The Board of Directors and Executive Director of Diversity Council wish to pause in this season of gratitude to express how grateful we are to the partners, stakeholders, and peers who inform and support our work. As we reflect on what has transpired this year and anticipate the year to come, we want to reaffirm with you our purpose and our commitment to advancing equity in this region.

So much has transpired in our society over the 35 years since this organization formed – a deepening in our collective understanding of human difference, a continual diversification of the region’s population, the globalization of communication and connectivity – and yet our purpose remains fundamentally unchanged. Diversity Council exists to compel both equitable access and equitable outcomes for all people, regardless of any facet of identity.

We recognize that the work of the Council has focused historically on increasing awareness in predominantly white spaces of the impact of bias, prejudice, and discrimination. In recent years the organization has begun a shift toward pairing that awareness with actions led by and benefiting groups of people most deeply impacted by social and systemic inequities. That focus will continue and expand in the coming year.

Diversity Council staff traverses numerous complex spaces in its work and actively seeks to integrate as broad an array of viewpoints, experiences, and wisdom as possible. This is critical if we are to effectively navigate persistent disparities and realize deep and lasting equity. It is not possible to address inequities by perpetuating the processes and patterns that created them. We must change who participates in defining issues of equity and in crafting solutions that lead to fundamental improvements. As part of this commitment, Diversity Council is:

1. Fostering the growth of Community Mobilization Resource Coalition, a group of individuals and grassroots organizations connected to and serving minority populations in the region. The Coalition has done great work on so many fronts, by example, developing culturally responsive communications engaging thousands throughout the pandemic. Diversity Council with the Coalition to develop the resources and structures required for even greater success and autonomy.
2. Participating in the development and implementation of Co-Design, a process for changing how programs, policies, and spaces are developed that centers lived experience, incorporating and valuing community voices in the design process from concept through implementation. Diversity Council is leading or active in co-design initiatives with Olmsted County, City of Rochester, and champions the work of other entities engaged in co-design processes.

As the governing body of Diversity Council, we are also committed to supporting the collaboration, activation, and mobilization of individuals, groups, and organizations who share our charter. The numerous established programs and projects of the organization have been implemented for that purpose. We are proud of the accomplishments of Diversity Council’s professional staff, which include:

1. Creating opportunities for community education and engagement. Community-based learning and dialog complement and expand the work that we do within specific organizations. These outreach activities focus on specific diversity topics and are delivered in partnership with organizations whose expertise and experience exceed our own. Sharing the platform and passion with other organizations strengthens networks and broadens connectivity as a deliberate tactic for advancing equity. Relationships are currency in our culture and Diversity Council is determined to spread the wealth. More than 19,000 individuals have actively participated in community activities year to date in 2022.
2. Curating and disseminating critical resources. Harkening back to its roots, Diversity Council gathers, reviews, and distributes resources that provide core knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion, respond to significant sociocultural incidents or issues, or correlate with local activities and interests. Resource pages are the most utilized elements of the Council’s website and are supplemented by email and social media communications. Over 10,000 people have engaged with our resources this year.
3. Listening and adapting to public input. All of the work of Diversity Council is informed by community and responsive to identified needs. The Council incorporates the research and data of other organizations and gathers its own data in a continual effort to keep community first. Creating space at decision-making tables for underrepresented voices is of utmost importance to this aspect of our work. A significant shift in the use of interpreters for crisis communications during the COVID-19 pandemic is one powerful example.

Like so many entities of all types and sizes, Diversity Council has faced growing pains and disruptions over the past several years, but persists in its purpose, approaching 2023 with strategic intention by undertaking facilitated strategic planning inclusive of staff members, board members, and community input.

We are living through a period of significant social change, and how we go forward from here – toward equity and parity or away from it – will ultimately be decided by those who have the opportunity to engage. Our hope is to create a table large enough for everyone!

Best of the season to each of you. In gratitude,

Dee Sabol, Executive Director