Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Initiative
Belmont - Council Meeting
May 2024
City of Belmont
Agenda
● Recap Belmont’s DEI Initiative to Date
● Diversity in Belmont’s Community and City Staff
● (In)Equity - What Is It?
● How Do We Operationalize Equity in Belmont?
Group Agreement
• Be respectful all around (one mic at a time)
• Keep an open mind
• Salutations / Greetings
• Clear, direct communication (internal and external)
• Ask, don't assume
• Maintain confidentiality
• Don't be afraid
• Be present, active, participate
• Be accountable
• Assume best intentions
• Maintain safe space - brave space
• Check your titles out at the door
Belmont’s Vision Statement
“We value and celebrate a
strong commitment to diversity,
inclusion, safety, equality, and
dignity for all individuals in
Belmont.”
Belmont’s DEI Statement (Internal)
The City of Belmont values and celebrates a
diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace
environment and commits to providing
everyone an equal opportunity to thrive.
2017 - City Council resolution protecting civil rights in the community 2021 - Appointed DEI Officer
2022 - Engaged consultant to assist with internal DEI effort ✓ DEI Steering Committee formed
✓ Organizational Culture and DEI Awareness survey conducted ✓ DEI working Committee formed
2022-2023 -DEI working Committee developed and implemented DEI initiatives 2023-2024 - Ongoing DEI initiatives in City programs and services and engagement with the Community via DEI discussions, events, etc. 2017 to Present - Ongoing DEI improvements to benefit the Community Belmont’s DEI Initiatives To Date
Who is involved?
Staff and stakeholders
● City Manager - Partnership and support
● SMT - Support and leadership
● All Staff throughout the City participate in trainings, events and surveys ● City Council
DEI Steering Committee
Brigitte Shearer, Andrew Armando, Ann Ritzma,
Kathy Kleinbaum, Elizabeth Tsachres
DEI Working Committee
● Committee members: Alison Bell, Annie Villaroman, AnnMarie Garcia, Antoine Abinader, Alberto Espinoza, Carina Cortes, Cody George, Danielle Giuliacci, Laura Kirby, Mara Perez
● DEI 2.0 (September 2023 to June 2024)
● One working session per month
Leadership
● City Manager, Council Members, SMT
DEI
Consultant
Irma Zoepf,
The Z Bridge
How are we doing it?
DEI Steering Committee
● Leads the DEI initiative coordination
● Liaison between the DEI Working Committee
and the City Manager
● Makes sure the plan and actions are executed
DEI Working Committee
● Attend DEI Committee meetings
● Fully participate, share ideas and opinions
● Develop the plan, actions, and tools to promote DEI in the workplace ● Be an ambassador for the DEI initiative and its practices All staff and stakeholders
● Participate in the various opportunities from the DEI initiative, e.g., training, listening sessions ● Share feedback, comments or ideas for DEI
● Be an ambassador for the DEI initiative and its practices • Develop and confirm Calendar of Cultural and Community Recognitions/ Celebrations
• Develop format for DEI updates to staff
• Develop and conduct an activity interest survey and plan activity for staff to foster a fun and inclusive work culture
• Identify resources for translation services
• Identify and clarify how the City reaches out to underrepresented groups
DEI Working Committee 2.0 Goals
Citywide Communications
● City website can be translated into 12 different languages ● Multi media exposure / channels
● DEI webpage
Police
● C.A.R.E Program (Crisis Assessment Response and Education) ● T.R.A.C Program (Tracking and Recovery of Adults and Children) ● Specialized staff training for mental health awareness and approaches Administrative Services
● New hire employee “Lunch with the City Manager”
● Expanded categories of aggregated staff demographic data collection ● Revised employee recognition program
● Collaborate with San Mateo County and neighboring Cities on enhanced DEI training City Council
● Updated council compensation to be more equitable
Belmont’s Ongoing DEI Activities
Parks & Recreation Programs and Services
● Provided opportunities for children with different abilities at signature events (e.g., Adaptive Egg Hunt, Superstars Dance) ● Inclusion Camp, including staff training to support this program ● Universal design playground swings
● Camp & summer programming scholarships
● Belmont Talks monthly speaker series - in person and on Zoom for greater participation ● Senior Tech program at Belmont library and Twin Pines Senior and Community Center ● Discussing opportunities for activities for adults with disabilities ● Co-hosting major cultural events with Belmont Library and Belmont Youth for DEI ● Increased awareness of DEI activities among Belmont community ● Belmont Walks - weekly program to encourage gathering in all areas of Belmont ● Tax preparation program - served seniors with average annual income of $40K ● Received Age Friendly City designation; now preparing Age-Friendly City Action Plan Citywide Cultural Events
● Pride Month event (since 2019)
● Lunar New Year event (since 2022)
● Martin Luther King Poetry Contest (since 2023)
● Poet Laureate activities - Foster teen writing workshops, monthly poetry events on Zoom for greater participation, multicultural poetry events
● Support, promote and collaborate with Belmont Library on city-wide cultural events ● Belmont Historian's position created to help highlight City’s diverse history Belmont’s Ongoing DEI Activities, cont’d.
