Mayor’s Alliance for Unity and Culture Unite to Promote Diversity

Several members of the community came together with the goal to encourage more diversity, inclusion and equality in Southlake at the first Mayor’s Alliance for Unity and Culture meeting on Monday, March 25 in Town Hall.

City Council appointed individuals who applied for the committee in January. The appointed Alliance members represent all walks of life from students to corporate executives with diverse ethnicities and backgrounds.

The Alliance will act in an advisory capacity to City Council and City staff in the planning and implementation of programs and activities involving diversity, inclusion and equality.

During the meeting, Alliance members reviewed the City’s strategic framework and discussed the draft framework created for the Alliance. This framework will assist the Alliance as they begin their work. Over the next several months, the Alliance will begin working on a Community Action Plan with recommendations to present to City Council in January 2020. This plan will address ways to encourage community unity in Southlake. To help guide this process, Alliance members participated in small group discussions on how they would like to move forward and stay engaged throughout the creation of this plan. This activity allowed for student members to engage with more mature members and share ideas from several different perspectives.

“It was great to see younger members interacting with the older members, everyone has a point of view to share,” said Mayor Laura Hill. “I was truly encouraged by the discussion we all had and am looking forward to continuing our mission with this group. I believe in this fantastic group of people and all they will bring to the table to help make Southlake the best is can be.”

In addition to the creation of an action plan, the Alliance will work to promote community building, unity, and bridge City communication. They will work to identify partnership opportunities and support local cultural programs.  They will also consider recommendations on policies to City Council that are potential barriers to inclusion of all protected classes. Alliance members will help support City communication by sharing information and engaging with other community members, friends and family to broaden the City’s reach. The next meeting will take place on April 24. To learn more about the Mayor’s Alliance for Unity and Culture, click here.