The City of Newburyport is proud to announce it has developed and implementing a strategic plan to advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, ensuring that these values are embedded in every aspect of municipal work.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just ideals; they are essential to building a stronger, more vibrant community. At the city level, these efforts ensure that every voice is heard, every perspective valued, and every resident has access to opportunities to thrive,” said Mayor Sean Reardon. “Cross-departmental professional development plays a crucial role in this work, fostering collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to serving all members of our community with fairness and compassion. Together, we can create a city that truly reflects the strength and diversity of its people.”
The City collaborated with the YW Boston to advance its ongoing commitment to creating a more welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community for all who live, work, and visit. The YW Boston helps individuals and organizations transform policies, practices, attitudes, and behaviors with the goal of creating more inclusive environments where women, people of color, and especially women of color can succeed.
Newburyport recognizes that fostering a sense of belonging and fairness benefits everyone, from residents to employees to visitors. These initiatives are crucial for addressing systemic barriers, promoting fairness, and ensuring all individuals feel valued and respected. The City seeks to strengthen relationships, build trust, and set an example for others to follow.
Through this process, the City set several goals; creating an internal team to support DEI efforts toward the creation of a position to lead this work; increasing accessibility to residents and visitors for whom English is not their primary language; and implementing a long-term plan for ongoing DEI professional learning for city employees.
These efforts will seek to improve the inclusivity of the City by:
- Making sure city hall staff have the skills necessary to equitably serve all members of our community
- Developing tools to communicate in languages other than English including but not limited to, such as Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, German, Chinese, Italian, French, Arabic, and Amharic.
- Empowering staff to integrate the principles of DEI in their everyday work to better serve all members of our community.
- Highlighting languages other than English that residents speak to better serve immigrant communities
- Working to closely reflect the demographics of the community in city hall staff.
Several initiatives have already begun. Dedicated city staff members have volunteered to lead these DEI projects internally. All City Hall employees will participate in professional learning to enhance their understanding of DEI principles and build skills to better serve and collaborate with all community members.
“Having a cross-departmental team leading this work is invaluable. The diversity of perspectives and personal experience increases our group’s creativity and flexibility when problem-solving and ensures we are creating programs that will resonate with both city hall staff and community members. These benefits mirror the advantages a more diverse workforce and community would bring,” said Tina Los, Associate Director of Services and Supports and DEI Coordinator.
Further, the City recognizes that creating a welcoming and inclusive environment is a shared responsibility. In the coming year, the City will reach out to new and existing partners, including the Human Rights Commission and the DEI Alliance, to identify opportunities for partnership and joint initiatives.
