To: Mayor George Endicott, Mayor
Mayor Endicott: Redmond City Council Needs a Cultural Advisory & Diversity Council
Mayor Endicott, it's 2018. The city of Redmond, OR is more diverse than ever, and as such, needs a Cultural Advisory & Diversity Council. We've read the City Council goals for 2017-2018; they will take this community to the top. Adding a Cultural Advisory & Diversity Council will only strengthen the vision and mission of Redmond, Oregon.
Why is this important?
Our City Council vision states, "The City of Redmond will be a model for Northwest communities by being innovative in the creation of a high quality of life, ample family wage jobs and a safe environment in which to raise and educate families."
In October of 2017, Redmond constituents emailed and met with City Councilors to share community experiences with racism and racial microaggression in Redmond. We attended Council meetings and asked Council to show commitment by joining a non-partisan, non-profit organization that has road-mapped how to successfully engage immigrants and refugees INTO the heart of a community.
The Council said no, primarily because of 1) an up to $200/year membership fee and 2) fear of possible political ramifications. Further, in a recorded Council workshop that took place October 17, 2017, Council members including our Mayor, made dismissive commentary in consideration of this request, such as, "We do feel welcoming, but we don't need to belong to an organization to prove it." "I don't see the need for it." and "Are we going to do one for pets next, because I want all pets to feel welcome, too." They seemed distracted by language and lingo, as opposed to the heartfelt testimony of citizens who'd done their best to clarify their personal experiences and concerns. (Addendum: Instead of committing to actionable items to further engage diverse community members into city process, they passed a Proclamation of Redmond as "a community where all people feel welcome." This proclamation is visible on Page 3, Exhibit 5 at: https://docs.google.com/gview?url=https%3A%2F%2Fredmond-or.granicus.com%2FDocumentViewer.php%3Ffile%3Dredmond-or_f32f65ee-704b-4e41-9bcc-7b814287395f.pdf%26view%3D1&embedded=true)
Community members continue to voice grave concerns about Redmond's spirit of equity. We do not desire dismissal and jokes; we desire actions of commitment to inclusion and equity for Redmond, Oregon residents who are vulnerable to discrimination every day. An advisory committee or board would ensure these concerns are not swept aside without dedicated response and actions to strengthen the spirit of equity in Redmond, Oregon.
In October of 2017, Redmond constituents emailed and met with City Councilors to share community experiences with racism and racial microaggression in Redmond. We attended Council meetings and asked Council to show commitment by joining a non-partisan, non-profit organization that has road-mapped how to successfully engage immigrants and refugees INTO the heart of a community.
The Council said no, primarily because of 1) an up to $200/year membership fee and 2) fear of possible political ramifications. Further, in a recorded Council workshop that took place October 17, 2017, Council members including our Mayor, made dismissive commentary in consideration of this request, such as, "We do feel welcoming, but we don't need to belong to an organization to prove it." "I don't see the need for it." and "Are we going to do one for pets next, because I want all pets to feel welcome, too." They seemed distracted by language and lingo, as opposed to the heartfelt testimony of citizens who'd done their best to clarify their personal experiences and concerns. (Addendum: Instead of committing to actionable items to further engage diverse community members into city process, they passed a Proclamation of Redmond as "a community where all people feel welcome." This proclamation is visible on Page 3, Exhibit 5 at: https://docs.google.com/gview?url=https%3A%2F%2Fredmond-or.granicus.com%2FDocumentViewer.php%3Ffile%3Dredmond-or_f32f65ee-704b-4e41-9bcc-7b814287395f.pdf%26view%3D1&embedded=true)
Community members continue to voice grave concerns about Redmond's spirit of equity. We do not desire dismissal and jokes; we desire actions of commitment to inclusion and equity for Redmond, Oregon residents who are vulnerable to discrimination every day. An advisory committee or board would ensure these concerns are not swept aside without dedicated response and actions to strengthen the spirit of equity in Redmond, Oregon.