Philadelphia DEIA Resources

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is a priority in Philadelphia, a city striving to achieve the founding ideals of the United States of America.

The City of Philadelphia has taken several steps to dismantle institutional and structural barriers, establish DEIA best practices in the public sector, and ensure the protection of marginalized groups. Since 2015, these efforts have garnered a 100-perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index.

The city’s goal: “making Philadelphia safer, cleaner, and more economically vibrant for every neighborhood. Equity is part of how we get that done.”

Certified Welcoming City

The City of Philadelphia is one of the largest municipalities in the nation to be named a Certified Welcoming city by Welcoming America, a distinction the city first earned in 2023. This designation recognizes communities with concrete policies and inclusive programs designed to ensure immigrant residents feel valued, supported, and fully integrated into civic and economic life.

To achieve certification, cities undergo a comprehensive self-assessment and a rigorous third-party audit evaluating municipal services, accessibility, and community engagement. While the national average among certified cities is 55 points, Philadelphia earned an outstanding 92 out of 100 points.

For full details on Philadelphia’s evaluation, check out the city’s Certification Audit Report.

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

“Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility is more than a hashtag in Philadelphia,” said Shelia Alexander-Reid, executive director of PHL Diversity. “It is really a mantra, and we make sure that everyone has a seat at the table.”

Diversity Drives Conventions: See how Philadelphia’s inclusive culture shapes conventions held in the city.

PHL Diversity Director Shiela Alexander-Reid in Philadelphia’s Gayborhood.

The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) works to dismantle institutional and structural barriers while embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion as best practices across municipal government. The office focuses on three core pillars:

• Building a diverse workforce: Cultivating city government workers that truly reflect the vibrant demographics of Philadelphia.
• Neighborhood investment: Supporting commercial growth and economic opportunity in underinvested neighborhoods.
• Equitable contracting: Partnering with diverse, local businesses to fulfill municipal needs for goods and services.

Read about the city DEI office’s policies in Chinese, French, Spanish, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Swahili, Russian, and Vietnamese. Philadelphia also offers language access “ensuring that all people can access City services in their language.”

Additional city offices promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion

The City of Philadelphia supports a network of specialized offices dedicated to advocacy, accessibility, and community engagement:

Office for People with Disabilities: Ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), combats discrimination, and coordinates accessible services and public programming citywide. The city has an ADA Events Policy that upholds the commitment to operate the policies, practices, procedures, services, buildings, and activities so they are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities.

Accessibility Toolkit: Explore Philadelphia’s toolkit for planning meetings and events that welcome every attendee.

Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs: Advocates for civil rights policies and fosters equitable living and working conditions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual individuals, and additional members of the LGBTQ+ community across all areas of city government and develops city policies regarding civil rights issues for LGBTQ+ people.

Proud to Welcome You: Learn what makes Philadelphia a standout destination for the LGBTQ community.

Mayor’s Office of Black Male Engagement: Works to close the opportunity gap and eliminate socioeconomic disparities for men and boys of color, including Black, Asian, Latino, and immigrant populations.

Mayor’s Office of Women Engagement: Works to connect women, girls, and people who identify as female with economic opportunities, health and wellness resources, social justice initiatives, and gender-equality advocacy.

Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs

According to Pew Research Center data, Philadelphia’s foreign-born population has reached its highest level since the 1940s, accounting for nearly 16% of the city’s overall population. The Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA) promotes the wellbeing of these diverse communities by developing policies and programs that provide opportunity and access to services while helping “facilitate the successful inclusion of immigrants into the civic, economic, and cultural life of the city.”

The OIA also oversees two dedicated advisory bodies — the Mayor’s Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs. Composed of local leaders, advocates, and professionals representing their respective diasporas, these commissions directly advise city leadership on policy, community needs, and equity initiatives across Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Police Department Policies & Training

The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD)’s five-year plan focuses on “delivering constitutional, procedurally just, and high-quality responsive service” to all residents. Through “open and accountable” policies and rigorous protocols, the department is committed to safeguarding quality of life with dignity and fairness.

• PPD’s LGBTQIA+ Liaison Team: This dedicated unit works to enhance community safety while building trust between LGBTQIA+ residents and law enforcement. The team leads extensive diversity and sensitivity training for department personnel and drives community awareness initiatives citywide.
• MacArthur Safety and Justice Challenge: Philadelphia partnered with the MacArthur Foundation on a data-driven reform effort aimed at safely reducing the local jail population by 50% and eliminating racial and ethnic disparities at the point of arrest. Through early diversion and deflection strategies, Philadelphia exceeded its target — reducing the city’s jail population by nearly 58% over a 10-year span.

Both Philadelphia and Pennsylvania law strictly safeguard every individual’s fundamental right to fair and equal treatment in all public accommodations. Learn more about your protections under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations’ anti-discrimination laws.

Land Acknowledgement

For centuries before its founding, the land now known as Philadelphia was cared for by indigenous peoples, including the Lenni-Lenape of Lenapehoking and the Poutaxat (Delaware Bay). The City of Philadelphia honors these sovereign tribes, recognizing their enduring strength, rich history, and continued resilience against colonization. Learn more about the city’s official Land & Life Acknowledgment.