The Jericho Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee aspires to create a more diverse, welcoming, and equitable community. Working in advisory capacity to the Select Board, the Committee seeks to identify ways to ensure all residents are able to and feel welcome in participating in the civic life of the community and are well served by town government. The Committee seeks to engage the community, including local leaders, in conversations to better understand the lived experience and needs of Jericho’s historically and currently marginalized residents.
Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month.
The Jericho Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee aspires to create a more diverse, welcoming, and equitable community. Working in advisory capacity to the Select Board, the Committee seeks to identify ways to ensure all residents are able to and feel welcome in participating in the civic life of the community and are well served by town government. The Committee seeks to engage the community, including local leaders, in conversations to better understand the lived experience and needs of Jericho’s historically and currently marginalized residents.
Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month.
The goal of the committee is to ensure that all residents and Town employees of Jericho receive equitable treatment and opportunity regardless of, but not limited to, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, age, marital status, familial status, disability, gender identity, and gender expression.
To that end the committee will:
Build capacity for all facets of the Town local government to apply an equity and inclusion lens to their work
Serve in an advisory capacity to the Town regulatory bodies
Facilitate opportunities for Jericho residents to learn about and discuss the ways in which racism, power, privilege, implicit bias, and other forms of injustice impact marginalized communities
Support the safety and well-being of community members when sharing or disclosing lived experiences, identity-based insight and suggestions for community improvement.
Use current best practices to promote a climate of town-wide engagement in diversity, equity and inclusion initiative
The JDEIC asks the voters of Jericho to reflect on our current Town Meeting practices. On Tuesday, March 5th, 2024 voters at Town Meeting will be asked to decide on the following articles "on the floor":
ARTICLE VI- Shall the Town adopt all budget articles by Australian Ballot?
ARTICLE VII- Shall the Town adopt all Public questions by Australian Ballot?
As we approach Town Meeting Day, the JDEIC encourages the voters of Jericho to reflect on these practices, review the information the JDEIC has gathered, and engage in conversation.
Do we want to change the budget and/or public question voting to Australian Ballot?
How do we preserve the ability to amend and discuss items if voting is no longer done from the floor?
How do we create a hybrid version of our current system that preserves the ability to share thoughts and engage in dialogue with each other?
How could we improve on Town Meeting moving forward?
This forum will be moderated by DEI members. We ask that all comments remain respectful and that you are kind to one another and ask questions in the spirit of community engagement.
