Broward County is launching a Racial Equity Task Force under a new ordinance.
Commissioners on Wednesday approved the task force, which they said "will identify systemic and racial inequities and develop a detailed plan aimed at eliminating racism and create greater racial equity in Broward."
The task force will be made up of 37 members from a broad cross section of communities, the commission said. Broward commissioners will each appoint one member to the task force.
“This brings us an entity that will identify issues of inequities, bring about policy recommendations and identify those who will be able to implement across the board solutions, that we can work,” said Commissioner Dale Holness, who sponsored the ordinance.
Membership will also include a person from the Broward Workshop, the Broward League of Cities, Hispanic Unity of Florida, School Board of Broward County, Broward County Sheriff, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Urban League of Broward County, Office of the State Attorney for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Office of Public Defender for the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Black Lives Matter, New Florida Majority, Community Foundation of Broward, Broward County Black Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Broward County, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Children’s Services Council of Broward County, a representative from the banking or mortgage banking industry, representative recommended by the Broward Council of Chambers of Commerce, the Pride Center at Equality Park, an individual from Broward College, six Broward residents who are engaged in racial equity work in one of the County’s systems for child welfare, housing and homelessness, or health care services nominated by the Human Services Department, a representative of a newspaper of other media organization and the Women of Color Empowerment Institute.
