To live out our mission, we do the following: 

1. Centralize the work and support of racial and social equity across the city. To ensure that racial and social equity is not just the language we use, but also the culture we cultivate, RASE centralizes equity practices across the government. 

    

2. Bridge the gap between community and government in equitable ways. We do this by working in transformational ways to reposition institutional power into the hands of communities who have been historically excluded in government decision and policy making. By working with community instead of for community we co-build meaningful collaborations that break down barriers and remain committed to co-learning alongside and from community. RASE is also committed to building trusting, authentic relationships with community; listening to community voice and needs; and acting as a champion to community needs, leadership, and expertise. 

    

3. Promote racially and socially equitable policy analysis and research. The RASE Office provides guidance to City departments that are working to implement a framework that ensures policy decisions advance race and social equity, and are made in collaboration with City employees, community members, and other stakeholders.

    

4. Provide technical assistance and education to government staff and community partners. As subject matter experts, RASE provides training and specialized support to help government staff and community partners on their journey as they start and continue to strengthen implementing racial and social equity in their work, programs, and other initiatives. 

    

5. Monitor data and evaluation practices related to racial and social equity within the city. RASE plays a key role in helping our city access a baseline understanding of current divides based on race and social identities. 

    

6. Track and evaluate how well the city is fully embedding racial and social equity in all they do. RASE helps track our City departments and agencies along a progression of key racial and social equity indicators to ensure we are making strides in our commitment to advancing equity for all Alexandrians. This includes collecting data and working with other departments to monitor how well the City is progressing forward in eliminating current divides.

Once racial and social equity are fully embedded in all aspects of the City of Alexandria, RASE envisions a City where:

 

• The community is thriving: We desire a City where ALL Alexandrians live in quality and have access to all resources needed to live a fulfilling and expansive life. To do this, the City of Alexandria, together with all our partner service providers in Alexandria including our state agencies and nonprofit partners, will provide equitable service delivery available to all residents. All Alexandrians and City visitors will have the ability to move easily throughout the City to be able to experience all the City has to offer with full knowledge that regardless of any racial or social identity, they are safe here and belong.
  
   
• The relationship between the community and government is thriving: Alexandria will be a shining example of a city where all community members have an authentic, trusting, and mutually beneficial relationship with the City government. Residents will have the power and know-how to push their City government and shape their future, and government staff will have the tools to be able to receive and be responsive to community needs, leadership, and expertise in service to their future. We envision a City where meaningful collaboration between the community and government is equitable at every stage of a decision, project, initiative and policy. We aim to fundamentally transform our approach to policy-making by ensuring community members are seen and valued as necessary decision makers and are at the forefront of decision-making processes.
  
   
• Government staff are thriving and fully embracing the use of equitable practices to guide our City: In our vision, RASE imagines having internal government policies that no longer cause racial and social harm to our staff, but instead having a City culture and climate where staff within government feel welcomed, safe, and respected within the workplace. All City staff will have equitable pathways for growth, tenure, and professional advancement within their careers at the City. City workforce will be equitably representative of All Alexandrians at all levels of influence, from front line staff to our highest forms of local leadership. RASE envisions a City where all department leadership proactively embraces and has their staff systematically practicing equity through the establishment of high-impact and consistent training of staff at all levels. In our vision, every department and agency will have established strong equity principles and goals centered on the work they provide to Alexandrians so that promoting equity in outcomes and processes is intentional and "first nature" in everything the City does. 

Once we have fully embedded the All Alexandria Resolution, the work of race and social equity does not end because it is forever work. Rather our office’s work will evolve to protect and fortify the policies, practices, values, and culture that were created to eliminate racial and social divides in our City.