Project Team will use a combination of virtual engagement, grassroots outreach support, multi-media communications, and social media outreach. The approach will be informed by the City of Golden’s Community Engagement Planning Guide and will utilize outreach tools identified in the City Tool Box as appropriate.

The overarching goal of the community engagement process is to provide opportunities for meaningful participation and consensus-building among residents, community groups, business organizations, City staff and other stakeholders to define a shared vision for supporting racial equity, diversity and inclusion in the City of Golden.

Council approves hiring MIG to consult on racial equity plan - April, 2021

The City received 12 proposals from firms interested in working with Golden on creating a racial equity plan, which were posted with a short survey to gather input from the community. The JEDI Subcommittee reviewed the proposals based on the criteria outlined in the RFP and the community feedback to narrow the group to the top 6 proposals from firms to interview.

After interviewing the six finalists, the JEDI Subcommittee presented their final recommendation to Council that the City hire MIG to consult on Golden's racial equity plan during the June 8 City Council meeting. The JEDI Subcommittee preferred MIG for its community-focused approach and wide scope. Their work is broken into Phase 1: Listening and Learning: Key Issues, Opportunities, and Priorities, which will take place June-October/November. JEDI believes a thorough learning and listening phase will produce meaningful feedback and information to create the right plan for Golden. Phase 2: Taking Action: Developing the Racial Equity Plan will take place early 2022.

Working Towards Racial Equity - January, 2021

The City has made a commitment to anti-racism work through significant City Council actions including passing resolutions declaring racism a public health crisis and committing to the hard work of exploring and eradicating racial bias and inequity in our community. City Council created the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) City Council subcommittee (Councilor Trout and Councilor Reed) to help focus on the work and to make recommendations and bring ideas as well as potential actions to City Council for wider discussion.

The next step is making a plan for action. The City is seeking expertise to develop an Equity Plan that may include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Conducting surveys and assessments to identify the extent of equity disparities in Golden.
  • Identify decision making framework that prioritizes equity in City policy, programming, and budgetary considerations.
  • Lay out targets of success; although equity is a path, the Equity Plan will identify milestones along that path.
  • Establishing metrics to determine the baseline and to measure progress and successes toward achieving the strategies.
  • Gathering relevant input and data and establishing appropriate benchmarks to reduce disparities and increasing the success rates of communities of color, women, immigrants & refugees, LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, plus), and other marginalized communities.
  • Making policy recommendations to advance equity in priority areas such as: affordable housing & homelessness, planning, economic development, police & criminal justice reform, education, health, transit & transportation services, and other critical community functions.
  • Identifying ongoing training opportunities and best practices to ensure the City is a welcoming and inclusive, and empowering environment for our staff and community.

Community Conversation on Striving for Racial Equity

We had an amazing turnout for our first community-wide conversation on racial equity! On Wednesday, Jan. 13, more than 160 people joined our virtual meeting to share ideas, concerns, and goals for the City of Golden as we grow together into the next chapter.

The conversation was facilitated by Dr. Nita Mosby Tyler, the Chief Catalyst and founder of The Equity Project LLC – an organization designed to support organizations and communities in building diversity, equity and inclusion strategies.

We appreciate the thoughtful, respectful and vulnerable things people shared during the meeting. The City plans to take this insight and use it as a way to develop strategies to move forward in our efforts toward making Golden more welcoming, equitable, and inclusive.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, we invite you to watch it on our YouTube channel.. Please also share your thoughts at the bottom of the page. We look forward to more community conversations and will keep you posted once more events are scheduled.

Striving For Racial Equity - Summer, 2021

The City of Golden strives to be a diverse, inclusive community and a place for all people to feel valued, safe, and welcome. We acknowledge that the work is ongoing to become an anti-racist city and community. The iconic arch over Downtown Golden is a message we want all to know: YOU are welcome here. The strength and endurance behind the message come from the Golden 2030 Heart and Soul values of a city government that is responsive, approachable, good at listening, welcomes participation and involvement, is fair to all parts of the city, and is accountable. In the spirit of these values, the Golden City Council passed a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis on June 11, 2020.

The current pandemic has made clear the health disparities that have existed in America for more than 400 years. It is shining a stark light upon the long-running racial divide; COVID-19 is killing Black people at higher rates than the rate of White people, and Black people are disproportionately suffering in part due to long-standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systematic racism and other socioeconomic inequities.

