Explanation
This ordinance authorizes Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the YWCA in support of the Equity Now Coalition.
The Equity Now Coalition’s work began on March 18, 2020 when President/CEO of the Columbus Urban League (CUL), Stephanie Hightower convened a COVID-19 virtual meeting on March 18, 2020 with the immediate goal of sharing information to mitigate the pandemic’s disparate impact on Black and other People of Color (POC). The weekly COVID-19 Alliance meetings began on March 26, 2020. The urgent necessity for these virtual meetings was further exacerbated by the public 8 minute and 46 second execution of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. Mr. Floyd’s murder-amidst the growing number of COVID-19 diagnoses and its’ disproportionate racial impact-resurfaced the unbroken chain of police brutality/fatality that has been waged on Black and other POCs since before this country’s inception. Mr. Floyd’s death, against the backdrop of the pandemic, set the stage for protests in every state in our nation and across the globe. These unprecedented times present a perhaps fleeting opportunity to make great strides toward equitable race and gender outcomes in the City of Columbus.
This funding will allow the Equity Now Coalition to further develop racially-equitable responses to the COVID-19 pandemic for the Black and other People of Color communities in Columbus. The ENC will provide capacity building to-and collaboration amongst-existing human service programs and services and work together to achieve race and gender outcomes for the community in general.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the CARES Act fund.
Emergency action is requested in order to avoid any delay in providing the resources necessary to the Equity Now Coalition to develop racially-equitable responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Title
To authorize Columbus City Council to enter into a grant agreement with the YWCA in support of the Equity Now Coalition; to authoriz...
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