San Bernardino County, in partnership with the San Bernardino County Equity Element Group (SBC Equity Element Group), has retained the firm of Equity & Results, a multiracial learning organization expert in supporting organizations in advancing racial equity and liberation through institutional change. A co-principal and co-founder, Theodore B. Miller, Esq., leads the engagement.
“The SBC Equity Element Group is tasked with determining where there may be racial disparities among our residents in San Bernardino County, recommending campaigns and programs to address those issues, and identifying initiatives that are already underway within county government or in the community that can be highlighted and supported,” said San Bernardino County Assistant Executive Officer Diana Alexander.
On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution declaring Racism A Public Health Crisis. It tasked the county with forming an equity group to represent the 11th element of the Countywide Vision.
Discussions that led to the declaration and equity group were inspired by the national conversation taking place in the wake of the May 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The SBC Equity Element Group comprises Black community members who can review the other 10 elements of the Countywide Vision with an equity focus. Eventually, the group will grow to include representatives from other county communities and include an equity focus for all people.
Miller brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in tackling equity issues within the Black community. With more than 20 years of experience, he has dedicated himself to developing community and neighborhood solutions for some of the world’s most challenging problems.
An expert facilitator and educator on racial inequity and social change for Equity & Results, Miller has taught in university, criminal justice, corporate, and community environments worldwide.
Previously, Miller was recently a senior advisor to three consecutive mayors in San Francisco and the director of HOPE SF, the nation’s first large-scale partnership to transform dilapidated and segregated public housing neighborhoods into vibrant, racially equitable, mixed-income communities without mass displacement of residents.
Many long-standing underserved families, especially African Americans and Pacific Islanders, have found new ladders of opportunity thanks to Miller's efforts. This has come through significant investments in mixed-income housing, fostering community leadership and resident voice networks, and enhancing education, health, and employment services.
A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, Miller was inspired in college by the youth residents of New Haven, Connecticut, where he worked as a community organizer and mental health counselor.
Throughout his career, he has advised and led businesses, universities, hospitals, and elected officials in urban areas nationwide to redesign policy, create new collaboration models, and achieve dramatically better results for low-income communities of color.
Before his appointment to the Mayor’s Office by the late San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, Miller managed community benefits for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, was a corporate attorney at the firm Davis Polk & Wardwell, a commercial broker and real estate developer, and a lecturer and Fellow at the Hutchins Center for African American Research at Harvard University.
Miller has served on the San Francisco Bar Association's Board of Directors, lives in Oakland, and has two daughters.
For more information on the Equity Element Group, email Info@SBCEEG.org.
About The San Bernardino County Equity Element Group
The SBC Equity Element Group’s mission is to identify and address systemic inequities within San Bernardino County. It focuses on creating a more just and equitable society for all residents, particularly Black residents and people of color. The Group strives to dismantle barriers, promote inclusivity, and empower marginalized communities through data-driven strategies and community-centered solutions.