Agenda Item - 2020-12-15 - Number 8.1 - DEI Task Force Recommendations 8.1
erCOUNCIL REPORT
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Subject: Lake Oswego Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force Recommendations Report
Meeting Date: December 15, 2020 Staff Member: Charity O. Taylor, Management
Analyst
Department: City Manager's Office
Action Required Advisory Board/Commission Recommendation
❑ Motion ❑ Approval
❑ Public Hearing ❑ Denial
❑ Ordinance ❑ None Forwarded
❑ Resolution ❑X Not Applicable
❑X Information Only Comments:
❑ Council Direction
❑ Consent Agenda
Staff Recommendation: N/A
Recommended Language for Motion: N/A
Project/ Issue Relates To:
❑X Council Goals/Priorities EAdopted Master Plan(s) ❑Not Applicable
BACKGROUND
From late August to mid-October 2020, the DEI Task Force conducted focus groups and surveys
to identify barriers to inclusion within the City of Lake Oswego. On November 17, 2020 the Task
Force presented its preliminary findings and corresponding themes to City Council.
DISCUSSION
The DEI Task Force has crafted recommendations based on the themes found during the
community outreach process, and will present their final report at the December 15, 2020
Council meeting.
503.635.0215 380 A Avenue PO BOX 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034 www.lakeosweao.citv
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ATTACHMENTS
1. Lake Oswego Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force Recommendations Report
503.635.0215 380 A Avenue PO BOX 369 Lake Oswego, OR 97034 www.lakeoswego.city
ATTACHMENT 1
LAKE OSWEGO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TASK FORCE
RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface & Introduction 3
Establishment of the DEI Task Force 4
Expanded DEI Task Force Scope 5
Focus Group and Survey Advertisements 6
Focus Group and Survey Methods 7 \,A E O
Demographics 8
Outreach Limitations & Thematic Analysis 9 \, Oic.) 0
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Boards and Commissions Topic Area 10
Community Engagement Topic Area
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Youth Engagement Topic Area 11
Human Resources Topic Area
Facilities and Programs Topic Area
Recommendations 14
Conclusion 18
Appendix: Statements Supporting Findings 19
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PREFACE
Creating a more equitable and inclusive Lake Oswego is part of the City's work, and is vital for our
community's future. It is in our interest, too; the most economically successful communities in
the United States are the ones with the smallest disparities in income. Lake Oswego will be more
prosperous and livable overall if every person has access to opportunities — from a fulfilling job to a
world-class education to vibrant arts and a beautiful natural environment.
Like other communities in Oregon, Lake Oswego is becoming more diverse. 14% of our residents
identify as people of color, and 27% of children enrolled in the Lake Oswego School District identify
as non-white. We will know more once 2020 Census figures are available, and it is likely that
communities of color are the fastest growing demographic in our community's population.
Unfortunately, communities of color in Oregon fare worse than white communities across almost all
indicators of social health — educational attainment, health, economic status, and in access to a
clean and healthy environment. Similarly, people who are living with a disability and people whose
first language is not English are worse off. Diverse community members face institutionalized barriers
that have made it difficult to get an education, a family-wage job, or to influence local government
decisions.
To make progress towards a more equitable and inclusive Lake Oswego, City Council has appointed
a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force ("DEI Task Force") to support the City in reducing barriers
faced by people in our community.
INTRODUCTION
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work is very fluid; there is no roadmap for success when talking about
race and disrupting systemic racism. Communities and organizations across the nation are doing
this work, and we are all learning as we go. The City's DEI Task Force has worked very diligently to
not only become a team, but to also have their own conversations about race, bias,judgement and
stereotypes. They have worked hard to remove bias from their work. However, it is impossible to be
unbiased.
As the DEI Task Force began their work, we understood that focus groups and surveys would be a
snapshot. It was not meant to be conclusive, but to create a foundation and begin the work around
the deeper conversations we need to have related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Although we did
not get as much community participation in the focus groups that we had hoped for, it was not for lack
of effort.
We were able to identify themes in all five of the topic areas discussed below, and have developed
recommendations in order to build on the good things that are already happening in Lake Oswego.
This report is a culmination of a lot of hard work and we are excited to present our recommendations.
Finally, it is important to remember that the process is not perfect and we need to give each other
grace. The divisiveness we see in our country cannot be replicated in our community. This work is
constantly evolving and we all need to be flexible and remember that no one group has the answer.
Shame and blame only work to hinder progressing the conversation. The DEI Task Force worked hard
to not waste energy blaming or shaming as a City, a City Council or as a community, but instead to
move forward with our work and achieve our goal of a more inclusive Lake Oswego.
