@ Shaker Online
A Note from Colleen
By Colleen Jackson, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
The work continues!
The theme of this issue of Shaker Life is Your City at Work, and two of the processes I mentioned in my last
Note are still ongoing: the Lee Road Action Plan and the DEI Assessment for all the City departments.
We received some 15 proposals for the DEI Assessment and after an extensive review process, I am
delighted to announce that we have selected MGT Consulting for this important work. Our plan is to
start the assessment process in June.
The DEI subcommittees have three meetings under their belts and are mapping out goals for the remainder of the year. Each
Subcommittee is also working to find ways to support ongoing City initiatives by helping to broaden community engagement and
participation.
I conducted a Language Level Set training course for the Racial Equity Subcommittee – identical to the course presented
to all City employees last year. The training was a wonderful opportunity to deepen our understanding of some of the language
surrounding DEI and to share and learn from one another. The hope is that the other two subcommittees will have this training
sometime during the summer.
I had the opportunity to attend the Government Alliance on Race and Equity Annual Membership Meeting in Portland, Oregon
in April. The conference was filled with DEI leaders in government across the country. I learned about wonderful things happening in
other counties and cities, and made meaningful connections with other DEI practitioners. I am excited to start actualizing some of
that learning here in Shaker Heights.
Members of our DEI Committee were able to attend the conference virtually. A space was reserved in the Shaker Library and for
each day of the conference, members of our community were able to gather and participate together.
While all residents are welcome to become involved in one or more of the subcommittees, my ask this issue is directed towards
the youth who may have more availability during the summer months to engage. It is important to me and vital to the success of our
initiatives that the young people in Shaker Heights don’t simply have a representative in these conversations but are able to represent
themselves. I am working on putting a group of Shaker youth together to be an active part of the Youth Engagement Subcommittee,
so if you are interested, or know of any young people who might be interested, please let me know.
I hope you’re enjoying the summer, and if you’d like to contact me, please send an email to colleen.jackson@shakeronline.com
6 SUMMER 2022 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
Welcoming
Friendly
Discoverable
Memorable
Blooming
Captivating
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