Equity in Evanston

We all have the right to achieve our full potential, but society isn’t set up to give everyone a fair shot at success. In the United States, racism and gender inequality have deep and far-reaching roots that impact not just how people interact, but how the very founding blocks of our society are shaped.

Inequity is a system built to favor one group of people over another and the results are predictable – some forcibly fall behind while others thrive. Race and gender should not predict one’s destiny.

If we want our communities to be places where everyone has an equal chance to succeed, we must level the playing field. That means confronting the past and committing to a more just future. By amplifying voices that have not been heard, prioritizing solutions to benefit those who have historically been excluded from opportunity, and by changing minds, hearts, and laws, we can finally right past injustices, be more open and inclusive, and set an example for the region and beyond.

CHANGE STARTS WITH EACH OF US

Today’s many inequities stem from a legacy of systemic racism and oppression that began long before us. Reversing this is a
complex challenge with no single solution.

Real change requires action at every level:

• SYSTEM: Ensuring that laws and policies include rather than exclude.
• COMMUNITY: Building an inclusive, welcoming society
• ORGANIZATION: Shaping equitable institutional practices
• INDIVIDUAL: Empowering people to recognize the forces of inequity

DEMOGRAPHICS

Population: 75,472
Median age: 35.3
Median Household Income: $71,317
Median Home Value: $367,300
Unemployed: 6.2%
Foreign-born: 19.7%
Bilingual: 23.6%
_{Source: CMAP (Data as of 2016)}

AN INCLUSIVE LEADER

The City of Evanston is committed to inclusion, diversity, and equity. It has made great strides to identify and mitigate barriers that disproportionately impact its residents with the goal of being a place where difference is both welcomed and celebrated, and inclusion is actively practiced – an example that others can learn from.

• EQUITY AND EMPOWERMENT COMMISSION: A nine-person elected body that meets monthly and is tasked with eradicating inequities in City services, programs, human resources, and decision-making.
• HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE: Two decades ago, Evanston was the first municipality in Illinois to include transgender persons in its nondiscrimination policy. The City employs an LGBT liaison and in 2014 received a score of 100 from the Human Rights Campaign.
• WELCOMING CITY ORDINANCE: In 2016, the City reaffirmed its ordinance prohibiting City staff and police from inquiring about one’s immigration status.
• CLIMATE ACTION PLAN: The City is also recognized as a climate change leader.

But there still remain barriers to Evanston achieving full equity in its community!