The dark and racist history of our city and our entire country has led to many current-day disparities in education, health and safety, job attainment, income and wealth; housing and healthcare; disproportionate incarceration rates for people of color; and other systems of injustice. City Council further recognizes the existence of White privilege, meaning the systemic advantages that White people have relative to people of color and the role it plays in our policies. The deadly police brutality against George Floyd in Minneapolis is one of the most recent examples of this culture of hate and racism that must change. But we can’t wait for change, we must be the change.

The City of Golden is dedicated to listening, learning, and acting to advance racial equity. In light of current events and a loss of trust in law enforcement, we are sharing all of our police procedures and policies so that we can start a dialogue with the community about how we police, and what procedures can use improvement. We encourage our community to join us here on this page to help us find ways to make Golden a more inclusive community. We will also seek out trainings to make us more conscious of issues in our community and continue to find more ways to engage our community in a conversation.

-------------------------------

A Message from Golden Mayor Laura Weinberg - July, 2020

“I want to express my deep sadness and anger about racist incidents and Black lives cut short. People across the country, and here in Denver, are using peaceful protests and rallies to say enough is enough. Enough to ongoing racial prejudice, enough to unequal justice, enough to the killings. Marching, kneeling, or gathering together is a way to express the sadness, the impotence, the frustrations that nothing seems to change or get better. Americans have long used the power of protest in this country to affect changes, but more is needed then just showing up in the streets.”

---------------------------------

The Golden City Council commits to listening & learning, acting, and changing to advance racial equity and improve the quality of life for all in Golden.

Listen & Learn

  • We created this page to engage and listen to the community about how Golden can be more welcoming and inclusive.
  • We are seeking out trainings that make us more conscious of issues in our community and how to avoid and stamp out systemic racism.

Action - August, 2020

City Council Takes Action Against Racism

At the City Council meeting on Aug. 27, councilors made a commitment to the Golden community to actively address racial inequities and find short and long-term strategies for being a welcoming and inclusive community.

Earlier this year, Council declared racism to be a public health crisis and committed to “listening, learning, and acting to advance racial equity and improve the quality of life and health for all.” This page is dedicated to this important topic. The resolutions passed on Aug. 27 furthered this commitment with some tangible steps forward.

Council authorized a public display of support in the form of a banner under the Welcome to Golden arch that will proclaim, “Golden Stands with Black Lives.” Council member and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Subcommittee member Councilor Trout said “When I say Golden stands with Black lives, it means I recognize the human dignity of each Black person and I value their life. I want to welcome, include, ensure the safety and security, and make sure all Black lives have equal opportunities to thrive… As a city leader, I am telling everyone that I do not tolerate racism and bigotry. I will stand up for anyone facing discrimination. And most importantly, I am committing myself to do the hard work to make the change.”

City Council unanimously voted in favor of the hard work ahead. In July, City Council established the JEDI subcommittee and by resolution on Aug. 27, authorized and directed the subcommittee to research and explore options for developing an anti-racism plan. This includes finding ways to have community conversations about races, equity, and social justice. The Golden Police department will host a listening session and the subcommittee will schedule a facilitated town hall listening session prior to November.

Racism is not welcome in Golden. The work to ensure an equitable community will be ongoing, and our community will play an important role in this process. As listening opportunities and public meetings are scheduled, we will list them on this page.

Change

Please subscribe to this page by clicking the link bottom right to be contacted with updates to this page, including what changes are happening.

---------------------------------

Start by Educating Yourself

Wondering what you can do? How you can get involved? Here are some resources for you:

City of Golden Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Task-Force

The REDI (Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Task Force is composed of community members and city staff who have a key role in implementing aspects of the REDI Action Plan, finalized by the City in November of 2022.

The task force meets monthly in the Public Works & Planning Building (1445 10th St.) on the first Thursday of the month from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

The Task Force will focus on promoting accountability for implementing the REDI Action Plan and coordinating community-wide efforts to advance equity.

Each member of the task force was carefully selected to represent different backgrounds and experiences in an effort to create a group of individuals who can help lead this work and these important conversations for the community.

Task Force

Community Members:

  • Virginia Ortiz
  • Michele Minihane
  • Maria Landon-Simpson
  • Eric Bartold
  • Elijah P. Dimon-Ainscough

Staff:

  • Bodhi Horton
  • Clarissa Cutrell
  • Clare Nowalk
  • Angela Gosalvez

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - November, 2022

The final Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan is now available. This action plan identifies goals, strategies, and actions to achieve a vision of Golden as a place where all are welcomed, included, represented, honored, and treated fairly, regardless of identity or ability. The REDI action plan reflects the perspectives, interests, and priorities of a diverse cross-section of Golden community members. Over 250 community members participated in a broad range of outreach activities including focus groups, surveys, and training sessions for City staff and elected officials.

