What does it take to be healthy? What does it take to be safe? At State of Equity, we believe the answer to these two questions is the same: Our community conditions are the single most important factor determining our ability to live healthy, safe lives. These conditions are shaped by government policy and practice, economic conditions, institutional and structural racism, and social factors such as belonging and inclusion. The same conditions that impact our health also impact our safety; a successful approach to improve either must address both.
For over a decade, State of Equity has innovated in the field of Health and Equity in All Policies (HiAP) by fostering a model of intersectoral coordination and policy making within California state government that infuses the principles of racial equity to address systemic inequities, increase government accountability, and center lived experience.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ) and the California Strategic Growth Council to launch the Safe & Equitable Communities Roundtable, a space for California State government change agents to organize at the intersection of safety, equity, and health. The Roundtable, which is part of the California HiAP Task Force, seeks to address key problems in many current approaches to violence prevention and community safety. These problems include a lack of a holistic vision for community well-being, fragmented programming, leadership, and responsibility, and an over-reliance on punitive practices and policing, which both perpetuate violence and exacerbate racial inequities.
“At CURYJ, we believe those closest to the problem are also closest to the solutions. The Safe and Equitable Communities Roundtable is a space where directly impacted people can engage in an exchange with government employees as we work to strengthen and shift narratives regarding community safety.” – Ray’Von Jones, CURYJ Dream Beyond Bar Program Manager.
Looking to California Communities for Answers
California communities, especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, have been harmed by these antiquated approaches and are creating localized solutions that better address their needs. Innovative community-based organizations have taken it upon themselves to tailor intervention programs that break the cycle of violence at all levels. And their city leaders have noticed and taken action. Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention, Richmond’s Office of Neighborhood Safety, and Los Angeles’ Office of Violence Prevention, to name a few, have been created to support their community-led initiatives. These offices coordinate and support efforts from across their city or county by:
- Funding community-based organizations.
- Leading inter-agency coordination that encourages a “whole-of-government” approach to violence.
- Coordinating comprehensive and data-informed planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Liaising with local law enforcement.
Leveraging State Resources
California has an opportunity to support and emulate community-driven approaches to violence prevention across the state, from big cities to rural communities. By coordinating efforts and streamlining resources around a collective and community-led vision, the State of California can support safe communities in a tailored and need-driven manner.
In recent years, cities and states across the country have turned to this approach. Michigan, Colorado, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Illinois have created state-level offices to support and coordinate community-driven prevention efforts. California state government is well-poised to further build on these types of efforts, with more local level experience than anywhere else in the country. By leveraging community wisdom and expertise, California has an opportunity to demonstrate what holistic, community-driven, police-alternative solutions to violence prevention and safe communities can truly accomplish.
The Safe & Equitable Communities Roundtable is one step toward a more holistic approach to building safe communities. To date, staff from over a dozen state departments and offices have participated in the Roundtable, including the California Departments of Public Health, Social Services, Civil Rights, Fish & Wildlife, Parks & Recreation, Fire & Forestry Protection, Office of Planning & Research, Racial Equity Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Public Utilities Commission, Health and Human Services Agency, and First 5 Commission.
“To meaningfully support safety and resilience for all our communities, we must ensure those who are most vulnerable are at the center of the effort to find solutions. We’re proud to work with the Safe and Equitable Communities Roundtable to uplift and support community-driven strategies and initiatives across state government. By coming together, we’re taking an important step toward justice, equity, and safety for all.” – Christina N. Teixeira, California Civil Rights Department Attorney Mediator.
For more information about our approach, you can read our reports:
- Reimagining Community Safety (2024)
- Beyond Violence Prevention (2021)
If you would like to learn more or get in involved in the Roundtable or our work to promote safe communities in California, visit our Safe Communities page or contact stateofequity@phi.org