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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/7/2020 Item 12, McCann Wilbanks, Megan From:Lisa McCann < To:E-mail Council Website Subject:Comments on Item 12: CREATION OF A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION TASK FORCE Dear Mayor Harmon and Council Members, Thank you for continuing to make diversity, equity and inclusion (D,E&I) a priority. I appreciate the explanations of the background and guiding principles and goals, the clearly-articulated charge, desired make-up of participants, and process for selecting task force participants. I also have some comments and suggestions. First, I recommend being thoughtful and aware that the structured charge and processes of the task force, in and of themselves, may be doing one of the very things we are trying to undo- inviting black, indigenous and people of color to share their experience and expertise in forums and with processes designed by and very familiar to dominant, white, government cultures, and not through forums or processes of their own cultures or making. One suggestion to address this, is to modify the descriptions of the process and steps to clearly add a step that provides the opportunity for the participants on the task force to determine the style of their engagement together, once they convene; this will allow the opportunity to honor different approaches for dialogue and community engagement, if the group so chooses. This will also acknowledge the reality that the structured, specifically-defined, government process this task force is expected to implement may not be comfortable for and is possibly unfamiliar to some of the people with different lived experiences that the task force needs. Please consider adding language that recognizes formation and kick-off of the task force that includes self-determined establishment of the style of engagement by the participants. Some specific suggestions to do that: in the “approach” section on page 11, add a statement that the task force participation/engagement will model D,E&I; after “task force convenings” on page 11, add “task force self-determines style of engagement to honor the diversity of participants;” add a new step between Steps 2 and 3 on page 12 that says “task force convenes, task force self-determines style of engagement to honor diversity of participants.” I also recommend being aware that the pre-defined, highly structured process along with very high expectations for participation (complex tasks and aggressive timeframes) may prevent people with important perspectives and expertise from participating. For example, might there be people able to serve the task force well because of their lived experience or expertise in determining what D,E&I means to SLO (the first two items in “Approach” Section of Concept Paper on Item page 5) who will not want to serve or be as prepared to prepare a NOFA, or review grant proposals, and define recommendations for City goals (the last two items in “Approach” Section of Concept Paper on Item page 5). One suggestion to address this is to state that the process may be extended if it is determined that more time is needed to complete tasks and achieve outcomes. You might also consider adding more information about the frequency of meetings and anticipated time commitment, and additional explanation of tasks, to better inform potential participants what they are signing up for. I am concerned that people who may serve the task force well will not apply because the application process and effort to update or make a resume are time intensive or they may not know how to do it. To address this possible barrier, I recommend you consider establishing the opportunity for potential participants to request assistance to prepare applications and resumes. Please consider adding and clearly explaining, wherever the documents discuss the application process and participant selection, that the City will provide an opportunity for people to get assistance or be assigned a mentor to help them fill out applications and make resumes if they request it. I would be willing to serve as such a mentor in a volunteer capacity. 1 Finally, please consider adding some qualifying language to the descriptions of the criteria for participants that says something like “people who meet all or some of these qualifications, and who have high interest in this effort, and can commit to the time and charge of the task force should consider applying.” I offer this comment from this perspective: I determined that I would not meet the desired qualifications of participants, based on my careful review of the agenda materials for Item 12, because my “lived experience” in this context is white-privileged; I have experience, but not “expertise,” working on racial equity, diversity and inclusion for organizations and for improving racial equity/environmental justice in delivery of government programs; and I also have professional experience (not specifically related to D,E&I) preparing requests for proposals, project selection criteria, and ranking and selection of projects to receive grant funding. If that is how you intend the criteria for participation to be interpreted, to limit applications from people like me, and target and encourage applicants only if they truly have lived experience or expertise in D,E&I, then the current language is fine (and I have no problem with that). Said another way, if your explorations to date and the conversations you have had with Race Matters and NAACP of SLO, indicate high likelihood that you will find 9-13 participants that have lived experience or expertise, and are able and willing to work well in a collaborative setting, and are motivated and committed to all aspects of the tasks and projects the task force is charge with on a tight timeframe, then the language about criteria for participants works as is. Otherwise, as suggested above, please consider adjusting the language. I have been a resident of SLO for 25 years. I almost did not move here, back then, because of the city's lack of diversity and so few Black residents (I was coming from Oakland, CA). So seeing Agenda Items like Item 12, makes me happy and shows your/our commitment to grow our D, E&I. Thanks for your leadership in enriching SLO by focusing on D,E&I. Sincerely, Lisa Horowitz McCann 2420 Leona Ave, SLO, CA 93401 2