By Emily Inlow-Hood
NAP Contributor
Bellevue City Council in Washington adopted Diversity Advantage Plan (DAP) 2035. It is a 10-year, citywide, strategic plan that identifies a vision and commits to actions that will create a more equitable community in Bellevue.
The plan has 41, long-term, equity objectives spread across all six of the council’s strategic target areas. The plan focuses on both community-facing services and the organization’s internal culture and practices. With the help of DAP 2035, the city commits to:
- Engaging more authentically with the community.
- Building in more meaningful access to city services and programs.
- Providing the resources and support staff needs to apply an equity lens to city
operations and services. - Connecting the city’s equity work to other strategic work and priorities.
- Measuring progress and success.
- Communicating priorities and progress to staff and the community.
“It’s been a tremendous process…and very inclusive of the community,” said Mayor Lynne Robinson ahead of the vote to adopt. “I am very proud that our city has the capacity and the staff to do work like this.”
The plan was informed by significant community engagement facilitated by the Centering Communities of Color Coordinating Team*. The city shared the preliminary report with the community at an open house before a presentation to the council. 2014, the City of Bellevue adopted its first DAP which established 60 specific recommendations. This will expand the city’s impact on all communities that live, work and play in Bellevue.
*The Bellevue City Council established the Centering Communities of Color (CCC) initiative in January 2021 to advance racial equity, build trust and ensure all Bellevue residents can thrive. Phase 1 (2021–2024) focused on community dialogue and trust-building. The team comprised of leaders from African American/Black, Asian Pacific Islander, Indigenous and Latino communities. They facilitated community dialogues, gathered stories and developed community-led recommendations for the city.
This comprehensive report documents the transformative work of Phase 1. The CCC process represents a fundamental shift from traditional public engagement toward justice-based community partnership.
Through seven community dialogues, an open house with more than 175 participants, CCC created unprecedented opportunities for communities of color to shape city policy and planning.
See CCC Dialogues: Community Engagement Report at: https://bellevuewa.gov/sites/default/files/media/pdf_document/2025/cmo-2025-58102-cccengagementreport.pdf.
