September 30, 2020rhaugh2154

City Appoints First Members of Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

By Robert Haugh

Last June, Mayor Lisa Gillmor took former President Barack Obama’s “Commit to Action” pledge to address police use of force policies in cities.

She and Police Chief Pat Nikolai made a public pledge to evaluate how our police force is using force.

As part of that effort, last night, the City Council created a community-based Task Force on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

The task force will be working in partnership with Santa Clara University’s (SCU) Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

The Council also appointed  the first four members.

  • Darius Brown

Housing Rehabilitation Loan Committee Member

  • Neil Datar

Former SCU Student Senate Chair

Recent Duke University Law Grad

  • Andrew Knaack

Parks and Recreation Commission Chair

  • Dianna Zamora-Marroquin

South Bay Labor Council Political/Communications Director

Congratulations to the task force members. They all made eloquent statements last night. 

Here’s the mission statement that they created with the Markkula Center:

We’ll write more about the task force in the coming days. Some Council members were disgruntled that this will be a community driven process.

9 comments

  2. A task force is great, but we also need to elect diversity onto our city council. Calling our minority woman city council candidate a “dog” is a highly racist comment. I am appalled that the owner of this blog site allows such comments to remain.

    Reply

    • With all due respect, “Appalled”, please read the statement below again. The writer did not call Harbir Bhatia a dog. The writer likened Ms. Bhatia’s behavior to a dog hanging onto a bone. This is not the same thing as saying she is a dog (which she is not).

  3. With Habirs shady past, she only has one play left. Latch onto the minority issue like a dog on a bone.

    Reply

    • Manuel,
      I am a 60 year old White Male. I am incredibly blessed to live in the house my Mom and Dad purchased for about $20K back in May 1963.
      For me, I felt it was important to at least go through the process.
      Believe it or not your comment actually was the push I needed.
      Just wanted you to know someone read your post and took action. Wish me luck on the interview. Hopefully someday we can meet.
      Burt Field

  5. Apparently, Harbir Bhatia likes to take credit for everything… see what she posted on the City’s facebook page. “Harbir Kaur Bhatia: So glad the city put my idea into affect for Diversity and Inclusion committee.”

    https://www.facebook.com/CityofSantaClara/photos/a.10151906171135806/10157221185870806/?type=3&comment_id=10157221842700806

    There’s 2 types of people: sayers, and doers.

    Everybody can say they have “ideas” or can say that they thought of something “first”.

    On the other hand, big kudos to the City Council for actually making this happen instead of just “talking” about it.

    Reply

  6. I’ve lived and worked here my entire life. I worked in a major company with all walks of life and affirmative action. I don’t understand all the racial divisiveness. I don’t see it on a daily basis. Once we start talking about it in a political climate, it’s like a wildfire. Who’s more of a minority who should speak for minorities?

    I hope we all learn to be Americans and not worry about the differences of race Creed color sex or sexual orientation. Please look at the real life the opportunities you have in this great country. It’s better to look forward and go for it, than look back and regress. 🇺🇸

    Reply

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