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Committee endorses low-cost Avarna DEI recommendations, holds higher-cost items until funding improves
Summary
The communications committee discussed Avarna Group DEI recommendations, agreed the communications best-practices draft can host many suggestions, and recommended implementing low-cost items now while pinning higher-cost proposals pending budget increases.
Commissioner Alex Johnson summarized concrete recommendations from the Avarna Group DEI report commissioned last year and said the executive committee had mapped items across committees, identifying numbers 2 and 3 as within the communications committee’s remit. Johnson described the recommendations as proposals, not requirements, and proposed a public discussion to prioritize actions against capacity constraints.
Commissioners discussed a recommendation to "navigate political polarization thoughtfully," suggesting a common-ground framing toolkit for challenging topics and a "buddy" review system for sensitive messages. Commissioner Hockman said a second set of eyes would be useful when crafting nuanced communications; another commissioner proposed folding that guidance into the best-practices document.
Staff said the commission has ongoing outreach through a pair team and that extra discussion opportunities could serve as training, but added that some Avarna recommendations — hiring a communications strategist, launching a public education campaign, creating a commissioner storytelling series — require funding. The committee broadly agreed to proceed with volunteer-led, low-cost measures now and to defer higher-cost items until budget conditions permit.
Next steps include checking the best-practices draft for language that can house the DEI recommendations, scheduling follow-up sessions for goal setting and metrics, and reporting proposals to EXCOM where appropriate.