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ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DEI TASK FORCE
In January 2019 the City Council established a goal to create a DEI Task Force. Lake Oswego City
Council passed Resolution 19-10 which established an ad hoc subcommittee to identify work to
assign to the task force and outline an application and interview process. In May 2019, the City
Council passed Resolution 19-31 to approve the ad hoc subcommittee recommendations and in
September 2019, Council passed Resolution 19-49 appointing 11 DEI Task Force Members. The DEI
Task Force members appointed were Emma Burke, Hazel Chu Lant, Olga Dal, Bill de la Cruz, Diane
Grover, Erica Holser, Massene Mboup, Daniel McArdle-Jaimes, Gary Rebello, Anil Shah, and Mandrill
Taylor. Unfortunately, Ms. Dal had to resign from the DEI Task Force due to work commitments. Mr.
de la Cruz was hired by the City as the DEI Task Force facilitator and was his spot on the task force
replaced by Lisa Strader. Mayor Studebaker assigned Councilor Theresa Kohlhoff as the Council
liaison.
Initially the DEI Task Force was charged with two tasks:
• Identify barriers to participation on the City's Boards & Commissions. Make suggestions to
reduce or eliminate those barriers; and
• Identify methods by which to increase the applicant pool for City job openings. Make
suggestions on how the City can increase the diversity of its applicant pool.
In January 2020, the City Council developed their goals for the year. One of the goals is to "increase
the diversity of people serving on City Boards, Commissions and Committees and employed by the
City of Lake Oswego to meet the needs of all of the City's residents." One key initiative foundational to
that goal is supporting the DEI Task Force and implementing their recommendations.
It was expected that the DEI Task Force complete this work within 6 months of the Task Force being
established. Although members of the DEI Task Force were appointed in September 2019, they did
not officially begin their work until February 2020. Part of the delay was the transition of Bill de la Cruz
from DEI Task Force member to facilitator.
The DEI Task Force began meeting twice a month in February 2020 and started their work by
collecting information and learning about the boards and commissions and the City workforce. In
March, their work was suspended by COVID-19. The DEI Task Force did not reconvene again until
mid-June and moved to a virtual meeting platform.
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EXPANDED DEI TASK FORCE SCOPE: ADDRESSING INEQUITY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
With the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the issue of racial disparities in local government
services were put on center stage. Lake Oswego residents peacefully demonstrated and many people
reached out to City Council and staff requesting a public discussion about the global issues of
discrimination and bias. In June 2020, the City Council approved the City Manager's recommendation
that the scope of the DEI Task Force's work be expanded as follows:
Changes in community engagement practices. Are there ways the City could increase the
number and diversity of people who can influence City decisions? What are the barriers to
participation? This task incorporates the original charge of identifying barriers to participation
on boards and commissions. The intention is that the DEI Task Force consider boards and
commissions as a subset of City engagement practices.
Ways to make City facilities and services more welcoming to diverse people. This includes
ways to make City facilities more physically accessible as well. What makes a program or
physical space welcoming? Are there skills that our staff need to accomplish this work?
How can we hire, train, retain, and support a diverse workforce? What additional issues and
skills need to be addressed to retain diverse staff? How should the City set up an internal
staff team to support its DEI efforts? This task incorporates the original charge of identifying
barriers to applying for jobs at the City. It recognizes that hiring is only one part of building a
diverse workforce.
Ways to build relationships with people and groups who haven't been traditionally involved
with City services.
With this newly expanded scope, the DEI Task Force began working on the development of a community
outreach and focus group strategy to gather information from stakeholders in the community and
identify themes. The community outreach strategy focused on five topic areas: Boards & Commissions,
Community Engagement, Youth Engagement, Human Resources, and Facilities and Programs.
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FOCUS GROUP AND SURVEY ADVERTISEMENTS
On July 21, 2020 the DEI Task Force presented its outreach methods and focus group discussion
questions to City Council. The initial outreach strategy emphasized leveraging the Task Force and City
Council's local networks to encourage participation in focus groups from underrepresented communities
in Lake Oswego, in addition to a complementary survey targeted to all Lake Oswego residents, business
owners and visitors. Focus groups began to be widely advertised along with surveys in mid-August due
to low registration numbers. Outreach opportunities were advertised on the following platforms:
• HelloLO
• The Lake Oswego Review
• City website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Nextdoor
• Adult Community Center and Youth Action Council listservs
• On the City's October utility bill
The City contacted the 2019 Muilti-City Equity Summit registrants, current boards and commissions
members, and everyone who applied for a position with the City in the past calendar year.
