Despite growth in communities of color in Gateway Cities, Massachusetts’s non-profit and elected leadership remains overwhelmingly white.
Meanwhile, the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have fallen disproportionately on the communities most underrepresented in leadership positions, like Chelsea.
In the Gateway Cities first session, a series on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for a Strong Recovery, the organization will focus on the lack of representation in civic leadership in Gateway Cities.
“We’ll start by recognizing the work of Mayor Dan Rivera for his outstanding leadership in the City of Lawrence, including diversifying the police force, and his relentless advocacy on behalf of Gateway Cities across Massachusetts,” read a statement. “Then Joan Kulash, Executive Director of Community InRoads, and Gladys Vega, Executive Director of the Chelsea Collaborative, will share case-studies on their experience working to make the ranks of elected and non-profit leadership more representative of the diverse population in Gateway Cities.”
Attendees will leave the presentation armed with new insights and data on civic representation in Massachusetts, as well as strategies for implementing similar models in their community.