https://www.belmont.gov/our-city/about-belmont/diversity-equity-and-inclusion ● Quarterly publication
● Developed by DEI Committee Team
DEI Newsletter for City Staff - Vol. 1
Diversity in Belmont’s Community and City Staff
(In)Equity - What Is It?
Equity > racial equity > biases > microaggressions
Equity
is just and fair inclusion into a society in
which all can participate, prosper,
and reach their full potential
Source: PolicyLink
“C/CAG defines equity as acknowledging and addressing historic & existing disparities so that race, class, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, or other demographics do not determine economic, health, and quality of life outcomes.
Equity recognizes that members of our San Mateo County community do not all come from the same starting point, and it entails removing systemic barriers and providing customized forms and levels of engagement and support for underserved and impacted communities to remedy past harms and underinvestment.”
Definition of Equity
(International City/County Management Association, 2021).
Racial Equity is achieved when race no longer factors
into or determines one’s socioeconomic outcomes. It is
when everyone has what they need to thrive, no matter
where they live or how they identify.
Racial equity is the foundation of nearly every measure of well-being—income, health, education, safety—the outcomes are far worse for people of color.
Two Cities in San Mateo County
East Palo Alto
Total Population: 28,383
Race: 11.5% White, Non Hispanic
Median Household income:
$103,250
Belmont
Total Population: 26,773
Race: 47.1% White, Non Hispanic
Median Household income:
$185,944
Source:https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/
Decision-making
Microaggressions
Stereotypes
Beliefs
Unconscious thoughts
Attitudes
Systemic factors
Group dynamics
Language &
Communication
Interpersonal interactions
Organizational practices
Unconscious Mind
Pre-conscious Mind
Conscious Mind
Biases
Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or
group compared with another, usually in a way
considered to be unfair.
Bias
Source: Oxford Languages
Source: Santa Clara University, Miller Center Unconscious Bias Toolkit 2022 Bias Comes in Many Forms
are comments and actions that demean or dismiss
someone based on their gender, race, or other
aspects of their identity.
Microaggressions
3 in 5 women
reported
microaggressions
Black women are nearly 2.5x
more likely than white women to
hear someone at work express
surprise about their language
skills or other abilities
Source: Lean In - Women in the Workplace 2021
You are so
articulate
Everyone can succeed in
society if they work hard
enough
When I see you, I
don’t see color.
Unconscious bias can be disrupted
Why did I
make that
assumption?
Awareness
Is there
bias
here? Can I be
more
objective?
How Do We Operationalize Equity in Belmont?
Awareness
and
Commitment
Inclusive
Practices &
Culture
Policies and
processes
Evaluate and
address bias
Engage with
Community
Measure
Progress and
Accountability
❖ Strategic Planning
❖ Budgeting
❖ DEI Training
❖ Welcoming Culture
❖ Diversified Hiring
Practices
❖ Analyze Data
❖ Community
Outreach
❖ Survey Staff
❖ Report to Council
To discuss:
1. What does operationalizing equity in Belmont look like to you?
2. What would you like City staff to focus on in the next cycle?
Thank you for Championing DEI!
How Can Council Continue to Support?
❖ Staff appreciates ongoing support from Council
➢ Commitment
➢ Alignment
➢ Resource Support - financial, staffing allocation, time for training, etc.
➢ Continue to talk about DEI in your interactions (walk the talk)