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City DEI staff outline community outreach, trainings and internship growth to Park Board
Summary
Minnetonka DEI staff described programs, events, staff training and outreach partnerships and said the city is building capacity for equity work including internships and a cultural timeline project; Park Board members discussed opportunities to coordinate on parks-related accessibility and signage.
Minnetonka — City DEI staff on Aug. 6 briefed the Park Board on current diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and invited collaboration with park projects and commissions.
Jace Alexander, DEI supervisor for the city, told the Park Board the division’s work includes community events, internal staff training and partnerships with neighboring Hopkins on programming. He described a city-sponsored internship program (ACE) that places interns across departments and said the number of interns in city roles has grown over recent years to broaden access to municipal work.
“We're trying to make everyone feel welcome and engaged,” Alexander said, summarizing the DEI division’s goals and noting the work spans staff training, outreach events and partnerships with the Minnetonka DEI Commission.
What DEI staff described
Alexander and colleagues listed several activities: sensory-friendly events, a documentary and panel programming for Pride Month and Women’s History Month, collaboration with Hopkins on Expressions of Blackness, and community events such as Juneteenth programming. Corinne Burrell, DEI support specialist, and summer interns William and Mia described an ongoing art audit (catalog of roughly 300 public artworks across municipal properties) intended to show which artists and subjects are represented and where representation could be improved.
The DEI team also said it is pursuing a Minnesota Historical Society grant to hire a researcher to expand the city timeline in City Hall so it better reflects Indigenous history and underrepresented communities; staff said they are coordinating with the Minnetonka Historical Society on that project.
Board questions and collaboration opportunities
Board members asked how DEI staff can partner with parks on accessibility and interpretive signage, and Alexander said the division is available to consult on signage, language access and community engagement strategies. Park Board members suggested linking DEI internships and student volunteer opportunities to parks programming and master plans; staff said they already work with Hopkins and Wayzata school contacts on internship and youth-engagement opportunities and are exploring credit or service-hour options for students.
On the question of political pushback against DEI work in some jurisdictions, Alexander told the board the City’s leadership has affirmed DEI priorities and that city staffing and internships reflect institutional support.
Ending
DEI staff said they will continue outreach and training and welcomed invitations from Park Board members to consult on trail and signage projects (for example, Lone Lake Park signage as part of a future master plan). They also noted the DEI Commission has working groups on arts, education, events and strategy that can interface with other city commissions and boards.
