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12 Attachment 2 ALFI Implementation Actions 9.14.231 Town of Los Gatos Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Implementation Actions ATTACHMENT 2 2 OVERVIEW The Town of Los Gatos identified work plan items in 2021 when it became clear that the Town could be doing more to create a welcoming community in Los Gatos. These early efforts focused on Town processes, policies, and other Town work that would enhance equity and inclusion in Los Gatos. In addition, the Town engaged ALF Insights (ALFI), the consulting arm of American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley, to complete a phase of discovery, engaging community partners to ascertain their understanding of the Town’s JEDI work to date as well as gather input on equity and inclusion efforts in the Town. ALFI summarized the themes and ideas gathered in those meetings and provided a set of recommendations about gaps in the current plan and suggestions on a process for on-going community engagement in a Discovery Report provided to the Town. From those recommendations, the Town of Los Gatos re-engaged ALFI to assist in strategizing and identifying Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Implementation Actions to include clear goals and action items. To do this work, ALFI convened a Community Advisory Group to move the Discovery Report recommendations forward and provide concrete steps for implementation. The Community Advisory Group utilized the initial Discovery Report recommendations as a jumping off point for their dialogues and planning conversations. The following Implementation Plan is the summary of that work. This product complements the Town’s larger JEDI Plan and other potential implementation actions. 3 CRITICAL DOCUMENTS ALF Insights Documents Town of Los Gatos Documents ALFI Discovery Report February 2023 Update on Discovery Report and Town Workplan Items Town of Los Gatos JEDI Definitions Town of Los Gatos 2040 General Plan Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice Element Town of Los Gatos Unity and Solidarity Commission Charter KEY HIGHLIGHTS AND NEXT STEPS After six months of meetings with the Town of Los Gatos and the Community Advisory Group, there were several key highlights: - Community Advisory Group members showed great passion and concern regarding the Town of Los Gatos being inclusive and equitable for all residents, workers in all sectors, and visitors. This was a consistent theme that recurred in every meeting. - The Community Advisory Group was appreciative of the current JEDI work the Town of Los Gatos has put forward but expressed concern regarding implementation and if commitment would remain for long-term goals. The Community Advisory Group views the JEDI work as a long-term engagement and commitment by the Town and Town leadership. - The Community Advisory Group suggested that the Town Council establish The Unity and Solidarity Commission (TUSC), with the purpose of cementing the goals and objectives of the Town’s JEDI Plan and these Implementation Actions into the ethos of the Town of Los Gatos. The Community Advisory Group helped draft a proposed initial charter for the new Commission. This recommendation was the most significant and valued desired outcome of the meetings, a natural progression of the work that the Town, community participants and ALFI have done. 4 - In order for the work to be successful, the Town needs to commit resources for the community-based work and leverage natural partnerships and collaborations. ALFI recommends the following next steps: - Realizing the Plan: in order for the JEDI work to be successful, intentionality for how the Plan is implemented and monitored needs to be larger than the Town staff and centered in the community. This must be a top priority for the Town staff and Council. To that end the following immediate steps are recommended: - Integration of this document with the Town’s full JEDI Plan. - Acceptance of the JEDI Plan by Town Council. - Acceptance by Town Council to create The Unity and Solidarity Commission. - Implementing the Plan: - The Town should work to implement the components of the plan as appropriate and should Council create TUSC, the Council should determine the priorities for the Commission’s first year work plan based on the action items identified below. OVERALL PURPOSE The overall intent of this work was to ensure that the Town of Los Gatos is creating an environment that is welcoming and safe for all of its residents, workforce and visitors. To that end, the following definition of belonging was adopted by the Community Advisory Group as a northstar for the Town’s equity work. This and the other terms and definitions utilized by the group are linked in the table above. “Belonging is a core need of all humans and is defined as a system of values and practices