As part of its work to raise awareness around equity and justice in the community, the Edmonds Diversity Commission has created an Equity Toolkit for businesses.
According to a City of Edmonds announcement Wednesday, this first-ever collaboration between Diversity Commissioners and local business leaders resulted in the Equity Toolkit, which includes resources for “creating and strengthening an equitable, welcoming culture for each and every one of our neighbors and visitors” in the Edmonds business community.
The toolkit can be accessed from the Diversity Commission’s webpage at www.edmondswa.gov/diversity-commission-home.
The digital packet includes a variety of assets:
• An Edmonds Pledge of Equity as well as sample pledges that can be used as guide in creating a business’s customized pledge of equity.
• A toolkit of resources to assist business owners, their management teams, and staff to assess their organization through an equity lens and find areas for improvement.
• A curated list of helpful books and workbooks that provide guidance, perspective and insight on dismantling racism, intersectionality and inclusion.
• Websites and podcasts to use as resources and provide in-depth information on promoting equity, allies, and diversity of all types.
• Contacts for local trainers and leaders who can work with your business to further businesses’ equity efforts.
The Diversity Commission hired Edmonds resident Courtney Wooten to research and compile the toolkit. Wooten owns Suburbia Rising, a consulting firm offering training, workshops and guidance on issues of inclusivity, community organizing and community engagement.
“After a collaboration with local business leaders, and with the great work of Courtney Wooten, the Diversity Commission is thrilled to be able to offer this Equity Toolkit to the local business community,” said Diversity Commission Chair Ardeth Weed. “It is our sincere hope that business owners will take the pledge for equity and share these resources with their employees to help create a welcoming and more equitable community for all.”
The Equity Toolkit will be a “living document,” intended to be updated in the future with additional useful resources, the city said.
So grateful to everyone who was a part of this effort to lift up our whole community and provide this valuable resource to our local businesses. It’s not hard to find people in Edmonds with good intentions but maybe don’t know where to start and now we can point them to something with guidance. BRAVO, ALL!
Notice the narrative switch from equality to equity.
Just about everyone supports equality.
Equity is about the same outcome for all. That is unacceptable.
Equity = Communism.
I agree with Jeff.
The government, through this “Equity Tool”, appears to be attempting to dictate to business owners how they conduct business and how they spend money.
Will there be shaming if a business owners does not make a “Pledge.” Maybe by printing a list of those that have signed a “Pledge” thereby pointing out those that have not??
Businesses must hire the most qualified people, purchase from vendors that supply the best product for the
best price, and spend their time and monies in areas that meet the needs of their operation. These are decisions government should not attempt to dictate.
Helen, I was a volunteer on the Commission when downtown business owners came and asked for help on this topic, in this form. I’m not on the Commission now, but this looks like what they asked for. The business owners explicitly said that they felt this was something they needed to, in your words, “meet the needs of their operation” as they saw them. The Commission didn’t tell them what those needs were, or how to interpret their needs in a diversity context. There is no “dictation” in this, it is an offer of information to whomever wants it. The pledges are examples of statements a person can make to the world, not a promise to the city or anyone else.
Personally, I think answering a call for help from citizens or businesses by providing opt-in information is an example of citizen-government collaboration at its best.
Brian, what businesses asked for help on this? I’m betting the businesses who asked for the City of Edmonds to help them not be racist are those who already had a BLM sign in the window.
On this note, I see black people, old people, Latin-XXXX, Turkish people (I don’t like assuming race) people, etc, who used to drink coffee at Walnut (I was a regular there) migrating over to Cafe Louvre. I bet Pam was one of the outfits asking for this race commission. People just want a cup of coffee.
Hi Brian,
If businesses asked for this information then why not let them be the ones to announce their position through whatever means they feel appropriate.
It may be appropriate for a commission (appointed by City Government) to provide tools requested by business owners, but I do not think it is appropriate for city government, through an appointed diversity commission to ask for a “Pledge” by all business owners.
The “pledge” idea implies a government role in private businesses.
Matt- I don’t remember the specific businesses, but yes, some did say they had BLM signs up and wanted to do more.
Helen-I do not think the DC was asking for businesses to make a pledge, but I’m no longer on it so that is my interpretation. If you read the wording of the pledges offered as examples, they never say anything about government. They are a way that a business can make a statement to their community, no different than saying “we will not be undersold” or “we donate to Wounded Warriors.”
Every business is free to take or leave this. How the public, or local politicians choose to interpret it, is another matter. I think that, for all that we – and I include myself here – complain about our government pushing agendas, this is by far the least pushy thing I’ve seen the city do in the last several years.
You’re a good guy Brian, and thank you for explaining a lot.
I recently hired people basing my choice 50% on those who did the interview without choosing to wear a mask. It is sort of like putting cookies on the table and seeing which people at one. If red-head is a color, then I hired a person of color out of this process. Do I get a badge or a sticker or something?
I don’t believe that equity had anything to do with communism. It comes from our judicial system — the Chancery Courts also known as the courts of equity. From the background of our British roots.
In 2021, any reliance on traditional meanings of words can be tossed. As we have seen by misuse of words such as “mostly peaceful” while a building is burning in the background, it is best to look behind the curtain. The current equity movement, and it is a movement, has roots and funding. It might take a bit of effort to work past the money laundering but it helps to understand motive. Clarity is important, whether you agree or disagree with the cause.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/625404/equity-vs-equality-what-is-the-difference
Equity can be a slippery slope in terms of who decides what is needed to create equality. If a particular group is being viewed as the underdog, they could be shown favoritism under the guise of equity. Equality doesn’t allow for favoritism, yet it could become rigid and unyielding in terms of special circumstances. It’s too bad there isn’t something in the middle of equity and equality. Oh, maybe that would be justice?
Dorian, the baseball game picture is one of my favorites. All three are trying to illegally watch a baseball game. They all have crates, but none are actually paying their fair share to watch the game. Besides that, the picture also demonstrates the contempt government has for society, in that it doesn’t give the tallest man the benefit of the doubt. Of course, through charity, he would allow the shortest guy to stand on his box with no government coercion whatsoever.
Equity is a socialist idea, not a communist idea. Animal Farm, for example, warns of how socialism devolves into communism. When the farm was first liberated, everyone was equal and there was no hierarchy. The pigs slowly changed the constitution and became Communist oligarchs. If Socialism were plutonium, it inevitably decays into uranium. Equity isn’t a hierarchal system, whereas Communism is hierarchal. John Kerry is flying around in a private jet, selling the Green New Deal, but he’s doing it for the people. We can see the decay in real time. Four legs good, two legs baaad, except for geese. Solar good, oil baaad, except for Joh Kerry’s Gulfstream jet.
Equity are the social frameworks that allows a person to reach equality.
Such as what zip code you live in.
What schools your children go to.
Whether you have a good grocery store near where you live.
Your access to quality medical care.
Whether you have access to higher education and vocational tdaining.
Safe neighborhoods and a clean healthy environment.
Equal access to these human needs lead to equality for all.
Equal opportunity does not guarantee equal outcome. You want equal outcomes. That’s not how this works.
Aka: “From Each According to His Ability, to Each According to His Needs”
Hahahahah this is Edmonds now. Truly cringe worthy