Last fall, the Bristol Town Council considered a petition to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee that would ensure Bristol is welcoming and inclusive for all who live, work, learn or …
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Last fall, the Bristol Town Council considered a petition to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee that would ensure Bristol is welcoming and inclusive for all who live, work, learn or visit here. The Council voted unanimously to support the spirit of such a committee and asked the group of resident authors of the petition to work with the Town Solicitor to further detail the committee's structure and charge.
Since that time, we held more than a dozen meetings, drew input from across our community, reviewed the structure of similar committees in at least 10 other municipalities, and met with representatives from five of them.
After countless hours of work, we shared the recommendation with the solicitor, who had no edits, and have now submitted it back to the Council for consideration at their upcoming Jan. 20 meeting (see the full proposal below).
As the shocking events of Jan. 6 have confirmed, there are deep divisions in our country. We believe that a DEI advisory committee, now more than ever, can serve as a valuable resource to our Town Council and Bristol, helping to find solutions to bring Bristolians together through understanding.
We emphatically believe that together, we can find solutions to our differences by calling people in to the conversation, not calling people out. With a membership finally determined by the Council, the ad-hoc committee will serve as requested by our elected officials.
We are proud to have worked on behalf of our community to draft the recommendation that follows. If you believe that this committee can serve our town well, please consider contacting the Council to voice your opinion.
Rob Hancock
Amanda Esons
Aradhana Mehta
Bill Bullard
Bradley Wester
Donna Celone
Jamie Brooks
Joel Huval
Lindsey Flanagan
Lindsey Gumb
Madeline Crowell
MaryKae Wright
Mel Bynum
Melissa Donahue
Paul Mancieri
Renee Soto
Roberto Phillippe
Selahattin Sep
Sandi Andersen
Bristol
Proposed Mission Statement, Charge, and Composition
Bristol Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
MISSION
The Bristol Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion works to promote, foster, and
celebrate Bristol as a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive community for people to live, work,
learn and visit, including those who experience discrimination or marginalization due to their
race, ethnicity, national origin, religious beliefs, gender identity, disability, age, sexual
orientation, or socioeconomic status.
CHARGE
The Bristol Town Council charges the Bristol Committee on Diversity Equity and Inclusion with
assisting the Council in creating opportunities and assisting in identifying and addressing
matters at the local level. The committee primarily takes the following two approaches to
advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in Bristol.
1. Promote, support, nurture, and celebrate a diverse, welcoming, and inclusive community:
● Collaborate with public and private organizations in town to expand and promote
opportunities for programs, festivals, events, activities, and civic engagement that
highlight and celebrate Bristol's diversity. Include opportunities that highlight
underrepresented groups within the community.
● Support and promote both existing and new opportunities to address and understand
Bristol's role in the fate of Indigenous people in New England and the trading of
Enslaved people in America.
● Help create opportunities for difficult conversations that support learning and
understanding among community members.
● Foster a welcoming and aware community by creating networks, conducting outreach,
and establishing platforms to amplify underrepresented voices and promote them through
information sharing equitable access to existing resources, programs, and opportunities
for all residents.
2. Upon request by an elected official, provide advice on inclusive and equitable policies and
initiatives, to include but not limited to:
● Creating accessible and transparent processes for assessing and gauging the needs
and interests of the community concerning diversity, equity, and inclusion.
● Identifying education/training opportunities and resources for Town officials and staff
to help eliminate unconscious or implicit bias in programs, policies, and actions.
● Reviewing existing policies or drafting new procedures to ensure that all who live in,
work in, learn in, or visit Bristol feel welcome and included here.
COMMITTEE COMPOSITION
The Town Council will name a committee which shall consist of an odd number of members
between 9 and 15 residents, who will elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair. Committee members must
possess relevant knowledge, training, or life experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion
issues. Members should be committed to thoughtful and constructive dialogue. All committee
members shall serve an initial term of one year.
The committee shall ideally include some members from organizations within the community
such as those involved in social services, education (including students), library, health,
housing, public safety.
Residents interested in participating shall submit an application outlining their interest and
qualifications for consideration by the Council.