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color. In recognition of the need to strive for <br />racial equity, cities are invested in building a <br />more equitable future when every resident <br />can thrive regardless of race. Among efforts <br />cities are undertaking are: <br />a) Examining how cities deliver <br />services and set local policies among <br />city staff and elected officials; <br />b) Creating high-level staff positions <br />and departments to address race <br />equity, financial and educational <br />opportunity, diversity, and analysis <br />of city policies; <br />c) Engaging with the communities of <br />color to build/rebuild relationships <br />and trust; <br />d) Establishing city commissions to <br />address race and racial equity issues <br />with local affected communities; and <br />e) Working to improve access to city <br />procurement opportunities for <br />veteran-, woman-, and minority - <br />owned businesses. <br />However, cities acknowledge that there is <br />much work that still needs to be done before <br />success for all Minnesotans can be achieved <br />regardless of race. To optimize success for <br />all Minnesotans, cities cannot work in <br />isolation on racial equity issues. <br />Further, it should be acknowledged that <br />community members who are both from <br />communities of color and are immigrants <br />require local governments to understand the <br />intersection between these two issues and <br />evaluate public policy initiatives from <br />multiple social justice perspectives. League <br />policies on immigration and racial equity are <br />heavily interrelated in that situation. <br />Response: In order to best support and <br />serve all Minnesotans, the State should <br />take a leadership role by prioritizing <br />addressing racial equity through its <br />actions: <br />18 <br />a) Partner with local government and <br />communities of color to identify <br />and address racial equity issues; <br />b) Proactively assess past racial <br />harms and develop actions to <br />address them; <br />c) Collect and provide data <br />disaggregated by race necessary <br />for cities and the state to make <br />informed decisions about how to <br />address racial disparities; <br />d) Develop a state system for the <br />proactive and innovative <br />development and delivery of <br />resources to local government to <br />address racial equity including <br />policy and service options, local <br />engagement tools, policy expertise, <br />and financial resources; and <br />e) Actively review and amend <br />existing statutory language to <br />identify laws that contribute to <br />racial inequities and consider <br />racial equity impacts when <br />crafting proposed legislation and <br />policies. <br />SD-8. Immigration Reform <br />Issue: The United States and the State of <br />Minnesota have long traditions of <br />welcoming immigrants. Immigrants <br />strengthen Minnesota by contributing to the <br />state's economy, enhancing cultural <br />resources, and participating in efforts to <br />build strong communities. <br />According to the National League of Cities, <br />roughly 35 percent of undocumented <br />immigrants have lived in the United States <br />for 10 years or more. Approximately 1.6 <br />million undocumented immigrants are <br />children, and another 3.1 million children in <br />the United States have at least one <br />undocumented parent. These families are <br />forced to live "underground" and are unable <br />to get drivers' licenses or car insurance in <br />