NCLM Southern City Volume 71, Issue 3, 2021

12 SOUTHERN CITY QUARTER 3 2021 LEAGUE UPDATE The Race Conversation: League Gets DIRECT LOCAL LEADERS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THE LEAGUE IS HERE TO HELP. BEN BROWN NCLM Communications & Multimedia Strategist quity and equality. Not the same thing. A small lesson. But understanding that point clears up so much about the race conversation—one that, no matter the media focus or best efforts, still seems siloed. Absorbing the core context and vocabulary is the essential step toward a better community conversation—one that municipal offi- cials are keen to have as the issue holds its center in the national dialogue. That’s why the League has launched DIRECT (Diversity, Inclusion & Racial Equity for Cities & Towns), a learning program for munic- ipal officials and their power to strengthen their communities by identifying and addressing racial disparities at the local level. For its need of level conversation toward agreeable solutions, city and town leaders are uniquely tuned to the conversation, as sensitive and self-confronting as it may be. “The topic of racial equity is very personal. Every person’s belief is founded upon our personal experiences and our education, where we’re from, what we’ve seen and witnessed, who we know,” said Cary council member and immediate past president of the League Jennifer Robinson when asked about DIRECT’s essence. “There are so many components of this and it does become a very personal matter. And we’re asking people to rethink the way that they perceive equity, and are equitable.” DIRECT training comes two ways. The first is a consultation, which is a one or two-day engagement, where a city or town will go through the curriculum. The second way is for communities that may want to tackle an aspect of racial equity in a different way or seek additional tools, DIRECT offers a six-month program with other municipal members. The four-part focus is on language, history, data, and practical solutions. DIRECT is an immediate outgrowth of the work of the Task Force on the Impact of City Leaders on Racial Equity. The 14-member spread of municipal leaders, co-chaired by Cary Council Mem- ber Jennifer Robinson and Fuquay-Varina Commissioner William E