In September of 2020, in response to the multiple national events that highlighted the issue of racial inequality in America, the Community, Military, and Federal Facility Partnership of Northern Virginia added the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion to its agenda for its bi-monthly meetings.
On November 5, 2020, after a six-week planning effort, the Partnership held a two-hour session to: (1) listen and learn about respective community and military efforts and initiatives around DEI in the region; (2) further military and community conversations and collaboration in these areas to ensure our communities are equitable and welcoming places for all service members and their families to call home; and (3) identify ways to further partner with each other to address the challenges of racial inequity.
Since November, these conversations have continued through meetings, listening sessions, and other venues resulting in learning and areas for action. This Roadmap, a framework for coordinating our efforts, describes four initial focus areas and associated actions that have emerged from regional collaboration. It is a living document and will be updated regularly to reflect new inputs and priorities.
You can read the working draft of the Roadmap for comment here.