Organizations including The Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce, LO for Love and Respond to Racism
also helped to publicize focus groups and surveys.
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FOCUS GROUP AND SURVEY METHODS
Focus group registration took place online, and included an option to request language interpretation
services. Morning, afternoon, and evening sessions were offered to allow more opportunities for
participation. Focus group email confirmations included information about how to use Zoom, loan a
laptop from the Library, and make alternative arrangements to attend focus groups in the event of
unreliable WiFi access.
Facilitator Bill de la Cruz and DEI Task Force members led focus group sessions. Notetakers from
Portland State and Willamette University captured participant responses, which were coded to ensure
anonymity in the reporting process.
Virtual focus groups took place between August 31-October 19, 2020. Community based focus
groups started on August 31 and concluded on September 23, 2020, and virtual focus groups for City
employees began on October 13 and concluded on October 19, 2020.
As an alternate option to the virtual focus groups, surveys were made available to community
members from August 24-September 27, 2020, and to City staff in October. Community surveys were
offered online and in hard copy at the Library and City Hall.
The table below provides an overview of the focus group attendance by topic area and survey count.
Topic Area Focus Group Focus Group 1Focus Group ZSurvey Count
Sessions Offered Sessions Hosted Participant Total
Boards and 4 2 14 26
Commissions
Community 4 4 20 47
Engagement
Youth Engagement 4 2 6 4
Human Resources 6 5 16 15
Facilities and 2 1 4 69
Programs
TOTAL 20 14 59 161
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DEMOGRAPHICS 3
The Task Force's outreach efforts involved at least 26% people of color. 4 12% of participants
identified as having a disability, and 85% of respondents are residents of Lake Oswego. 98% of
participants selected English as their preferred language, with Hindu, Korean, Japanese and Spanish
also identified as preferred languages. Age diversity was not captured during the outreach process.
American Indian or Alaska Native 1% Hispanic or Latino 3%
Asian 9% I do not wish to answer 13%
Black or Afican American 5% Two or More Races 8%
White 60%
Gender / Relationship to Lake Oswego
Non-Binary
2% Resident
85%
Male
32%
Female visitor
6%
66%
Business
Other 3%**
6%
Sense of DEI in Lake Oswego ` f Next Steps for DEI Taskforce
Never
10% No Steps
Always 18%
25%
Rarely
30% Neutral
15%
Often
15% More
67%
Sometimes \ /
20%
'One person participated in two focus groups on two different topics.
2 Total participant count for surveys is 133;some participants completed more than one survey.
3 Excludes Internal HR participants.
413%of respondents declined to provide their ethnicity.
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Outreach Limitations
Despite outreach efforts for the virtual focus groups and survey, participation was low compared to
the overall City population. There were two main external events that the DEI Task Force believes
impacted participation. The first is the COVID-19 pandemic. The limits to in-person meetings and
gatherings greatly prohibited the ability of the DEI Task Force members to connect with people
and encourage their participation. In addition, the move to a virtual format was new to some and
potentially created a less safe space in which they could participate. Virtual formats limit methods
of engagement, and for a topic that is traumatic to some members of the community, they may have
chosen to opt out of participating. Some participants noted the virtual format as the reason for being
available to provide input, as it worked better with their schedules.
The second external event was the wildfires. Virtual focus groups began on August 31. Less than two
weeks later on September 11, the City declared a state of emergency and the City of Lake Oswego
moved into Level One Get Ready status by Clackamas County. People who signed up to participate in
the virtual focus groups cancelled as they could not make the time to participate because they were
busy helping others or otherwise preparing to evacuate.
Although COVID-19 and the wildfires presented a challenge, there are also challenges to building
trust in a process where there may be lack of trust. Although community members were informed
that their names and contact information would be confidential, it is unknown to what extent levels of
confidence in local government was factor in participation.
Generally, focus groups sessions are recorded and transcribed to ensure accuracy, however the
Task Force relied on notetakers instead of recordings to encourage participation from community
members. Despite the small sample size, the DEI Task Force believes that the data gathered was
sufficient for them to conduct a thematic analysis.
Thematic Analysis
The Task Force reviewed survey and focus group responses to formulate themes for each subject area
based on repeating topics and ideas found within the data (see Appendix A) The key themes identified
are grouped by topic. Some themes, such as child care and transportation, were mentioned in more
than one subject area.
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Boards and Commissions Topic Area
Theme 1: Bias
• Multiple references to presumptions of discrimination serving as a barrier to participation.
• Reports of feeling excluded during meetings by past members.
• Reports of suspected bias during past interviews.
Theme 2: Increase Engagement
• Increase intentional outreach to community members.