where no person is left out of the circle of human concern. It is more than just access. It is having a meaningful voice and an opportunity to participate in the design of cultural structures. Belonging includes the right to contribute as well as the right to make demands and it requires shared power, access, and opportunity among all individuals within a shared system. Belonging is about being seen, heard and valued for the uniqueness that each individual brings into the circle.” (Sourced from Othering and Belonging Institute) 5 IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS To develop these actions and set goals, the Community Advisory Group was guided by ALFI through a process that used the categories outlined in the Discovery Report. The goals below relate to these categories directly. The categories highlighted the following: - Collaborative, on-going engagement with community groups engaged in equity-based activities - Creation of safe spaces that allows for community to learn together and engage in equity work - Development of equity capacity through intentional learning about the impact of historical inequities in the community - Linking equity work to the vibrancy of the Town’s economy - Engaging school districts and youth so that the voice of youth and the needs of school districts is heard and supported - Building affordable housing to ensure more economic diversity The Implementation Actions are designed to highlight work flows in the major areas identified by the Community Advisory Group, connected to the Discovery Report work. The goals are happening concurrently and are often interdependent from one area of work to the other. This is intended to be an initial roadmap for the Town and community groups. Additionally, the Town Council could direct the work of the Unity and Solidarity Commission (TUSC) to accomplish some of these critical activities. As the work is initiated and realized, there should be intentional review and re-alignment as needed in order to account for changing capacity and budget needed to accomplish the work. Goals Action Steps Timeframe to Complete Task Responsible Parties 1.0 Oversight: Create a Process for Oversight of the Town’s JEDI Plan 1.1 Form The Unity and Solidarity Commission (TUSC) - Submit the draft JEDI Plan, concept of TUSC and its charter to Council for approval. - Promote the availability of the application for TUSC, based on the Year 1 Town Council/staff 6 Council establishing the new Commission. - Council selection of Commission members - Council to identify TUSC Priorities and first annual work plan created by the Commission 1.2 In partnership with other Commissions, review the community grants rubric for the community grant distribution process through an equity lens. Year 1 As directed by Town Council 1.3 Create an annual review process and evaluation of the JEDI Work Plan action items. - Create standing discussion item for the TUSC to review progress on the JEDI Plan - Submit annual progress update to the Council Year 1 As directed by Town Council 1.4 Recommend additional action items to the Town Council in order to make visible the equity issues that matter to the larger community. - Utilize the TUSC meetings to obtain community feedback, discuss and identify potential equity action items to inform the on-going JEDI Plan Longer Term TUSC/Community Partners with direction from Town Council 7 Implementation, and listen to other community ideas. 2.0 Safety: Create a robust & safe process for equity focused, community-based programming 2.1 Review the Town’s four events (Spring into Green, 4th of July, Screen on the Green, and Holiday Lighting) with an equity lens. - Propose potential modifications and expansions to existing Town events to encompass a wider diversity of multi- cultural and/or other celebrations. - Consider adding a question to the Town’s Special Event Permit application to ask how a proposed event would support equity and belonging. Year 1-2 Town staff/TUSC with direction from Town Council 2.2 Evaluate heritage/holiday celebrations and recognitions in the Holiday and Recognition Work Plan. Year 1 Town staff/TUSC with direction from Town Council 2.3 Create public forums and garner feedback from the community on the types of equity programming they would like to see offered in the Town, including but not limited to: - Community Members - Business Owners - Faith Leaders - Community Based Organizations - Youth Years 1-2 Town staff/TUSC/Community Partners with direction from Town Council 8 2.4 Working with other Commissions, curate safe and engaging learning, dialogue and advocacy spaces for community members, focused on but not limited to: - BIPOC communities - LGBTQIA+ communities - Youth - Faith communities Years 1-2 Town staff/TUSC/Community Partners with direction from Town Council 2.5 Develop a community learning opportunity