Equity Initiatives

About

Winooski received a three-year, $300,000 Working Communities Challenge grant to implement an initiative that will focus on engaging the full diversity of the Winooski community in critical decision-making. Winooski is one of the most diverse municipalities in Vermont and contains one of the only majority-minority school districts in the state. The initiative aims to establish systems that lift underrepresented voices and accurately reflect the area’s demographics.

Contact

Yasamin Gordon, Equity Director: ygordon@winooskivt.gov / 802 881 9559  

Equity Audit

The City of Winooski and the Winooski School District contracted with Opportunity Consulting to conduct an equity audit, explore areas where experiences in the City and WSD are inequitable, and find the opportunities to adopt equity-focused policies and practices to address these inequities. Opportunites Consulting presented its official findings to Winooski City Council on Monday, April 18, 2022. 

Winooski Commission for Inclusion and Belonging

The Inclusion and Belonging Commission acts as an advisory group for the City Council with a focus on equitable policies and best practices for inclusion. This commission will establish Equity Ambassadors who will sit on each of the City's established commissions to bring diverse voices and perspectives to the decision-making table in Winooski, and give updates on our shared equity-related goals. In addition, this commission will serve to advise the City Council on implementing the Strategic Vision areas and goals related to equity as outlined in the Master Plan. The City of Winooski seeks to appoint members that are as diverse as our community. Given the policy role in advising the Council, a commitment to principles and best practices of equity and inclusion are paramount. 

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All-Resident Voting

For details about this initiative, please visit https://www.winooskivt.gov/1513/All-Resident-Voting.

Women & People of Inclusion Employee Mentoring Program

The purpose of the City of Winooski Women & People of Inclusion mentoring program is to provide a system of support, and guidance for folx within historically marginalized populations who are engaging in municipal work. This program is open to any person within the municipal workforce who identifies as cis and trans women, as well as non-binary people who are comfortable in women-centered spaces and may also be a part of any historically marginalized racial group. The program's focus is to develop and create pathways for people who have experienced systemic oppression, to rise into positions of leadership within municipal government.

We are piloting this program with folx who either have already been a part of our workforce or are newly hired as city employees. After one year of the pilot program, the City aims to increase participation and will begin with the recruitment of interns, AmeriCorps members, and youth workers. Our aim is in supporting leadership education & opportunities for promotions into new positions as mentees gain experience. This program will foster information sharing and improve coaching, leadership, and interpersonal skills for both the mentee and mentor.


Timeline of Equity Work