Naperville DEI training too valuable not to approve
The League of Women Voters of Naperville was sorry to see the Naperville City Council table the awarding of a contract for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training consultant services at its March 19 meeting. We hope that when the matter comes up at the April 16 meeting, the council approves spending the already budgeted money.
We wonder at the hesitation to spend what appears to be a reasonable amount of money on something that can add so much value. It is certainly as measurable in value as the $100,000 spent on the “Welcome to Naperville” sign at the crossroads of Naperville and Bolingbrook, which was part of a plan to fund signage that fosters “a sense of community pride and inclusiveness.” This sign cost is similar to the cost of DEI training over two years.
As the city’s website says, “Advancing equity and inclusion is not a project, rather a constant process of improvement.”
Training and education are effective strategies to ensure that the lens of DEI becomes a habit for decision making, to put equity into action and to create structural change that organizations and governments don’t always recognize they need. Despite best intentions and goodwill, traditions, implicit bias and old habits often get in the way of carrying out policies and making decisions that effectively respect and support the wonderful diversity of our community.
The more the city is perceived as, and becomes, an inclusive, welcoming and diverse place where all are welcome, the stronger and more attractive our city becomes. By supporting the already budgeted amounts for DEI training consultant services, the council will contribute to forming that positive perception of the city.
The League hopes that the council will choose to live up to its mission: “To provide services that ensure a high quality of life, sound fiscal management, and a dynamic business environment, while creating an inclusive community that values diversity.”
Susan Craighead, President
League of Women Voters of Naperville
Biden’s position on two issues turning off young voters
The gerontocratic Biden administration may just be losing more young people’s votes than they realize due to their stances on two major accounts: the genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza and the ban on TikTok.
Just a couple of weeks ago in his State of the Union address, President Biden addressed the crisis in Gaza by saying it is well within Israel’s ability to change their strategy so that Hamas is targeted rather than humanitarian workers and Palestinian civilians. However, by not using his power as the prime representative of the United States government, his statements are insufficient in truly ending the genocide and I believe are seen by young voters as a diplomatic answer to avoid public outcry ahead of the primary election.
What has further enraged many young Americans has been the shift in the government’s priorities toward eliminating the supposed privacy threat from TikTok. The House passed a bill on March 13 that said TikTok’s parent company Bytedance must sell the business to an American company within six months or risk a permanent ban in the United States.
In response to this legislation, President Biden has stated he would sign the bill if it is approved by the Senate.
Beyond TikTok’s significance to the youth of America, the position sends the message that banning online service is more important than other pressing concerns, such as foreign relations with Israel. I believe this has resonated poorly with American youth, especially given the irony that President Biden himself has joined TikTok to connect with younger generations in his re-election campaign.
Sanvi Maganti, Naperville
This 88-year-old won’t be voting for Biden or Trump
If Joe Biden is reelected and does not make it through his four-year term, can you imagine his vice president running this country? Think long and hard about that.
I cannot vote for either Trump or Biden because both would blow up a polygraph. I am 88 years old and this is the first time I will not support either party.
Charles Brown, Naperville
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