Commissioners to attend half-day training on March 14

Boulder County, Colo. -- On Jan. 16 the Boulder County Commissioners officially announced that Boulder County is now a Core Member of the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE). GARE is a national network of governments working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Being a Core Member of the organization will help move the county’s Strategic Priority Area of Equity & Justice forward toward the stated goals in that area.

As a Core Member of GARE, Boulder County can access trainings and resources as well as connect with other government members to share ideas. The first opportunity to take advantage of these training offerings will be Thursday, March 14 when the Board of County Commissioners will take part in a half-day training called Advancing Racial Equity: The Role of Government.

Racial equity means eliminating race-based outcome gaps so that race cannot predict a person's success and focuses on improving outcomes for all. This approach prioritizes those who are in the most need and moves from a service-based approach toward a focus on policies, institutions, and structures. By focusing on race, we ensure that our efforts do not forgo this vital aspect of equity work.

As a local government, Boulder County can lead the way toward dismantling institutional and structural racism and setting the county on an accelerated path toward vibrant growth for all.
Commissioner Deb Gardner explains the decision to join GARE by saying, “We must continue to advance racial equity. Doing nothing perpetuates racial inequities and we can make the choice to move forward.”

To learn more about GARE, visit https://www.racialequityalliance.org/. For more information about Boulder County’s equity work and membership with GARE, contact the Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Courtney Prusmack, at cprusmack@bouldercounty.org or 303-441-1478.