• Lack of child care can be a limitation.
• Some engagement practices limit interaction with public officials.
• No clear expectation of time commitment and necessary qualifications. Participants expressed
meeting times and in person meetings as barriers to engagement.
14 people participated in the Boards and Commissions Focus Groups, and 26 people completed the survey.
Community Engagement Topic Area
Theme 1: Challenges to Engagement
• There is interest in serving the community, but some community members do not know where
to engage or how to engage.
• Reports of City not being receptive to feedback.
Theme 2: Accountability and Relationship Building
• City solicits feedback, but does not do a good job at reporting the results or next steps back to
the community.
• Town halls and public meetings could be more relational versus transactional experiences.
Theme 3: Inclusion and Systemic Change
• Language, visual, and audio disability access is important, and the City needs to determine
how to best integrate this into their outreach practices.
• The Library offers regular discussion around DEI, but not as many other opportunities exist for
the community to discuss this topic.
20 people participated in the Community Engagement Focus Groups, and 47 people completed the survey.
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Youth Engagement Topic Area
Theme 1: Polarization and Desired Inclusion
• Some groups youth are involved in are diverse and inclusive toward people of color and some
are not.
• Not many opportunities for those who are in middle school.
Theme 2: Culture and Accountability
• Varying degrees of people's understanding of racial issues.
• Need to continue to build relationships in the community.
6 people participated in the Youth Engagement Focus Groups, and 4 people completed the survey.
Human Resources Topic Area
Theme 1: Internal Culture
• Internally inclusive but a very white population.
• Culture varies department to department based on leadership.
• "Nice" culture — you go along to get along.
Theme 2: Consistency and Internal Practices
• Hiring is decentralized with some oversight by HR.
• No DEI hiring or retention strategy.
Theme 3: Employee Engagement
• Cost of housing and limited transportation choices is a barrier.
• Employee onboarding is an HR touchpoint and it needs to be an "employee engagement"
touchpoint.
16 people participated in the Human Resources Focus Groups, and 15 people completed the survey.
Facilities and Programs Topic Area
Theme 1: Access and Safety
• Mostly felt satisfied with the facilities and programs, specifically Parks and Recreation and
Library.
• Spaces do not feel welcoming to some BIPOC.
• Participants said materials in languages other than English are a sign of inclusion.
Theme 2: Socio-economic and Family Diversity
• Programming focuses on certain ages, incomes and two-parent households.
• Programming lacks cultural diversity.
4 people participated in the Facilities and Programs Focus Groups, and 69 people completed the survey.
Based on the above themes, the Task Force crafted recommendations for City Council's consideration.
Recommendations are organized according to an implementation timeline ranging from 6 months to 5
years.
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The Task Force recognizes the need for City and community-based resources to support the
sustainable evolution of equitable practices in Lake Oswego. The following are four overarching
recommendations that are foundational to the subject-specific priorities discussed in this report:
1) Hire a regular status, full-time Equity Program Manager: this position would have the following
primary responsibilities:
• Researches and implements best practices for internal equity training and community program
enhancement;
• Fosters partnerships with businesses and organizations that build City connections to and
supports underrepresented communities, e.g. Latino Network, APANO, and Umoia Kiiana Shuiaa;
• Collaborates with Human Resources to establish recruitment and retention strategies to build
a diverse workforce;
• Advises City departments on integration of equitable best practices;
• Promotes consistent internal and external community messaging about Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion;
• Creates a cross-functional and employee-driven, City of Lake Oswego Equity Team that meets
quarterly to discuss achievements, areas of improvement and best practices related to DEI
implementation strategies across City departments;
• Collaborates with the City's Executive Team to adopt equity metrics; and
• Facilitates an equity audit and environmental scan of all City departments and City facilities.
2) Establish a permanent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee:
Step #1: DEI Task Force members will assist in creating interview questions, selection and
onboarding of DEI Committee
Step #2: Duties of the DEI Committee include, but should not be limited to:
• Advising City Council about ways to increase engagement in diverse communities;
• Collaborating with the community, Council and staff to implement the DEI Task Force's
recommendations and create long-term Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals;
• Advising the Public Information Office and Communications Team on methods of inclusive
outreach and communicating to diverse groups;
• Promoting City's efforts to engage diverse populations within the boards and commissions,
neighborhood associations and other civic volunteer structures; and
• Participate as voting members of interview panels for boards and commissions recruitment.
