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WRPA Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Resources

Definitions, Tools, Links, and More

In 2020, WRPA launched a new committee in support of our commitment to Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (EIB). The EIB Committee was formed in recognition that many public service institutions were created during a time when societal norms privileged and included some groups, while they disadvantaged and excluded others, creating inequities.

The EIB Committee has helped to gather the resources below. 

Learn More About the Committee

Please email the WRPA Office at [email protected] if you have any resources you would like to add or any questions. 

Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Resources

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Equity vs Equality

Equality is one of the central principles of democracy and is based on the belief that all people should have the same opportunities to be successful and have a productive, enjoyable life. Equality is rooted in fairness since it is linked to another American ideal, that of a meritocracy. The idea of equality is key to the notion that everyone will be able to achieve based on their efforts and contributions to society instead of their status or position. Equality was particularly important during the civil rights era when nonwhites didn’t have equal standing or treatment before the law. More recently there has been a debate about whether equality is enough and whether equity is a more important principle.
Equity recognizes that everyone doesn’t begin in the same place in society. Some people face adverse conditions and circumstances making it more challenging with the same effort to achieve the same goals. Equity advocates for those who may have been historically disadvantaged, making it difficult for them to be successful. What is “fair” as it relates to equity isn’t a question of what is the same but rather the point from which a person begins. Equity takes into account historical and other factors in determining what is fair.

Bias & Oppression

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Equity-Seeking Groups

Equity-seeking groups are communities that experience significant collective barriers in participating in society. This could include attitudinal, historic, social, and environmental barriers based on their group’s positionality in society.

Equity-Seeking Groups Barriers to Equity
  • BIPOC/Racialized Group(s)
  • 2SLGBTQIA+
  • Immigrants & Refugees
  • Persons with Disabilities
  • Women
  • Youth
  • Seniors

Some examples of other people who are vulnerable:

  • Persons with low-income
  • Victims of violence
  • Persons with low literacy
  • Persons who are homeless or under-housed
  • Residents in Neighborhood Improvement Areas
  • Access to Education, Training, Employment, and Pay Equity
  • Access to Affordable Housing
  • Access to Food
  • Access to Health Services
  • Access to Affordable Childcare
  • Access to Affordable Eldercare
  • Access to City Information
  • Access to Economic Development Opportunities
  • Access to City Services
  • Access to City Spaces
  • Access to Parenting Supports
  • Access to Public Transit
  • Access to Shelters
  • Discrimination
  • Identity & Belonging
  • Civic Engagement & Community Participation Poverty
  • Safety & Security

Links to General Resources

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Resources for Allies

* Adapted from University of British Columbia’s Equity and Inclusion Glossary

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