REMINDER: IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY
Apply to be on the City of Wilsonville’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee by April 5 at 5pm!
Application in English
Application in Spanish (Español)
DEI Committee Explanation
At the direction of the Wilsonville City Council in January 2021, the City is establishing a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to identify and address systemic barriers to inclusion that exist within the City’s practices, processes, regulations, events and other initiatives.
Applicants wishing to serve must complete and submit applications by 5 pm on Monday, April 5. Applications are to be reviewed by a five-member panel that includes City staff and two DEI advocates from the community. The panel may recommend preferred candidates, after which Mayor Julie Fitzgerald will review all applications, conduct interviews and recommend appointments for ratification by City Council vote.
Commitment
As many as 11 community members will be selected to serve one-, two- or three-year terms. The Committee’s evening meetings will begin this summer, after appointed members receive bias awareness and conflict transformation development. Meetings are to be held virtually while COVID-19 restrictions remain in place.
Once seated, the Committee is expected to meet regularly to establish the City’s DEI Strategy, and to begin identifying and addressing that which excludes or marginalizes anyone on any basis, including and not limited to their age, gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, religion or abilities.
Committee members are to serve as a direct liaison between the greater community and City Hall, amplifying the voices and addressing the needs of people traditionally under-represented or excluded in government.
To be eligible, an applicant must live, work or do business in Wilsonville. Targeted outreach is being conducted to recruit one high-school-aged member to engage the youth voices.
Initially, the Committee’s work is being guided by local DEI consultant Bill de la Cruz, who has worked extensively with several local municipalities to identify structural barriers and yield more inclusive cities.
A DEI Committee was a recommendation made by the community at a listening session with the City Council in December 2020. As the Committee establishes the City’s DEI Strategy, it may seek to address additional recommendations brought forth at the listening session. These include:
Increased Representation, Diversity on City Committees
Consistent City communication to brand Wilsonville as an inclusive community
More Inclusive Cultural Events, Celebrations & Holiday Recognitions
Education to the Broader Community (how to address bias, micro-aggressions, etc.)
Opportunities for DEI Advocates to Network and Work More Efficiently Together
For additional information, contact Zoe Monahan, Assistant to the City Manager at 503-570-1503 or monahan@ci.wilsonville.or.us.