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3) Develop a comprehensive training and development program for Council, staff and boards and
commissions members that supports implementation of DEI strategies. Mandatory elements of
the program include:
• Training for Council and staff members at least every other year
• Annual training for boards and commissions interview panelists and boards and commissions
members
Program will also provide staff with continuing professional development opportunities related to
equity issues in local government
4) Sustain and cultivate partnerships with organizations and businesses that support
underrepresented communities. These relationships will allow the City to:
• Diversify its outreach efforts when recruiting for open City positions and boards and
commissions
• Learn best practices about implementing DEI strategies, including intentional, culturally-specific
programming
• Collaborate with Lake Oswego and other Portland Metro area groups to host DEI-centered
community events,job fairs and workforce training
The Task Force recommends these resources be established within 6-12 months, and recognizes
community partnerships will build over time.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
( For the purposes of this document equitable outcomes are defined as opportunity,access and inclusion.
You will see these outcomes referred to as equity and equitable throughout the recommendations.
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
Short Range (12-18 months):
1) Recruit diverse applicants for boards and commissions
Advertisement:
• Update the City's existing video to promote diversity and inclusion for boards and
commissions. The video should be available on various social media platforms
• City Communications Team to seek input from DEI Committee, Youth Leadership Council and
Youth Action Council to develop messaging and narrative to reach diverse candidates
Application and Interview Process:
• Update application to outline the minimum requirements to be considered as a viable applicant
for boards and commissions
• Provide flexible interview times to better accommodate varying schedules
• Require DEI Committee members to serve as a voting panelist and decision-maker during the
boards and commissions interviews to provide an inclusionary lens during selection process
• Implement interview questions on cultural competency
Barriers to Participation in Meetings:
• Design options for board and commission members for childcare and the ability to participate
via video conferencing; ensure virtual options are accessible to people with disabilities
• Outline the time commitment and meeting times for each board and commission. Encourage
boards and commissions to re-evaluate existing meeting times to allow for equitable
participation from all members
Mid-Range (18 months-3 years):
1) Develop on-boarding process for new board members to include the role and duties of an
advisory board. Specify members' role in working with Council and staff
2) Conduct mid-term check-ins with boards and commissions members to gauge levels of
engagement
3) Enhance visibility of boards and commissions at diverse community events
Long Range (3-5 years):
1) Develop a leadership academy to inform underrepresented communities about the structure
of local government and the role of boards and commissions in the City. Leadership academy
will consist of a year-long cohort of 25 people
• Topics will include development of leadership and communication skills, learning about public
meeting requirements, improving community engagement and learning about City staff and
responsibilities.
• The academy will be created in collaboration with other organizations within Lake Oswego, and
will provide opportunities to network with City leaders
2) Maintain a list of candidates not selected for a board position, and encourage re-application
during recruitment periods
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Short Range (12-18 months):
1) Remove language and accessibility barriers
• Offer City material and website in top four languages other than English spoken within Lake
Oswego School District boundaries;
• Provide closed captioning for events and meetings without request; and
• Conduct assessment of City's outreach practices to determine gaps in audio-visual
accessibility.
2) Provide information on what to expect when attending a City Council meeting, including how to
testify and alternatives to verbal testimony
Mid-Range (18 months-3 years):
1) Host an annual event welcoming new residents to the city and provide information about how to
engage and ways to access services and programs
2) Co-host cultural events with community-based organizations within and outside Lake Oswego
to engage diverse residents within the city and attract diverse members of neighboring
communities
3) Establish relationships with existing community-based organizations that are women-, Black,
Indigenous, People of Color, people with disabilities, veteran and LGTBQIA-focused. These
partnerships will:
• Provide feedback and insight about the shared vision of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in
Lake Oswego;
• Collaborate with internal employee resource groups to strengthen communication between
City and community members
• Be a resource to Equity Program Manager, programming staff and DEI Committee
Long Range (3-5 years):
1) Implement listening sessions to gather ongoing feedback from underrepresented communities
and diversify City perspectives
2) In partnership with Youth Leadership Council and Youth Action Council, establish volunteer
program for multilingual youth and adults to assist with community engagement and events
3) Develop grant program to provide funding for community-based organizations
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HUMAN RESOURCES
Short Range (12-18 months):
1) Establish an on-boarding process to include a designated mentor designed to retain and
engage new hires. The process should include a focus on an environment of inclusion and
acceptance of Black, Indigenous, People of Color hires
2) Establish a baseline of data regarding employee perceptions on a variety of topics including
DEI. Conduct an all employee Workforce Engagement survey every two years
3) Ensure all interview panels include diverse representation
4) Targeted training to minimize unconscious and implicit bias in the recruitment and selection
process.
Mid-Range (18 months-3 years):
1) Analyze previous recruitment and hiring data for trends, missed opportunities and successes.