The work of promoting racial equity, diversity, and inclusion is ongoing and this plan aims to lay out strategies and actions over five years to achieve the following goals:

  1. Cultivate a culture of inclusion and belonging in the City.
  2. Increase access to services and resources for diverse community members.
  3. Foster an organizational culture and environment committed to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.
  4. Expand economic opportunity for diverse businesses.

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan Community Conversation: Sept. 29

Based on community feedback gathered through focus groups and a community survey, we have developed draft goals and strategies for our plan. We would like to learn more from the Golden community about how, working together, we can realize our shared vision for Golden.

Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - April, 2022 Update

An update on the work towards the Golden REDI Action Plan is now available. This update describes the work that has been done on community engagement and the training for City staff. A summary of the findings from community engagement efforts. Through the work so far, the City and its consultants have established a vision for REDI in Golden and how things currently are going, what the major issues facing Golden in this area are, and what ideas have been gathered from the community to date. Additionally, The update describes the equity training that City leadership and staff have participated in so far and what the next steps will be.

You can read through the April 2022 REDI Update on Guiding Golden and continue to be involved by staying updated on future REDI work in Golden.

Read and provide feedback on the Golden REDI Action Plan.

Community Engagement for Golden's Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - November, 2021

We are excited to announce that we have completed our initial phase of "listening and learning" from the community regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion in Golden. Here are some of the highlights from the three engagement activities:

  • Key Influencer Interviews - Seven interviews were conducted in October 2021 with the Golden Anti-Racism Collective; Golden United; the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development; the Mayor and the City Council; and the Golden Executive Management Team.
  • Four Community Focus Groups - Four focus groups were conducted in October 2021, including two general community focus groups, a youth focus groups with students of Bell Middle School, and a focus group with students and faculty at the Colorado School of Mines.
  • Community Survey - The online survey was open to the community from October 25 through January 3. We received 184 responses. Participation was representative of the community; the majority of respondents have lived and/or worked in Golden for at least six years.

Thank you to our community members who have provided so much rich input into Golden's Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan Process! A full report summarizing community feedback from our engagement activities will be available April 8th. A summary presentation to Council is available REDI Action Plan Community Input Presentation.

We are continuing to listen and learn in to the spring through the following activities:

  • Racial Equity Training for City leadership staff to help them establish a common understanding and language as they create the REDI Action Plan;
  • A Baseline Equity Assessment of REDI plans, practices, policies, and procedures in the Management Team; and conducting a thorough analysis of the information to create the Baseline Equity Assessment and recommendations for embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the City's operations.
  • City Staff Listening Sessions will allow City staff to provide detailed input on REDI needs and opportunities.

As the Plan development moves forward, we'll continue to ask the community for ideas and feedback. This is your plan - we can't do it without you!

Work begins on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan - May, 2021

Staff has meet with the project team to begin work on the assessment phase of the Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) Action Plan. We have begun to conduct interviews and focus groups discussions about how Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is viewed in Golden currently. Our approach includes the following goals:

  • Leverage Local Networks and Existing Community Engagement Efforts. Build on the variety and depth of existing community involvement initiatives in Golden to effectively and efficiently engage the public in the REDI Action Plan process. Tap into existing community-based networks of local leaders and groups to connect with a wider range of community members.
  • Identify Barriers to Participation. Cultivate an understanding of existing or potential barriers to the full participation of all community members, particularly communities of color and low-income populations, in the REDI Action Plan process.
  • Create Opportunities for Inclusive and Equitable Participation. Provide multiple and varied opportunities for a broad range of community members, businesses, interest groups and City staff to share meaningful input. Unique methods will be designed to specifically engage communities that have not traditionally participated in planning efforts, including disadvantaged communities, youth and limited-English proficient communities, and address barriers to participation identified above.
  • Collaborate and Inform Decision-Making. Collect useful and relevant public input that reflects local expertise and values and informs decision-making related to the REDI Action Plan process.
  • Build Long-Term Capacity for Civic Engagement around Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Build social capital and support those engaged through the process to stay involved and share not only concerns and issues, but also solutions and strategies necessary to implement the REDI Action Plan.
  • To implement this approach, the Project Team will use a combination of virtual engagement, grassroots outreach support, multi-media communications, and social media outreach. The approach will be informed by the City of Golden’s Community Engagement Planning Guide and will utilize outreach tools identified in the City Tool Box as appropriate.

The overarching goal of the community engagement process is to provide opportunities for meaningful participation and consensus-building among residents, community groups, business organizations, City staff and other stakeholders to define a shared vision for supporting racial equity, diversity and inclusion in the City of Golden.

