Reflections
Dublin’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees By Rebecca Myers
Summer 2020 didn’t just come and go in Dublin. It brought protests and social unrest across the country with people advocating for unbiased policing practices and racial equity after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia; Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky; George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and others. The City of Dublin became active in that national conversation with the first protest happening in the community June 1 on the Dublin Link pedestrian bridge. Recognizing the importance of that moment for Dublin community members to safely and authentically express their beliefs and opinions, Dublin Police Chief Justin Páez, as well as City Manager Dana McDaniel and councilmembers, met with protestors during the initial demonstration to listen and respond on behalf of the City government. Dublin Police officers were also present to protect the rights and safety of all demonstrators and the public. Chief Páez attended subsequent protests to hear demonstrators’ concerns about communitypolice relations and social justice issues, meeting with students and other community members. Based on these interactions, the City wanted to affirm to the public that residents’ concerns and ideas would go beyond the protests happening in the streets. The City saw that the organic next step was to create diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) groups to serve as public forums for these ongoing community conversations – City Council formed the Community Task Force and Chief’s Advisory Committee. At this time, the COVID-19 pandemic persisted, so coming together had to happen in a virtual space. The Community Task Force, made up of more than a dozen volunteers with connections to Dublin, 14 • August/September 2021
spent its year of virtual meetings on the broader question of equity and what that really looks like in a city. The group also concentrated its conversations with subcommittees that focused on economics and infrastructure, education and promoting diversity, and recognizing young people as valuable stakeholders in Dublin’s future. The 10-person Chief’s Advisory Committee (CAC), composed of volunteer community partners, began meeting virtually in September 2020. Since then, members have engaged monthly with Chief Páez, as well as Dublin Police Department executive staff, to provide valued advice, perspectives, recommendations and feedback about significant community-police relations issues. Discussions have revolved around reviewing Dublin Police policies related to response to resistance (also known as use of force), and members have examined officer-involved critical incident protocols, response to civil disturbances and the agency’s body-worn camera program, among many other topics. Now, one year after the inception of Dublin’s two DEI groups, members share some reflections on what a collaborative focus on diversity, equity and inclusion has meant to them during a turbulent time that saw countrywide calls for racial justice while underneath the discord of a global pandemic.
Kofi Amponsah Student trainer with University of Cincinnati’s Sports Medicine; Coffman High School graduate Chair of Community Task Force “The role of the Community Task Force has been to drive Dublin leadership into confronting Dublin’s racism and prejudice to create meaningful and long-lasting change within the City that will build a strong and cohesive community. The monthly dialogue with the City shows their commitment and drive to create a more inclusive city which will inspire the next generation of Dublin residents to continue and build on the work of making Dublin a welcoming, safe and comfortable city for their minority groups.” Samhitha Boppana Dublin Jerome High School graduate, incoming freshman at Johns Hopkins University Community Task Force, Youth and Education Subcommittees Member “One of my most valuable takeaways from this experience has been the knowledge I have gained about how to collaborate with others to propose and plan initiatives to bring about change, and developing the City’s resources to promote and celebrate diversity has taught me how www.dublinlifemagazine.com
