Join us!

If you're a dedicated and driven individual looking to make a significant impact on advancing racial equity at the local level, we invite you to apply for an open position on the Whatcom Racial Equity Commission.

Key Commission functions include but are not limited to:

Serve as an advisory board to local government agencies, other organizations committed to the aims of the Commission, and the county-wide community with regard to racial equity.

1. Serve as a community forum on racial equity and create mechanisms to identify issues, concerns, needs, and resources.

2. Gather and analyze disaggregated qualitative and quantitative data to identify racial disparities and disproportionalities in the areas of concern.

3. Develop and propose to local government a coordinated and comprehensive plan to address racial inequity in Whatcom County. This plan shall include measurable objectives and indicators by which progress toward racial equity in all its aspects is to be measured. The Commission shall review and update the plan as necessary.

4. Develop strategies for implementing the plan, including a proposed timeline to achieve each equity objective, together with recommendations for shared governmental and community accountability for addressing racial disparities in Whatcom County.

5. Provide recommendations to the Whatcom County Council and the Executive, to the Bellingham City Council and Mayor, and to relevant entities and jurisdictions concerning: (a) Revisions to organizational policies, procedures, and ordinances as may be needed to promote transparency and diminish racial inequities that may exist; (b) Budget priorities that may be necessary to mitigate and prevent the impacts of racial inequities in local government; (c) Other policies that promote racial equity in response to emerging needs that may require new policies and flexibility in revising earlier proposals.

For the full list of Commission Functions refer to Whatcom County Code 2.107.040