Council approves hiring MIG to consult on racial equity plan - April, 2021

The City received 12 proposals from firms interested in working with Golden on creating a racial equity plan, which were posted with a short survey to gather input from the community. The JEDI Subcommittee reviewed the proposals based on the criteria outlined in the RFP and the community feedback to narrow the group to the top 6 proposals from firms to interview.

After interviewing the six finalists, the JEDI Subcommittee presented their final recommendation to Council that the City hire MIG to consult on Golden's racial equity plan during the June 8 City Council meeting. The JEDI Subcommittee preferred MIG for its community-focused approach and wide scope. Their work is broken into Phase 1: Listening and Learning: Key Issues, Opportunities, and Priorities, which will take place June-October/November. JEDI believes a thorough learning and listening phase will produce meaningful feedback and information to create the right plan for Golden. Phase 2: Taking Action: Developing the Racial Equity Plan will take place early 2022.

Working Towards Racial Equity - January, 2021

The City has made a commitment to anti-racism work through significant City Council actions including passing resolutions declaring racism a public health crisis and committing to the hard work of exploring and eradicating racial bias and inequity in our community. City Council created the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) City Council subcommittee (Councilor Trout and Councilor Reed) to help focus on the work and to make recommendations and bring ideas as well as potential actions to City Council for wider discussion.

The next step is making a plan for action. The City is seeking expertise to develop an Equity Plan that may include, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Conducting surveys and assessments to identify the extent of equity disparities in Golden.
  • Identify decision making framework that prioritizes equity in City policy, programming, and budgetary considerations.
  • Lay out targets of success; although equity is a path, the Equity Plan will identify milestones along that path.
  • Establishing metrics to determine the baseline and to measure progress and successes toward achieving the strategies.
  • Gathering relevant input and data and establishing appropriate benchmarks to reduce disparities and increasing the success rates of communities of color, women, immigrants & refugees, LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, plus), and other marginalized communities.
  • Making policy recommendations to advance equity in priority areas such as: affordable housing & homelessness, planning, economic development, police & criminal justice reform, education, health, transit & transportation services, and other critical community functions.
  • Identifying ongoing training opportunities and best practices to ensure the City is a welcoming and inclusive, and empowering environment for our staff and community.

Community Conversation on Striving for Racial Equity

We had an amazing turnout for our first community-wide conversation on racial equity! On Wednesday, Jan. 13, more than 160 people joined our virtual meeting to share ideas, concerns, and goals for the City of Golden as we grow together into the next chapter.

The conversation was facilitated by Dr. Nita Mosby Tyler, the Chief Catalyst and founder of The Equity Project LLC – an organization designed to support organizations and communities in building diversity, equity and inclusion strategies.

We appreciate the thoughtful, respectful and vulnerable things people shared during the meeting. The City plans to take this insight and use it as a way to develop strategies to move forward in our efforts toward making Golden more welcoming, equitable, and inclusive.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, we invite you to watch it on our YouTube channel.. Please also share your thoughts at the bottom of the page. We look forward to more community conversations and will keep you posted once more events are scheduled.

Striving For Racial Equity - Summer, 2021

The City of Golden strives to be a diverse, inclusive community and a place for all people to feel valued, safe, and welcome. We acknowledge that the work is ongoing to become an anti-racist city and community. The iconic arch over Downtown Golden is a message we want all to know: YOU are welcome here. The strength and endurance behind the message come from the Golden 2030 Heart and Soul values of a city government that is responsive, approachable, good at listening, welcomes participation and involvement, is fair to all parts of the city, and is accountable. In the spirit of these values, the Golden City Council passed a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis on June 11, 2020.

The current pandemic has made clear the health disparities that have existed in America for more than 400 years. It is shining a stark light upon the long-running racial divide; COVID-19 is killing Black people at higher rates than the rate of White people, and Black people are disproportionately suffering in part due to long-standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systematic racism and other socioeconomic inequities.

The dark and racist history of our city and our entire country has led to many current-day disparities in education, health and safety, job attainment, income and wealth; housing and healthcare; disproportionate incarceration rates for people of color; and other systems of injustice. City Council further recognizes the existence of White privilege, meaning the systemic advantages that White people have relative to people of color and the role it plays in our policies. The deadly police brutality against George Floyd in Minneapolis is one of the most recent examples of this culture of hate and racism that must change. But we can’t wait for change, we must be the change.