focused on historical inequities and the history of the Town of Los Gatos. Focused on but not limited to: - Indigenous communities - Redlining practices - Other items as identified through community partners Year 3 Town staff/ TUSC/Community Partners with direction from Town Council 3.0 Collaboration: Leverage community resources in order to ensure equity efforts are collaborative and inclusive 3.1 Foster collaboration between community groups and other partners engaging in equity work in order to offer joint activities. - Meet with community partners to determine how they would like to manifest equity learning in the community. Focused on, but not limited to, the following local groups: - Businesses - CBO’s - Nonprofits - Education Partners Years 1-2 Town staff/ TUSC/Community Partners with direction from Town Council 9 - Faith Based Partners - Local Businesses - Town Departments - Other Town Boards, Commission, and Committees - Focus on collaborative projects that promote art, expression and healing. - Evaluate Town spaces available for joint activities and projects and consider how those spaces can be best used to promote equity and belonging. 3.2 Engage school districts and youth to identify their needs for both community- based and school-based programming. - Ensure schools have access to on site curriculum that support equity dialogues on campuses through local collaborative resources - Intentionally connect school districts to community groups for joint projects, centered in art and expression - Host a joint session with community partners and school leaders regarding equity dialogues and in support of their joint planning efforts Years 1-3 Town staff/School Districts with direction from Town Council 4.0 Communicatio n: Develop a communications 4.1 Create a yearly communications campaign centered around equity education Years 1-3 Town staff/TUSC/Community Partners with direction 10 campaign that highlights the Town’s equity work and promotion of community events. Include in this process: - Visible signage/banners - Local art and art displays from Town Council 4.2 Create a new Town tagline, in concert with the mission statement that involves the spirit of ‘belonging’, as a northstar for ongoing work. - Engage the community in the development of this work - Garner input from Commissions, businesses and community-based organizations - Present to Council for approval Years 2-3 Town staff/TUSC/community partners with direction from Town Council 4.3 Engage the business community as a partner in promoting the benefits of the JEDI plan and the positive attributes of the Town of Los Gatos. - Develop a local business pledge about belonging and unwillingness to tolerate discrimination - Create a plan for outreach and support for minority owned businesses - Engage the business community in supporting the development of more affordable housing as a path to support their businesses Years 2-3 Town staff/ TUSC/Community Partners with direction from Town Council 11 5.0 Housing: Educate the community about affordable housing in order to ensure that the Town meets its Housing Element 5.1 Bust the myths about affordable housing by providing: - Developer tours to completed affordable housing build outs - Education about affordable housing residents and the services they receive Year 3 Town staff with direction from Town Council 5.2 Investigate ways to attract affordable housing developers to the Town of Los Gatos - Review the work of other jurisdictions and what policy changes they have made to incentivize the building of affordable housing - Publicize opportunities to build affordable housing with developers - Educate the community about what affordable housing brings to the Town, in order to leverage and develop community support for these projects. Year 3 Town staff with direction from Town Council Community Advisory Group Participants Name Affiliation Jessica Blitchok Jewish Community Relations Council - Jewish Silicon Valley Kareem Syed Former Los Gatos Resident 12 Catherine Somers Chamber of Commerce Kylie Clark Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition Jeffrey Suzuki Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition Sandrine Chaumette Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition Ali Miano Los Gatos Anti-Racism Coalition Ami Davis NUMU Kimberly Snyder NUMU Alexandra Schindler NUMU Karen Rubio Plant-Based Advocates Folake Phillips AWO Center Jim Foley Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce/Pennant Properties Dominic Broadhead LGS Recreation Varily Isaacs Former Director of Events, Apple Devorah Felder-Levy Congregation Shir Hadash Town Staff Laurel Prevetti Town Manager Holly Young Senior Management Analyst 13 ALF Insights Team Jenny Niklaus Chief Impact Officer and Principal Jason Reynolds ALFI Faculty Darcie Green ALFI Faculty Allyson Paul Executive Assistant