Long Beach Launches Equitable Data Collection Toolkit

In 2020, the Long Beach City Council passed a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. As a result, the City Council has adopted the Racial Equity and Reconciliation report. The document lays out several actions necessary to address anti-Black racism and advance racial equity and in Long Beach. Significantly, the report envisions a future where race does not determine social and economic outcomes. These actions and this vision depend on accurate and specific data collection and data practices.

The City uses data to inform decisions about policy, programming, and other outcomes. City staff should be held accountable to using public information in an ethical manner that serves the public good. Staff may not use data collected from the public to reinforce existing biases or to make decisions that may exclude, harm, or criminalize low-income communities and communities of color. City staff must also work to include the diverse identities and experiences of Long Beach community members when designing city programs and policies.

The City of Long Beach recently rolled out the Equitable Data Collection Toolkit, meant to guide City employees as they design and distribute surveys, as well as to ensure that City staff equitably share data insights from surveys.