Use the metrics to set future recruitment goals. Possible examples include:
• Determining if there are patterns in diversity of applicants for City positions and those who are
offered interviews; and
• Tracking how applicants find out about open positions to inform City's diversity recruitment
strategy.
2) Implement a pilot employee resource group that is women-, Black, Indigenous, People of Color,
people with disabilities, veteran, LGTBQIA-focused, among other groups.
3) Develop partnerships and sponsor existing workforce recruitment groups like Partners in
Diversity to launch City's new DEI hiring and recruitment goals. When it is safe to do so,
consider hosting events involving recruitment groups. In the interim, participate in ongoing
virtual networking events.
4) Review and adjust job descriptions using accessible language so that more value is placed on
applicant's skills and abilities where appropriate.
Long Range (3-5 years):
1) Conduct an equity audit and environmental scan of all City departments and facilities as part
of the City's overall recruitment and retention strategy
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FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS
Short Range (12-18 months)
1) Adopt and implement ADA Title II Self Evaluation & Transition Plan when complete
2) Remove language and accessibility barriers
• Offer City materials and website in top four languages other than English spoken within Lake
Oswego School District boundaries
• Provide closed captioning for events and meetings without request
• Conduct assessment of City's outreach practices to determine gaps in audio-visual
accessibility
• Seek translation and interpretation vendors that are familiar with government agency
communication efforts and needs
3) Beginning in 2021-2022, require all departments that create programming, or allocate public
facility space for community events to implement DEI-focused programming, communication
and outreach practices into their work
4) Co-sponsor, promote and partner with more local community groups so that the City can
begin to cross-promote and design DEI-related programming to create more opportunities
for community discussions about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Expand upon Lake Oswego
Public Library's best practices in partnering with external organizations and cross-promotion of
DEI events
Mid-Range (18 months-3 years)
1) Develop strategy for ongoing community dialog
• Facilitate culturally and ethnically-specific community events led by members from diverse
communities
• Provide regular anti-racism articles to the Lake Oswego Review, HelloLO, and other information
sharing formats
• Continue and expand programming centering the experiences of underrepresented peoples
(e.g. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA community)
• Encourage employee resource groups to collaborate with facilities and programming staff to
help inform DEI-specific events
2) Build one fully accessible playground in the city
Long Range (3-5 years)
1) Collaborate with existing Lake Oswego organizations to explore possibility of creating a
multicultural center
Additional Facilities and Programs Recommendations
The Task Force has two additional recommendations that, while not directly related to barriers
expressed in the outreach process, can serve as methods to support communities of color and
provide equitable access to opportunities in Lake Oswego:
1) Identify purchases under the threshold for competitive bidding and search for women, Black,
Indigenous, People of Color owned companies providing those goods & services
2) Search for women, Black, Indigenous, People of Color businesses providing goods and services
requiring competitive bidding and reach out to inform them of upcoming opportunities
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Short Range (12-18 months)
1) Host a youth summit involving the Youth Leadership Council, Youth Action Council, Youth
Members on Advisory Boards and other youth to explore issues about the community's role in
understanding racial bias issues.
2) Have youth representation on the permanent DEI Committee
3) Have youth groups solicit from their community and suggest culturally relevant events that
showcase a variety of racial and ethnic diversity
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Conclusion:
The DEI Task Force recognizes that we have provided a substantial list of recommendations that will
take time, staff, and funds in order for the City to properly implement them. We appreciate the City
Council's wiliness to carry forward these recommendations and to properly resource them so that they
can be affective in creating change and fostering a more welcoming community. We also recognize
there is more work to be done and that this work is ongoing. We look forward to the City's continued
efforts outside these recommendations.
Finally, we would be remiss if we did not thank those that participated in the focus groups and
surveys. The DEI Task Force appreciates everyone who took the time to share their thoughts and
experiences with us, and who participated in the outreach process, including those who encouraged
their family, friends and colleagues to share their experiences. We are confident that these
recommendations will continue the good work already taking place, and establish structures that
allow for equitable access to opportunities for all who live, work and play in Lake Oswego.
I
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CAPPENDIX A: Statements Supporting Findings
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TOPIC AREA
Theme 1: Bias
Multiple references to presumptions of discrimination serving as a barrier to participation.
"I have serious doubts that a group of white, male, privileged interviewers and Mayor would select me,
as a woman, for a position on a board."
Reports of feeling excluded during meetings by past members.
"We had a very active, very talented young woman step down because she felt she wasn't being
heard."
"Boards and Commissions have dynamics. When I first started serving on the Planning Committee,
when you come on as a new member, they...have their habits and get acquainted with the habits."
