Equity and Social Justice

Similar to other urban areas across the nation, the gap between affluent and disadvantaged communities in King County remains wide and people of color are faring the worst. As shown on this website, by almost any measure of social concern, the outcomes for communities of color are well below those for the more privileged communities. Without improvements to their economic, social, and physical environments, stressed communities face substantial barriers to changing their circumstances. An emerging initiative for the King County Executive is to examine the causes of racial disparities and inequities and use the resources and leverage of King County government to create the conditions for all individuals and communities to have equal opportunities for health and prosperity. While this is a complex issue without ready-made solutions, we must explore a full-range of strategies (see graphic below). Given the early stage of this initiative, preliminary indicators are shown. As work progresses, the website will be updated.

King County by the numbers

Indicators:

The infant mortality rate for Native Americans is nearly four times higher than the rate for whites.
Latino adults are nearly four times more likely than white adults to be without health insurance.
The median income for white households is twice that of African American households
African American and Latino students are 30% less likely than white students to graduate from high school on time.
People of color are more than twice as likely to experience discrimination as whites.