Equitable Erie

What is Equity?

Definition

Equity is defined as “the guarantee of fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups."

Equity vs. Equality

Equity involves understanding and giving people what they need to enjoy full, healthy lives. Equality, in contrast, solely promotes fairness - but it can only work if everyone starts from the same place and needs the same things.

Systemic Equity

Systemic equity is a complex combination of interrelated elements consciously designed to create, support, and sustain social justice. It is a dynamic process that reinforces and replicates equitable ideas, power, resources, strategies, conditions, habits, and outcomes.

Designing a system that helps all persons thrive is a shared responsibility.

Thinking About Intersectionality

Intersectionality is the interconnected nature of social categorizations, such as age, race, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion, and socioeconomic status, as they apply to a given individual or group. To acknowledge intersectionality is to acknowledgement that everyone has their own unique experiences of both privilege and oppression. When making both short-term and long-term plans, we must consider how our decisions can either embrace or marginalize people.

When we design spaces and places with intersectionality in mind, it requires a human-centered and more participatory design approach. To do this means to draw upon the multiple needs of communities and persons.

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Privilege is a tailwind, propelling you forward, making navigation through the world easier. Oppression is a headwind, an unseen force, working against you as you try to move forward in life.

1.	Diversity is one of a city's greatest assets.

2.	A city works towards accomplishing the goal of inclusion, not assimilation.

3.	A city taps into the creativity, imagination, experience, and wisdom of its community members - empowering residents, community organizers, artists, culture-bearers, and businesses to actively be involved in shaping the social character and built environment of the city.

Building an Inter-Cultural City

Inter-Cultural Cities have a diverse population and celebrate that diversity. Their population is composed of people of different nationalities and origins - who bring with them different religions, beliefs, traditions, and languages.

An Inter-Cultural City actively combats prejudice and discrimination and ensures equitable opportunities for all. This is ensured by adapting its governing structures, institutions, and services to the needs of a diverse population, without compromising the principles of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.