12 Attachment 2 ALFI Implementation Actions 9.14.231
Town of Los Gatos
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)
Implementation Actions
ATTACHMENT 2
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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.
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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.
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- 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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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- 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
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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
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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
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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
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ALF Insights Team
Jenny Niklaus Chief Impact Officer and Principal
Jason Reynolds ALFI Faculty
Darcie Green ALFI Faculty
Allyson Paul Executive Assistant