City of Alexandria’s Equity Index Map Wins Government Experience Award

Page updated on November 7, 2023 at 5:46 PM
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The Logo for GovX with the text: 2023 Project Winner City of Alexandria, VA - Equity Index Map

 

The City of Alexandria is a proud winner of a 2023 City Government Experience Award for its Equity Index Map, developed by the Race and Social Equity Office (RASE).  

Alexandria’s Equity Index Map identifies disparities in key social and economic outcomes to help inform equitable and inclusive decision-making. It was launched in May as part of the City’s ALL Alexandria resolution, a 2021 City Council decision to recognize Alexandria’s unequal past and commit to pursuing a racially and socially equitable future.  

"Creating an equity index map was an early goal in RASE's strategic plan, and we are elated to see it recognized with a Government Experience Award,” said Kim Hurley, RASE’s Manager of Programs and Partnerships. “Alexandria's Equity Index Map gives City staff and partners access to data that, when combined with community engagement, can inform the development of equitable policies, programs, and initiatives — it will be used to operationalize equity in Alexandria for years to come.” 

The Center for Digital Government (CDG) named Government Experience Award winners this Fall to recognize jurisdictions at the federal, state, city, and county levels for developing digital solutions that enable a more responsive government and engaged constituency. 

RASE leads the City’s efforts to organize infrastructure and operationalize equity principles into day-to-day work with the aim of reducing disparities for all Alexandria residents in accordance with the ALL Alexandria resolution. By making data intuitive to access, the Equity Index Map sets up equity to be a consideration in every legislative, programmatic, and budgeting decision in the city. 

Screenshot of the Equity Index Map

“Technology is a powerful facilitator; used effectively, it can allow information to be demonstrated in a meaningful and impactful way. That’s what RASE has accomplished with the Equity Index Map,” said Vanetta Pledger, the City of Alexandria’s Chief Information Officer and Director of Information Technology Services. 

In addition to the City, the CDG honored the Virginia Department of Health for its Equitable User Experience Lens project, and the Commonwealth of Virginia was named the fifth-place overall Government Experience Award winner at the state level.  

If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available to you, please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3960.