Diversity, Equity + Inclusion

The City of Kent is committed to eliminating racial inequities and improving outcomes for all

The City of Kent has been a proud member of the Government Alliance on Race & Equity (GARE) since 2019. The goal for our jurisdiction’s racial equity work is to eliminate racial inequities and improve outcomes for all racial groups. To achieve these objectives and arrive at different outcomes this requires a transformation of government.

Using GARE’s Theory of Change, the city embarked on the creation of a Race & Equity Strategic Plan in early 2021

GARE’s Theory of Change:

Normalize – A shared understanding, knowledge, and terminology around racial equity within the organization and among the community. 

Organize – A sustainable and supported structure to advance racial equity within local government and within our community, establishing and strengthening external partnerships and meaningful community engagement.

Operationalize – Explicitly incorporating racial equity tools into operations through the development of toolkits and training.

Strategic Plan Areas of Focus and Goals

After conducting public engagement in the Summer of 2021, data was collected where five preliminary areas of focus stood out.  These areas of focus were vetted during three multilingual community sessions and later by our internal equity team, and City Leadership.

In December 2021, the areas of focus and universal goals for our plan were finalized.

1. Communications - The City of Kent is committed to building an inclusive and well-informed community, by working to improve communication about city services in a manner that is culturally relevant and equitable.


2. In-Language Resources - The City of Kent is committed to providing culturally relevant services and information in multiple languages.


3. Equitable Representation - The City of Kent recruits and retains a talented workforce that is increasingly reflective of the community we serve, across all positions, from frontline staff, advisory boards and commissions, to executive leadership.


4. Training - The City of Kent will provide anti-racist and culturally relevant training, along with other topics that foster constructive communication and cross-cultural understanding for city representatives and the broader community.


5. Community Engagement - The City of Kent engages in relationship building through ongoing dialogue, outreach, and inclusion, centering racial equity in our approach.

For more on our Race & Equity Plan’s co-creation process and implementation please visit our Race & Equity page here.