The City of Golden is dedicated to listening, learning, and acting to advance racial equity. In light of current events and a loss of trust in law enforcement, we are sharing all of our police procedures and policies so that we can start a dialogue with the community about how we police, and what procedures can use improvement. We encourage our community to join us here on this page to help us find ways to make Golden a more inclusive community. We will also seek out trainings to make us more conscious of issues in our community and continue to find more ways to engage our community in a conversation.

-------------------------------

A Message from Golden Mayor Laura Weinberg - July, 2020

“I want to express my deep sadness and anger about racist incidents and Black lives cut short. People across the country, and here in Denver, are using peaceful protests and rallies to say enough is enough. Enough to ongoing racial prejudice, enough to unequal justice, enough to the killings. Marching, kneeling, or gathering together is a way to express the sadness, the impotence, the frustrations that nothing seems to change or get better. Americans have long used the power of protest in this country to affect changes, but more is needed then just showing up in the streets.”

---------------------------------

The Golden City Council commits to listening & learning, acting, and changing to advance racial equity and improve the quality of life for all in Golden.

Listen & Learn

  • We created this page to engage and listen to the community about how Golden can be more welcoming and inclusive.
  • We are seeking out trainings that make us more conscious of issues in our community and how to avoid and stamp out systemic racism.

Action - August, 2020

City Council Takes Action Against Racism

At the City Council meeting on Aug. 27, councilors made a commitment to the Golden community to actively address racial inequities and find short and long-term strategies for being a welcoming and inclusive community.

Earlier this year, Council declared racism to be a public health crisis and committed to “listening, learning, and acting to advance racial equity and improve the quality of life and health for all.” This page is dedicated to this important topic. The resolutions passed on Aug. 27 furthered this commitment with some tangible steps forward.

Council authorized a public display of support in the form of a banner under the Welcome to Golden arch that will proclaim, “Golden Stands with Black Lives.” Council member and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Subcommittee member Councilor Trout said “When I say Golden stands with Black lives, it means I recognize the human dignity of each Black person and I value their life. I want to welcome, include, ensure the safety and security, and make sure all Black lives have equal opportunities to thrive… As a city leader, I am telling everyone that I do not tolerate racism and bigotry. I will stand up for anyone facing discrimination. And most importantly, I am committing myself to do the hard work to make the change.”

City Council unanimously voted in favor of the hard work ahead. In July, City Council established the JEDI subcommittee and by resolution on Aug. 27, authorized and directed the subcommittee to research and explore options for developing an anti-racism plan. This includes finding ways to have community conversations about races, equity, and social justice. The Golden Police department will host a listening session and the subcommittee will schedule a facilitated town hall listening session prior to November.

Racism is not welcome in Golden. The work to ensure an equitable community will be ongoing, and our community will play an important role in this process. As listening opportunities and public meetings are scheduled, we will list them on this page.

Change

Please subscribe to this page by clicking the link bottom right to be contacted with updates to this page, including what changes are happening.

---------------------------------

Start by Educating Yourself

Wondering what you can do? How you can get involved? Here are some resources for you:

  • Demographics of Diversity in Golden

    Share Demographics of Diversity in Golden on Facebook Share Demographics of Diversity in Golden on Twitter Share Demographics of Diversity in Golden on Linkedin Email Demographics of Diversity in Golden link

    For people reporting one race alone, 92.1 percent were White; 1.4 percent were Black or African American; 0.6 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native; 3.0 percent were Asian; 0.0 percent were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 0.8 percent were some other race. An estimated 2.2 percent reported two or more races.

    An estimated 7.9 percent of the people in Golden were Hispanic. An estimated 85.2 percent of the people in Golden were White non-Hispanic. People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

  • Golden's Foreign-born Population

    Share Golden's Foreign-born Population on Facebook Share Golden's Foreign-born Population on Twitter Share Golden's Foreign-born Population on Linkedin Email Golden's Foreign-born Population link

    In 2014-2018, an estimated 91.7 percent of the people living in Golden were U.S. natives and 36.4 percent were Colorado natives.

    Approximately 8.3 percent of Golden residents in 2014-2018 were foreign-born. Of that number, 35.1 percent were naturalized U.S. citizens and an estimated 49.8 percent entered the country before the year 2010.

    Foreign-born residents of Golden come from different parts of the world. The bar graph to the right displays the percentage of foreign born from each world region of birth in 2014-2018 for Golden.

  • Languages Spoken in Golden

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    Among people at least five years old living in Golden in 2014-2018, 10.7 percent spoke a language other than English at home. Spanish was spoken by 4.5 percent of people at least five years old; 2.8 percent reported that they did not speak English “very well.”

Page last updated: 03 Dec 2024, 04:10 PM