Oklahoma City is making strides towards inclusion and diversity

Oklahoma Metropolis’s authorities is amongst many throughout the nation responding to requests for improved variety and inclusion within the office.

Town’s first Inclusion and Variety Officer, Shalynne Jackson, got here on board final February. Sixteen months later, Jackson stated she has spent a variety of time listening to division wants and is trying ahead to the town’s new fairness council, an worker survey and is working with some departments on assessing inter-cultural competence.

Oklahoma Metropolis Mayor David Holt has said creating Jackson’s position was one thing he requested Metropolis Supervisor Craig Freeman to do when he was employed in 2019.

The hearth division, impressed by Jackson’s efforts, has additionally created its personal 11-member Inclusion and Variety Committee.

“One factor that I’ll say that I really like in regards to the management crew right here,” Jackson stated, “is that they are clear, in relation to inclusion, ‘We do not know what we do not know, however we all know that we need to determine it out.’”

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What inclusion and variety efforts are occurring for Oklahoma Metropolis?

An fairness council, for now made up of division heads, has fashioned to make sure departments execute inclusion methods in all determination making, Jackson stated.

Jackson stated the council remains to be determining its precise objectives, and that an upcoming worker engagement survey by Gallup will assist present perception.

Some metropolis workers have begun an evaluation known as the Intercultural Growth Stock, which “measures a person’s or group’s mindset for coping with cultural variations,” in response to the web site.

Workers full a 50-item questionnaire and can meet with Jackson individually to go over their outcomes. The evaluation features a plan to enhance intercultural competence, wherever one begins on the spectrum, Jackson stated.

“This is not a matter of claiming you are a good or dangerous individual,” Jackson stated. “It is a matter of … are folks perceiving you the way in which that you simply consider you are being perceived and need to be perceived?”

Along with these inside efforts, Jackson is emphasizing neighborhood outreach. In April, the Oklahoma Metropolis Police Division and the Municipal Courts met with legal justice college students from Langston College, a traditionally black school 40 miles from downtown Oklahoma Metropolis.

The occasion was the primary time the town had partnered with Langston to make college students conscious of profession alternatives with the town.

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Oklahoma Metropolis’s strategy to inclusion and variety

Jackson’s workplace, like its identify, has a two-fold strategy.

Initially, she was employed because the Chief Variety and Inclusion officer. When speaking with departments about their wants and the way they might enhance, Jackson stated she heard from many who wished to concentrate on inclusion.

She determined to modify the identify round to make an announcement, that an inclusive setting is required earlier than numerous workers can thrive, Jackson stated.

“Your group might be a revolving door in case you solely concentrate on variety, (on) what number of numerous hires can we make,” Jackson stated. “We’re making a tradition the place numerous hires need to keep.”

Jackson stated her objective is to make the town of Oklahoma Metropolis the “most inclusive employer and neighborhood of alternative for all.”

To realize that, Jackson stated she envisions her workplace persevering with to develop. Town added a part-time worker in January and is requesting a second ful- time place within the fiscal 12 months 2023 finances.

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What’s the Fireplace Division’s new Inclusion and Variety Committee?

Fireplace Chief Richard Kelley stated his objective is to be intentional in how his division addresses inclusion and variety wants.

It is easy to assign coaching periods and name it good, however he stated previous expertise has taught him that is not the fitting strategy.

In founding the brand new Inclusion and Variety Committee, Kelley and committee co-chair Battalion Chief Derrick Kiel stated there isn’t a pre-conceived agenda. Committee members will have a look at the worker survey to see the place they should begin.

“We are able to all study one thing, and that is my first and solely precedence proper now,” Kiel stated. 

The primary assembly was held April 15 and the committee will seemingly meet quarterly as soon as the outcomes of the worker survey are in, Kelley stated.

Jana Hayes covers metropolis authorities for The Oklahoman. Have a narrative concept for Jana? She may be reached at jhayes@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @janarhayes. Help Jana’s work and that of different Oklahoman journalists by buying a digital subscription as we speak at subscribe.oklahoman.com.