Anti-Racism & Discrimination and Pro-Inclusion & Equity (ARDPIE) Task Force

Last updated November 17, 2020

Following several Council meetings with significant public comment, the City Council direct staff to create a community task force to address the potential for implicit bias and systemic racism within City programs, policies, and procedures. This webpage will serve as the continually updated source for information on the ARDPIE Task Force and the work being completed. Please continue to check back for new information.

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Inclusion & Equity Feedback

The City would like to welcome Martinez residents to submit questions about the task force, suggestions for community groups to contact, and recommendations for the facilitator position. Please click here to submit your input.

Mission of the ARDPIE Task Force

The Task Force will be comprised of approximately 9 members, representing a diverse cross section of interests, race, ethnic, religious, and gender identification and orientation. They will:

Assist with selecting a facilitator and recommending a facilitated work plan that can be accomplished within allocated resources;
Evaluate City programs, policies, and procedures related to implicit bias, diversity and inclusion; and
Conduct one or two community listening meetings related to race, LGBTQ, and other personal circumstances or characteristics that impact a sense of inclusion for all community members.

Task Force Selection Process

A Community Interest Form for the Task Force was issued on August 11, 2020 and promoted on the City’s website and through social media. The solicitation period closed on September 1, 2020.

Consistent with Council direction, the City Manager selected a panel of six community members to assist with evaluating ARDPIE applications for the Mayor and Council's consideration. This Community Panel represents a diverse range of interests and racial and ethnic backgrounds, including Black, Asian, and Hispanic as well as LGBTQ. The Panelists recommended their top candidates for an interview with the Panel, which staff aggregated.

There were 13 applicants with three recommendations and above who were invited to participate in a Zoom interview with the Community Panel on Thursday, October 8.

The panel interviewed 11 (2 chose not to participate) and evaluated them for:

Demonstrated community engagement related to social justice, racial equality and /or advocacy for under or unrepresented people.
Represent a protected class under State or Federal law either by familial relationship, advocacy or self-identification.
Direct experience with discrimination.
Demonstrated thoughtfulness to evaluating issues and seeking opportunities to address in a respectful manner.
Demonstrated understand of the Task Force’s mission.

Following the interviews, the panelists individually tiered the applicants into three categories as followed:

Staff is forwarding the applicant information and Community Panel scoring for discussion with the City Council on October 21, 2020. The staff report is available here.

More information regarding the Task Force selection process can be found here.

The Community Panel and ARDPIE applicant information is ultimately public information, except for personal contact information (home address, email, phone). In order to respect the deliberative process, and allow the applicants equal opportunity to express their interests and experience, staff did not include Community Panel or applicant information during the applicant evaluation process. This information has been included in the October 21, 2020 staff report found above/below.

Previous Statements Supporting Inclusion and Disavowing Hate Speech

The City of Martinez is committed to diversity and inclusion and has several times re-affirmed this value through resolutions and public statements:

On March 15, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 025-17, “Declaring the City of Martinez’s Commitment to being an Inclusive, Tolerant, and Supportive Community for Everyone.”
On October 4, 2017, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 111-17, “United Against Hate,” which condemned “intolerance of any individual or group and hate speech of any kind” and reaffirmed the City’s “commitment to serving and protecting all of our residents, with a high value placed on diversity, equality, and inclusivity.”
On June 30, 2020, in response to hate flyers found in the Downtown area and community dialogue, Mayor Rob Schroder issued a public statement disavowing racism.
On July 1, 2020, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 074-20, “Creating an equitable and just future for all Martinez.

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