Senior Research Associate Glennon Sweeney and GIS Specialist Michael Outrich, along with Alison Beason of the City of Tacoma, presented the Tacoma Equity Index at the 2019 Washington State GIS Conference in Tacoma, Washington last month.
They discussed how the tool can be used to further improve and address social equity disparities in the City of Tacoma. So far, the tool has been used by city departments to improve lighting infrastructure investment and hiring within the department of public works.
Additionally, Glennon and Michael conducted an Equity Tour of Tacoma with Tacoma City officials and staff, highlighting the historical impacts of disinvestment in communities of color and how that disinvestment manifests itself in today's equity landscape across the city.