One Fairfax

One Fairfax is a joint racial and social equity policy of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board. The 2016 One Fairfax Resolution commits the county and schools to intentionally consider equity when making policies or delivering programs and services.

It is the commitment to promote fairness and justice in the formation of public policy that results in all residents – regardless of age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, socio-economic status or neighborhood of residence or other characteristics – having opportunity to fully participate in the region’s economic vitality, contribute to its readiness for the future, and connect to its assets and resources.

The One Fairfax Policy establishes shared definitions, focus areas, processes and organizational structure to help county and school leaders to look intentionally, comprehensively and systematically at barriers that may be creating gaps in opportunity. The One Fairfax Policy includes a purpose, definitions, areas of focus to promote equity, process and roles.

Read the One Fairfax Policy

ON THIS PAGE: Why One Fairfax?; Stakeholder Engagement; 5 Key Equity Drivers; Resources

WHY WE CENTER RACE

The findings of former Chairman Bulova's Stakeholder’s Council on Race as outlined in their report, along with data by population and place (see ‘Resources’ at the bottom of this page), identify race as the key predictor of inequity in Fairfax County. Therefore, in our application of the One Fairfax Policy, we center race. We are race explicit but not race exclusive. Other characteristics intersect with race to further marginalize populations and limit access to opportunity. Fairfax County has county programs and services, as well as Board, Authorities, and Commissions that address areas of marginalization such as age, disability, and socioeconomic status. Efforts to address racial and social equity focus on the intersection of these areas to build and connect communities to opportunity.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The One Fairfax Policy identifies community engagement as essential to enable the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, programs, and practices that advance equity:

“To foster civil discourse and dialogue, community engagement shall ensure that the breadth of interests, ideas, and values of all people are heard and considered. Outreach and public participation processes will be inclusive of diverse races, cultures, ages, and other social statuses. Effective listening, transparency, flexibility, and adaptability will be utilized to overcome barriers.”

CHAIRMAN'S TASK FORCE ON EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY

In September 2020, Chairman Jeff McKay convened the Chairman’s Task Force on Equity and Opportunity to better understand the drivers of inequity in Fairfax County and to develop recommendations for accelerating the county’s progress towards becoming One Fairfax. The insights and recommendations developed by the Task Force were identified as critical to advancing racial and social equity in Fairfax County.

ONE FAIRFAX COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE

The purpose of the One Fairfax Community Roundtable (Roundtable) is to leverage members’ insights, experiences, and understanding of the drivers of inequity in Fairfax County to monitor, inform, and support the county’s efforts to advance racial and social equity in alignment with the Countywide Strategic Plan and the county’s One Fairfax Racial and Social Equity Policy. The Roundtable, established in April 2024, consists of 19 members based on recommendations from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to the County’s Chief Equity Officer. The 2024-2026 Roundtable membership consists of individuals representative of Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and low-income communities, women, people living with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+, and other underrepresented groups.

Kick-off meetings for the Roundtable were held on April 24th, 2024, and June 4th, 2024. During the June 4th meeting, members elected Jessica Arias and Jorge Figueredo to serve as the Roundtable’s 2024-2026 Co-chairs. During Summer 2024, members will continue to work with county staff to refine the Roundtable’s operations by early September. Except for holidays, future meetings will be scheduled on the First Tuesdays of the month on a quarterly basis, or as needed.

The opening statement for each key equity driver was developed by the Chairman’s Task Force on Equity and Opportunity.

Resources

Contact the One Fairfax team at onefairfax@fairfaxcounty.gov with questions.

Communities of Opportunity Dashboard offers two tools that display the variation in access to opportunity and wellbeing across the county: the Communities of Opportunity Index and the Communities of Opportunity Equity Map. This information can inform collective action aligned to the Countywide Strategic Plan and efforts that change the built environment of the county to build and connect residents to opportunity and promote wellbeing.
Vulnerability Index shows areas in Fairfax County that are the most vulnerable based on occupation, education, language, income, transportation, health insurance, and housing. The Vulnerability Index can be used with data on community engagement, service delivery, programming, funding, and more to inform decision making.
Fairfax County COVID-19 Vulnerability Index shows which areas of the county are vulnerable to COVID-19, and where to target interventions and resources for response and recovery. It is based on the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index.
Demographics & Data has a variety of data and analyses by place and population to inform program planning.
Needs Assessment | Data Analytics examines current conditions for residents and communities and efficiently align services and resources to address local needs.
Mapping Opportunity in Northern Virginia is an interactive map showing indicators used in reports (see the ‘Reports’ tab, below) from Virginia Commonwealth University Center on Society and Health and the Northern Virginia Health Foundation.

Engagement Level	Community Role	Fairfax County Role
Understand	Listen and ask questions to comprehend and grasp significance.	Provide the community with balanced, objective information.
Contribute	Share concerns and aspirations, and consider the concerns and aspirations expressed by others.	Listen to and acknowledge concerns and aspirations expressed by community and ensure they are considered.
Collaborate	Partner with the county in the development of alternatives and the identification of preferred solutions.	Look to the community in the formulation of solutions and incorporate into decision making to the maximum extent possible.
Decide	Accept trust of county and community to respect and represent their interests in the decision-making process.	Strategically delegate decision-making as appropriate, such as with the BACs.

Topics Alert:

Why One Fairfax?

One Fairfax Video Playlist

COUNTYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN

WHY WE CENTER RACE

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Core Principles of Fairfax County Engagement

Fairfax County Community Engagement Spectrum

How do we make engagement "inclusive?"

CHAIRMAN'S TASK FORCE ON EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY

ONE FAIRFAX COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE

5 KEY EQUITY DRIVERS

Resources

Have Questions?

One Fairfax

Recent Interactions

Ask Fairfax

Topics Alert:

One Fairfax

Why One Fairfax?

One Fairfax Video Playlist

COUNTYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN

WHY WE CENTER RACE

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Principles

Core Principles of Fairfax County Engagement

Engagement Spectrum

Fairfax County Community Engagement Spectrum

Inclusive Engagement Considerations

How do we make engagement "inclusive?"

CHAIRMAN'S TASK FORCE ON EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY

ONE FAIRFAX COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE

5 KEY EQUITY DRIVERS

Community Health and Wellbeing

Community Safety and Justice

Cradle to Career Success

Equitable Community Development

Inclusive Prosperity

Resources

Data and GIS

Reports

One Fairfax History

Have Questions?

One Fairfax

Recent Interactions

Ask Fairfax