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Equity and Social Justice Initiative  The King County Equity and Social Justice Initiative takes aim at long-standing and persistent local inequities and injustices. Government and local communities are better prepared than ever before to address these challenges.
"It is unacceptable that the color of your skin or your home address are good predictors of whether you will have a low birth weight baby, die from diabetes or your children will graduate from high school or end up in jail," says King County Executive Ron Sims.
The King County Equity and Social Justice Initiative aims to end persistent local inequities and injustices that result in, among other things, higher rates of disease among low-income populations and disproportionate rates of young black men in jail.
Examples of actions of the new Initiative include
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Developing and testing an equity impact assessment and review tool and incorporating the tool into decision-making.
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Collecting and publishing measures to highlight inequities and to mark progress in correcting them.
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Beginning a community dialogue process, using a new PBS series “Unnatural Causes,” to increase awareness among community members of equity and social determinants of health and to spur action, especially around policies.
King County has three levels of action
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Policy development and decision-making: King County will ensure that promoting equity is intentionally considered in the development and implementation of key policies and programs and in making funding decisions.
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Delivery of county services: By working with partners and the community, King County and its departments will identify and mitigate social inequities. All departments will begin new activities in 2008 to promote equity.
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Community partnerships: King County can be a catalyst for mobilizing the community and supporting effective partnerships and actions. Community engagement and education constitute the initial set of opportunities in 2008.
As part of this Initiative, King County is looking at new approaches and using the following principles to guide its work
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Identify and address the conditions at the root of inequities
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Actively seek out and promote decisions and policies aimed at equity
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Empower communities
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Work across agencies and departments
- Recognize and honor cultural differences
- Raise and sustain visibility of equity and social justice, and aim for long-term, permanent change
The United States is burdened by vast inequities in wealth, health and opportunities. This county, named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is not exempt from this grim picture.
Look at the facts
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A child in south King County is more than twice as likely to drop out of high school as one in east King County.
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A worker making between $15,000 and $25,000 a year is 10 times less likely to have health insurance than one making $50,000 or more per year.
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A youth of color is six times more likely than a white youth to spend time in a state or county correctional facility.
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A southeast Seattle resident is four times more likely to die from diabetes than a resident of Mercer Island.
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A Native American baby is four times more likely to die before his or her first birthday than a white baby.
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