Commission on Equity asks council to adopt 2025 work plan, highlights language access, ambassador program and school engagement

The Commission on Equity presented a draft 2025 work plan to the Lacey City Council and recommended the council consider it for adoption via the consent agenda at a future meeting.

The commission emphasized implementation of the three-year Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging strategic plan and several near-term deliverables, including an ambassador (community liaison) program, a language access plan and publicly available equity maps meant to guide city decision-making.

Shannon, a staff member presenting for the commission, told the council the plan is a draft the commission reviewed in November and December and that the group had “taken action to recommend it to the City Council.” The commission’s vice chair, Thelma Jackson, said the group has shifted from defining equity goals to identifying the specific inequities in the community and building accountability measures to track progress. Jackson said, “We continue to have that conversation because what’s an inequity to one person is an inequity to others.”

Why it matters: commissioners and staff said work now shifts from planning to implementation — and that requires tools, outreach and partnerships. The draft lists short- and medium-term benchmarks that the commission says are essential to translate the DEIB plan into operational changes across city departments and advisory boards.

Key elements in the draft plan noted to the council: - Language access plan: the commission will review a draft language access plan aimed at improving participation by residents with limited English proficiency. - Ambassador / community liaison program: commissioners advocated recruiting community members to serve as outreach liaisons to improve two‑way communication with immigrant and underrepresented communities. - Equity mapping and data tools: the city is working with a contractor to produce an equity map for internal and external use. - Advisory board recruitment: continued review of recruitment, application and stipend processes for city advisory boards to lower participation barriers. - Outreach and celebrations: the commission proposed researching options for LGBTQIA+ and Hispanic/Latino community celebrations and coordinating with existing countywide events rather than duplicating them; Commissioner John Hegwood noted conversations with Capital City Pride. - Schools engagement: commissioners asked the council to support convening meetings with the local school district and school board to discuss student- and family-level inequities raised at commission meetings.

Commissioners described recent work that provided context for the 2025 plan: adoption of the DEIB strategic plan after more than 20 public meetings and community engagement, a first-year advisory board stipend and demographic survey, development of a public comment policy after Zoom-bombing incidents, and an equity-informed review of parks funding through the Park Improvement Funding work group.

Commissioners also highlighted partnership activity, including work with a local group described in the presentation as “FRAG U Harris Lodge” around Juneteenth programming, and outreach with the Thurston County Economic Development Council and other regional partners. The commission meets on the fourth Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m.

Next steps: the commission asked the council for input and said it will return with a recommended consent-item adoption. Council members signaled support for additional engagement and asked the commission to research festival options and the ambassador program; no formal council vote to adopt the plan occurred at this meeting.

Ending: Commissioners and council members agreed implementation will require cross-departmental coordination and community partnerships; the commission will bring recommendations and any requested revisions back to the council for consideration.