Reports of suspected bias during past interviews.
"Being new to the city and knowing there were a lot of applicants whom have been involved in the
`parks realm', I sensed my odds of getting on were low but the panelists were grateful in my interest
and encouraged me to continue to apply."
"The interview was in the middle of the day. I was an independent contractor at the time so I could
accommodate the time. The interview felt really subjective, I felt grilled or 'on trial' by 3 white men."
Theme 2: Increase Engagement
Increase intentional outreach to community members.
"Discuss the skills or interests you are looking for, if applicant pool is not diverse be willing to seek
out individuals you think would help the makeup of the board be more diverse."
"If the goal is to diversify board and commission, history has shown it doesn't happen on its own, we
have to do deliberate outreach."
Lack of child care can be a limitation.
"Also, the lack of a childcare stipend combined with when the committees usually meet are barriers."
Some engagement practices limit interaction with public officials.
People seeking change in Lake Oswego should attract POC in committees. However, all the
bureaucrats tend to produce and reproduce structures that cannot lead to change. D11 thinks it
is important to get people not only from different backgrounds on committees but also to have
education on this issue. Honest communication can help with that but people in power tend to not
want to listen to that sort of communication which is why the city council meetings limit guests to
3-minute speaking time.
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No clear expectation of time commitment and necessary qualifications. Participants expressed
meeting times in person as barriers to engagement.
"Was going to apply for a board but quit because I got imposter's syndrome. I had so many questions.
What were the qualifications that I would be judged on? I wanted to know what my odds were, so I
knew whether to put in the time to apply."
"I am a single mom, I work full time in Lake Oswego. I wanted to be on some committees, I sent in
an application for the 50+ one. They met at Friday at 10am so those that work 8-5 can't participate."
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOPIC AREA
Theme 1: Challenges to Engagement
There is interest in serving the community, but some community members do not know where or how
to engage.
"Just arrived and looking for how to engage."
"Hold a newcomers fair or in service to learn more how to become more involved in community
opportunities."
"But this is something that I have been interested in, but have not known how to connect, but this
event was easier to connect to because I got an email about it that invited me to look at what focus
groups I wanted to be in..."
"I think that's where I am, trying to gather information to help me understand how to become
involved...so I am happy to be meeting people, seeing some faces and learning other people's
involvement."
Reports of City not being receptive to feedback.
"While I commend LO for following process, I've found many arrogant to deal with and frustrated to
have to listen to citizens with an issue to note."
"Generally, my experience with community engagement in speaking at many city council meetings and
one planning commission meeting has not been super positive. While I'm grateful for the chance to
speak, and at times have felt heard, I generally have not felt like my testimony has been welcomed."
Theme 2: Accountability and Relationship Building
City solicits feedback, but does not do a good job at reporting the results or next steps back to the
community.
"There needs to be follow through and feedback when input is given to the city. We provide
comments and never hear back on our thoughts and ideas. It's like there's a black hole and honestly
it makes stepping up with ideas harder because the effort seemingly isn't wanted. These surveys
and focus groups are a great first step."
Town halls and public meetings could be more relational versus transactional experiences.
"City staff and elected officials could foster trusting relationships by meeting people where they
congregate instead of assuming everyone is comfortable applying for a board or even attending a city
council meeting."
"I'd love it if the city held occasional open houses - come talk with us, come talk with the City leaders. "
Theme 3: Inclusion and Systemic Change
Language, visual, and audio disability access is important, and the City needs to determine how to best
integrate this into their outreach practices.
"I would encourage putting designated funds toward robust community engagement support
mechanisms like distributing technology and Wi-Fi hotspots to participants you're looking to engage,
offsetting cost of transportation and childcare to encourage attendee participation, creating multi-
language flyers and translating website and communication materials..."
The Library offers regular discussion around DEI, but not as many other opportunities exist for the
community to discuss this topic.
"I am an active community member, who has been involved with the school district (DEI &
fundraising efforts), partnered with the library for Multicultural Children's Book Day, parks & rec youth
programs..."
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT TOPIC AREA
Theme 1: Polarization and Desired Inclusion
Some groups youth are involved in are diverse and inclusive toward people of color and some are not.
"My experience has been a mixed situation. I interact with a lot of people that show great openness
and inclusiveness toward people of color. When I go to work, when I go to school...people treat
people with respect. I can call Lake Oswego my hometown. There's also situations where people don't
show respect to people of color."
Not many opportunities for those who are in middle school.
