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Woonsocket council receives WEDI advisory nominations amid debate over name and purpose
Summary
Council received and placed on file nominations for the Woonsocket Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (WEDI) advisory board after public comment both for and against the board; members discussed possibly renaming it to reduce controversy, but the nominations were received unanimously.
The Woonsocket City Council on Feb. 3 received and placed on file nominations for the Woonsocket Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (WEDI) advisory board after an extended public discussion about the board's purpose and name.
Public commenters including Gregory Duhamel and Arthur Roy urged the council to rename WEDI, arguing the acronym and program are divisive. Duhamel told the council that during a phone call with Councilwoman Valerie Gonzales he felt interrupted and said, "Who does Valerie Gonzales believe she represents again?" He also cited the city charter on non-discrimination, saying existing rules provide anti-discrimination protections.
Michelle Stabore, who said she has been nominated to serve on the advisory board, told the council she originally opposed the board but joined to understand its work. "I decided to get involved so that I could understand," Stabore said, adding the board offered a place for dialogue across the community.
Councilwoman Valerie Gonzales said the local advisory board had produced concrete benefits and that she was open to changing the panel's name if that would reduce discord. "I'm okay with just changing the name because I think a lot of people ... it has a negative connotation," she said. Councilwoman Harmon, a former member of the prior advisory board, argued the board's work addressed real problems. "Whether you know it or not, racism is real," Harmon said.
Councilwoman Fox opposed changing the name, arguing such a change would be a "slippery slope" and would not reflect the group's purpose. Fox summarized the WEDI acronym, saying it stands for Woonsocket Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and defending equity as ensuring "everybody got what they need to be successful." After discussion the council voted to receive and place the nominations on file unanimously (vote 7–0).
Several speakers during the public comment period also raised related concerns: Reverend Rhonda Ann Sharon and Estelle Bubble criticized federal spending and DEI broadly; Lorraine Corey and others pressed the council on water and emergency-planning agenda items. The WEDI nominations were listed in agenda item 25RC04; the item was received and placed on file by unanimous vote.
