WMG Volume 7 • Issue 25 December 3, 2020
Wilton Manors Gazette FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/WMGAZETTE
COMMUNITY
City’s ‘Living Document’ On Diversity Leaves Out Trans Community By John McDonald Wilton Manors’ definition of diversity or group can feel welcomed, respected, supported and valued in order to fully needs some more work. At the Nov. 24 city commission meeting, participate.” Carson noted CAAB’s diversity the community affairs advisory board (CAAB) presented a memorandum on definition left out gender identity how to recruit and maintain diversity on and gender expression. The board’s city boards and committees. The memo recommended outreach also failed to failed to include many groups covered by include transgender groups, the NAACP, the city’s non-discrimination ordinance, aging groups, independent living said resident and former Commissioner facilities, Kids in Distress and synagogues and churches. Julie Carson. Vice Mayor Paul Rolli “I really recommend commended the board’s bringing in an expert to work and said the list consult on these very of diversity groups was important matters so a “living document” that we can move our meant for additions and community forward in a subtractions. more representative way,” “We can tweak it if we Carson said during the need to,” Rolli said. meeting’s public comments Mayor Scott Newton portion. “I’m happy to fund echoed Rolli: “I think you the cost for this.” did a great job,” Newton CAAB Chairman Michael said. “You can get too far if Sansevero read the memo you really get into this. We to the commission. could probably add 200 “Diversity is a groups. I think everything recognition of all those - Chris Caputo that he put into this covers differences that make us COMMISSIONER everyone if you look and unique, and includes, but each and every word that is not limited to race, color, ethnicity, language, nationality, sexual you put in there.” Sansevero said best practice orientation, marital status, education, religion, gender, socio-economic status, for achieving diversity in the city attitudes, opinions, age and physical or mental ability,” encompasses Sansevero said. “We recognize that approaches and strategies to ensure no individuals can affiliate as such in one groups are excluded because of their or more ways. The goal is to create an differences or by implicit bias. Fair environment by which any individual procedures and processes are important
“A LOT OF THIS IS BEING ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THE ROLE AND REFLECTING THE DIVERSE NATURE OF THE COMMUNITY.”
Wilton Manors City Hall. Photo via the City of Wilton Manors, Facebook.
to eliminate barriers that prevented full participation in the past, Sansevero said. Setting term limits for boards and committees is recommended, Sansevero said. Commissioner Gary Resnick said the city’s current boards and committees have a “heaviness to lawyers and accountants.” Resnick said he wouldn’t reach out to synagogues and churches with the exception of the JCC and Congregation Etz Chaim. Commissioner Mike Bracchi asked CAAB to identify barriers to participation. “We need to understand what the problem is and one of
them is people just aren’t applying.” Direct outreach over the phone and building self-esteem and understanding in potential applicants is a key strategy, said Commissioner Chris Caputo. “It’s going to be a growing and living document,” Caputo said. “A lot of this is being able to see themselves in the role and reflecting the diverse nature of the community.” After a lengthy discussion, commissioners voted unanimously to have staff bring draft policy based on CAAB’s diversity and inclusion memo to its January meeting. WMG
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