Racial Equity

The commissioners’ commitment to racial equity is rooted in the need for nondiscriminatory justice and the understanding that our country is not yet living up to some of its highest ideals, such as that people’s chances of success in the world should be based on their character, their work ethic, and their big ideas. A child’s future should not be determined by their zip code, skin color or religion, or by how much money their parents have, and good intentions aren’t enough to make the change. Equity work is about erasing disparities, and requires affirmative, systematic, and forward-thinking action.

Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The commissioners’ Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (ODEI) leads the effort for equity in their office, coordinating trainings for more than 1,100 attendees in 2022, and the commissioners’ participation our community’s annual Pride Parade and Juneteenth celebrations.

Community Partnerships

Last year, the commissioners partnered with the Columbus Urban League to create the County Futures program to help low-income Franklin County residents into middle class jobs in county government. Modeled around their ground-breaking Building Futures program, County Futures provides training and support services for job seekers to prepare them for joining the county workforce.

Five career fairs throughout the community
On-the-spot interviews
33 new county employees in 2022

The commissioners’ Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion also partners regularly with other community organizations to provide opportunities and support for underserved residents:

The commissioners’ office partnered with the Columbus Fashion Alliance (CFA) to provide workforce development and education programs for young people last year. The programs are designed to expose the participants to a variety of career paths as well as giving them access to the CFA’s design and production labs.
ODEI also funded a program through the Ohio Business Development Center that provides legal assistance and clinics for women-owned and minority-owned small businesses. Clinic topics included Contracts 101, The Language of Business, Understanding Mechanics’ Liens, and 10.5 Things You Need To Know About LLC Operating Agreements.
And the commissioners’ partnership with the Ohio Business Development Center also provided technical and administrative advice to small contractor businesses through a program called Construction Academy. More than 40 participating businesses received training and mentorship as well as networking opportunities with a number of large, well-established local construction companies that are looking for new partnerships.

Racial Equity Council

The commissioners’ Racial Equity Council is made up of 16 passionate and knowledgeable BOC employees who work to implement best practices for county agencies. The council is divided into subgroups that focus on priority areas:

Communications: telling the story of how Franklin County is working toward equity
Operations: connecting directly with employees throughout the commissioners’ 15 agencies
Engagement: implementing and maintaining Diversity, Equity & Inclusion standards in commissioner agencies

Small and Emerging Business Enterprises

In an effort to promote Small and Emerging Business Enterprises (SEBE), the commissioners’ Purchasing Department works closely with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to increase the diversity of the companies with which the county does business and to ensure that they reflect the community we represent.