What do an assistant principal, a data scientist, an attorney, an English as a second language teacher, and the owner of a plumbing business have in common? They were all recently appointed to serve on the town’s diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) committee.

At the July 26 meeting, members of the Barrington Town Council filled five of the 11 openings on the DEI Committee. The council will fill the remaining six openings at its next meeting. Councilors interviewed all but four applicants; those individuals were reportedly unable to attend the July 26 meeting.

After listening to short presentations from the majority of applicants, council members took turns making motions to appoint certain individuals.

Council president Michael Carroll appointed Braxton Howard Medlin and Glenmore Wagner, while Annelise Conway appointed Liana Maris, Rob Humm appointed Kathleen “Trinki” Brueckner, and Jacob Brier appointed Steven Felix. All five motions passed unanimously. 

Applicants who were interviewed but were not yet appointed will still be considered for the six remaining openings, council members said. 

The application for the DEI Committee asked candidates to briefly explain their reasons for applying to the committee.

• Braxton Howard Medlin: “My life has been dedicated to advocacy and cultural competency. I served as an Americorps Member for two years in a Latino community center in rural NC. I have also studied abroad in Mexico and Spain. My training as a lawyer has taught me the importance of speaking out with, not for, marginalized communities. Representation matters. Barrington is lacking in representation, and if community members (prospective or otherwise) can’t see themselves here, how will Barrington ever change?”

• Liana Maris: “I have two young children in the Barrington school system, and as a result of distance learning this year, I had the opportunity to observe first-hand a productive, practice approach to education about race and diversity at Primrose Hill School. There is much work to be done, as always in education, but I have seen that Barrington is headed in a forward direction around diversity, equity and inclusion with the schools. As a town, we are similarly charged with taking on a proactive approach to decisions that affect all stakeholders within the town.”

• Kathleen “Trinki” Brueckner: “I have lived in town for 30 years and believe that my experience here would have been more satisfying if Barrington had been a more diverse community, like the one I lived in in Providence. One of my children lives here with his family, and I would like my grandchildren to grow up experiencing the richness that people of different races, ethnicities, religions, and sexual orientations bring to a community. I would like to contribute to helping our town become more diverse, more inclusive and welcoming, and more equitable.”

• Steven Felix: “I think the formation of this DEI committee is critical to making Barrington an even better town by advocating for policies that promote greater racial and economic diversity, break down structural inequities, and foster a culture of sharing and understanding.”

• Glenmore Wagner: “As a United States service-disabled veteran, business owner, and Belizean American, I would like to improve the diversity, equity and inclusion with the town I reside.”

Hold the vote?

Mr. Humm, who initially proposed voting to fill five of the 11 committee openings on July 26, later suggested council members wait until their next meeting before making any appointments. There would be time, he said, to make all the appointments at a later meeting. 

But Ms. Conway pushed back, stating that it would be better to vote on some of the openings while some of the interviews were still fresh in their minds. Council member Jacob Brier recommended that six seats be appointed at the July 26 meeting to allow those members to begin meeting immediately. But town solicitor Amy Goins said it would be better for the DEI Committee to wait until all its seats are filled before holding any meetings. She said that would help prevent some members feeling like they were “late to the party” or initially unable to contribute.