City leaders hope a new board will increase engagement, integration and access to city services for all cultural communities in Kent.
Kent city Council members voted in December to establish a Cultural Communities Board; whose volunteer members will serve in an advisory capacity to the mayor and council.
According to former Councilmember Debbie Ranniger, Kent is at a juncture where we should embrace the diversity that has come to our community and be a role model for other cities.
“None of us want any part of discrimination and cultural hatred that is sadly emerging in other parts of the country,” Ranniger said.
Ranniger was chair of the council’s Parks and Human Services Committee that recommended approval of the new board.
Board composition, term and skills needed:
• Members will be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council
• 18 members, including two youth (must live in and be representative of the cultural and ethnic diversity of Kent)
• Must actively participate and speak up about the issues facing cultural communities
• Work respectfully with people from all cultures
• Possess skills that allow them to work on solutions to issues that affect their community as well as other cultural communities
• Have the social connections that allow them to serve as linkages between the city and various cultural communities
• Meeting schedule will be determined by the board; however the group must meet no less than once a quarter and may be called to meet by the mayor or chair (members must attend regularly to remain on the board)
• One-year term, renewable upon approval by the mayor and city council
Examples of issues/questions the board will address:
How to create culturally responsive programs that teach and inspire people to become involved in making and influencing decisions that affect cultural communities
• Determine the most appropriate ways for the city to give and receive information from Kent’s diverse cultural communities
• Provide consultation on how the city can reach out to and include those who feel left out or reluctant to get involved
• Identify what programs, tools, or events that could strengthen the relationship between the city and cultural communities
• Determine how the city can increase its knowledge of and benefit from the strengths, skills and experiences that cultural populations bring to the Kent community.
Interested parties should apply online at KentWA.gov/CCB and provide a brief statement sharing why they would like to serve. Due no later than March 25, applications may also be printed and mailed to Patrick Briggs, Kent City Hall, 220 4th Ave. S., Kent, WA 98032 or by email to pbriggs@KentWA.gov.
Anyone who needs assistance completing an application may contact Dinah Wilson, CDBG Coordinator and Kent Cultural Diversity Initiative Group Facilitator, at drwilson@KentWA.gov, 253-856-5070; or Hardy Awadjie, Community Engagement Coordinator, at hawadjie@KentWA.gov, 253-856-6064.
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