"On the city level, there aren't many opportunities [for those] younger than high school. There
are opportunities for middle school students in sports, at churches, but not really offered by the
city. In G6's experience, middle school is when students have the time to engage with leadership
opportunities. When kids get to high school they are so busy and have so many things going on, it's
almost like starting opportunities at high school is too late."
Theme 2: Culture and Accountability
Varying degrees of people's understanding of racial issues.
"We've had many opportunities to teach people—unfortunately I feel there's a disproportionate
burden on people of color to educate people vs. white people taking upon ourselves. I'd like to see
more community-led discussions."
Need to continue to build relationships in the community.
"There are microaggressions. People treat people of color different based on class. We're focusing on
the negative side, as an optimistic person I focus on the positive. If we can amplify their voice in the
community, we can make this community better. Is there DEI in this community? Definitely yes. Could
we do more work? Yes, to make the city better."
HUMAN RESOURCES TOPIC AREA
Theme 1: Internal Culture
Internally inclusive but a very white population.
"I have had good experiences when working with other departments over the years. It would be
interesting to see what people think about welcoming and inclusiveness when people come in now. I
wouldn't be here this long if I didn't enjoy working for the city."
Culture varies department to department based on leadership.
"I think it depends on which manager you work for in which department. I know that we tend to have
things kind of forwarded to us from the City Manager directly or repeated verbatim with a 'this is what
happened at the city council meeting' or whatever it might be, but I know that not all departments
have that, especially not for all staff. Like they might do that with their supervisors or with a lead
group, but not with all their employees in that department. So, I think it depends."
"Nice" culture - you go along to get along.
"We are definitely in the `there is a conflict, but we are just going to move on', kind of brush it under
the rug and move on."
Theme 2: Consistency and Internal Practices
Hiring is decentralized with some oversight by HR.
"There's not a rubric on how we do it, or directions. HR is a consultant in it, basically, and they
coordinate it, but they don't advise on how different points of the hiring, and I think that is one of
our biggest challenges. People have been doing the hiring for 20 years, and our outcomes are not
changing."
No DEI hiring or retention strategy.
"On more of the DEI side of things I think we haven't made it a priority and that is very evident across
the board. At all levels from communication to website all the way to hiring."
Theme 3: Employee Engagement
Cost of housing and limited transportation choices is a barrier.
"There's a lot of pushback whenever there are talks of trying to expand TriMet routes within the city,
and the city itself is not a place that most people can afford to live in, myself included."
Employee onboarding is an HR touchpoint and it needs to be an "employee engagement" touchpoint.
"I know that I see the same job listings all the time, so I think it would be really great to look at the
first week of the onboarding process. Now, you sit in a conference room with one other person, and
review these documents. You don't really get a sense of the values, or goals really, or mission / value
statements. This is your insurance binder, basically. I think that is an opportunity lost...I think that it
would be really great to expand that a bit more than just, 'here are your w-4s', 'sign them', and use
that as an engagement point."
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FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS TOPIC AREA
Theme 1: Access and Safety
Mostly felt satisfied with the facilities and programs, specifically Parks and Recreation and the Library.
"We constantly make use of our parks, and library. Couldn't be happier with them."
"It was great. The library and the librarians are fantastic. We've been to all the parks with play
structures, and they are well maintained, and clean."
Spaces do not feel welcoming to some BIPOC.
"My minority friends feel unwelcome in Lake Oswego."
"I have done music in the park. I would not do fitness classes as the individuals in the catalog
pictures make me feel that I will be the only person of color in the class. And I don't know if any other
people of color that participate in those classes."
Participants said materials in languages other than English are a sign of inclusion.
"Accessible for all: ADA accessible buildings, parks (does Lake Oswego have any fully accessible
playgrounds?), when I see event listings I automatically look to see if interpreting services are offered
if needed (ADA, specifically ASL, American Sign Language) since that is federally mandated. But also
access to other languages is something I notice."
Theme 2: Socio-economic and Family Diversity
Programming focuses on certain ages, incomes and two-parent households.
"There are great programs available. I feel that sometimes they are not accessible to working
families."
Programming lacks cultural diversity.
"Although our core events are well run (art festival, car and boat show, lake run, etc.), they target
a very specific demographic much like the upper class, white demographic who lives here already.
Maybe we should have a rotating cultural event each year? Greek festival, Italian festival, Indian
festival, southern festival...etc."
"If there are really great programs, I'm an average resident I don't know if things are going around.
Just communication of getting things out. Communicating it in a way w[h]ere more people can know
what is going on. One post was celebrating Hispanic heritage month. But How? Are there events? Are
we doing things to embrace other cultures. We say we are celebrating but how?"
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City ott `ka e Oswego
2020