Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Equity Diversity Inclusion topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Acton DEI director reports 11 bias incidents since launch, secures $50,000 equity audit grant
Summary
DEI Director Wanjika Gashohe outlined two years of DEI work, said the town’s incident reporting system logged 11 reports so far and announced a $50,000 community compact grant to fund an equity audit.
Wanjika Gashohe, the town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion director, gave an overview of the DEI office’s work since her January 2023 start and described an incident reporting system she created.
Gashohe said the DEI office has logged 11 bias incident reports since the reporting system launched; she said the most recent report that day was quickly resolved and involved matters not directly tied to town operations. She told the Select Board she would prepare a redacted summary — a compendium listing types of incidents, how they were resolved and follow‑up actions — to provide the board and public a clearer picture of trends and responses.
Gashohe said the DEI office works across departments and with the Acton‑Boxborough public schools’ DEI director and serves as staff liaison to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission and to the Commission on Disabilities. She described initiatives in the past year: a regional documentary screening, a REACH regional program with roughly 10 municipalities, monthly collaboration with the school district, DEI strategic leadership workshops for departments and the hiring of the office’s first intern.
The director said the office won a $50,000 Community Compact grant to fund an equity audit. She described ongoing DEI involvement in hiring and collective bargaining negotiations and said future FY26 goals include outreach to minority‑ and women‑owned businesses and work with the business community to improve accessibility and inclusion.
Selective questions from board members included requests to publish a redacted incident log (the director agreed) and suggestions to increase language access and outreach. One Select Board member urged the DEI office to clarify for residents what government action follows a bias report so people understand how the town can help.
Ending: Gashohe asked for continued support to expand outreach; the board discussed next steps for a redacted incident summary and the planned equity audit.
