California Air Resources Board

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CARB's approach to community engagement

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is working to develop a consistent approach to community engagement to build trust and strong relationships with communities and ensure equitable outcomes for all Californians. CARB is creating the Community Engagement Model to achieve this goal. The Community Engagement Model will be co-developed through our partnerships with communities to ensure we build upon the knowledge and expertise of communities throughout the state. 

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Background

On October 22, 2020, CARB adopted Resolution 20-33 to establish and advance racial equity and social justice measures in all CARB actions. In this resolution, the Board called for all staff to identify and implement best practices for community engagement, and to apply these practices throughout all of CARB’s activities. Essential to the work on community engagement, which the resolution addresses, is the work to address institutional and structural racism. In tandem with the Community Engagement Model, CARB is developing the Racial Equity Lens (formally known as REAL), a data driven analytical tool for staff to embed a racial equity analysis in the planning and implementation of policies, programs, and actions undertaken by CARB. The Racial Equity Lens is designed to help CARB staff incorporate racial equity into actions and decision making at CARB by:

• Describing the legal, policy, and organizational frameworks at CARB for staff to consider racial equity; 
• Identifying the information staff should consider in assessing the equity impacts of actions and decision making at CARB; and 
• Characterizing and highlighting questions about racial equity that staff should ask and address in each step of the process. 

The Community Engagement Model and Racial Equity Lens will help CARB implement a charge of the resolution, “that all people of color – both inside the organization, and those outside the organization for whom CARB serves and works with as constituents and stakeholders – are treated without prejudice, bias, and derision.” CARB is committed to advancing racial equity and deepening our community engagement efforts to make sure all Californians, especially people of color, are achieving equitable outcomes.

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