The Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) is the City’s commitment to social justice and ending racism. The goal of RSJI is to end institutional racism within City government, working toward a vision where racial disparities will be eliminated and racial equity achieved.

RSJI is a division in the Seattle Office for Civil Rights. In 2023, the City of Seattle passed an ordinance (CB 120525) officiallly codifying the Race and Social Justice Initiative as law.

Across the United States, local governments are acknowledging that race matters. When RSJI began in 2004, no US city had ever undertaken an effort that focused explicitly on institutional racism. Since that time, many other cities have established their own equity initiatives.

The movement for racial equity includes grassroots community, organizations, philanthropy, governments and other institutions. We all have different roles to play. We must work together to end structural racism and achieve racial equity.

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