City of Tacoma’s Equity Index Story Map Receives the Special Achievement in GIS Award

TACOMA, Wash. – The City of Tacoma’s innovative use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and analytics technologies in its efforts to facilitate a deeper organizational and community-wide understanding of where, why, and what inequities exist – as detailed in its Equity Index Story Map – has earned Esri’s Special Achievement in GIS Award.

“With our Equity Index, we have intentionally made equity an integral part of governance and policymaking,” said Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards. “Intuitive and visually compelling, it has helped us direct our efforts and resources in ways that reflect the evolving needs of our diverse community, and informed conversations about how every aspect of the work that we do touches lives in profound ways. The Equity Index Story Map illustrates our journey.”

Esri – a global market leader in GIS software, location intelligence and mapping – selected the City of Tacoma and 199 other organizations for the award, out of hundreds of thousands of candidates globally across the commercial industry, defense, transportation, nonprofit, telecommunications, and government sectors. 

“Users across all industries continue to show the groundbreaking possibilities of what GIS mapping and analytics technologies can help them accomplish,” said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. “I am honored to recognize the City of Tacoma for the many ways it is leveraging these technologies in its ongoing efforts to address the community’s most pressing challenges.”

The City of Tacoma has been converting this knowledge and data into action in the areas of workforce, service delivery, and community engagement, with a focus on communities that have historically been underserved and experience inequities. More information on the City of Tacoma’s Equity Index is available at cityoftacoma.org/equityindex.