HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/16/2026 Item 6g & 7c, Samaniego
Kara Samaniego <barbieri.kara@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, June 16,
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Public Comment for City Council Meeting 6/16
Hello,
This is for a public comment to today's city council meeting, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, agenda items 6g
and 7c in support of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office, regarding their funding priorities for
the DEI High Impact grant program and strategic plan.
At a time where many cities and organizations are preemptively acquiescing and cowering to the erasure
of DEI initiatives locally and nationwide, I have seen our city stepping up and recommitting itself to ideals
of belonging, access and equity - to the betterment of EVERYONE in our community. Most recently, I
supported the City as a moderator & facilitator for the Belonging Beyond the Binary panel, where trans
community members and allies spoke to a group of community leaders, elected officials and a wide
cross section of city staff, including representation from Fire, Police and HR. The energy in the room
reflected a desire to connect and learn from one another, which is particularly important when there are
so many places of division and polarization right now. From this meeting and other initiatives like the
Belonging Project, real actions can be taken to improve our community by investing in our High Impact
grant program and it's clear that there is a desire among our community to do so. As both a long time
community member in San Luis Obispo, educator, and parent, I urge the City Council to continue
prioritizing funding to the DEI High Impact Grant program and support the efforts of their strategic plan.
Thank you, Kara Samaniego
--
Kara Samaniego
barbieri.kara@gmail.com
(310) 650-3895
1