There is a new, seven-member Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (DEI) in the City of Westland.
Mayor William R. Wild named the members of the new commission last week, created as a result of a resolution approved by members of the city council in August which declared racism is a public health crisis.
Terms on the commission will be staggered for the initial appointees. The first three appointed will serve for three years, three others for two years and one for one year. The alternates will serve for one year. Members must reside in Westland and current city officials or employees are not eligible for appointment.
The make up of the commission will be representative of the diverse population of the community, Wild said. The DEI Commission will meet quarterly as necessary and is charged with the promotion, support and advocacy of the vision and values around diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels.
The commission is responsible for identifying barriers to achieving greater diversity, equal opportunity and an inclusive environment and providing recommendations on how to overcome those barriers. The commission is to work to create an equity and justice-oriented organization, with the commission members identifying specific activities to increase diversity and to incorporate antiracism principles throughout all city leadership, staffing and contracting.
“Many residents applied for the open positions on the DEI Commission and it was not an easy decision as there were so many qualified applicants,” stated Wild. “A lot of consideration went into these appointments and I feel we have a nice composition of diversity, age, gender and skills that is reflective of the community.”
Newly appointed commission members include: Elnora Ford, a longtime resident who has served on the city Commission on Aging for nearly 20 years. Ford is a member of the Southeast Homeowner's Association and serves on the board at her church. She is also a past state secretary for the NAACP; Lena Nichols, who has lived in the city since 1957 and raised her four children in Westland. She served on the PTA when her children were in school as well as being on the board of directors for the Methodist Childrens Home Society. Nichols is retired from Ford Motor Co. where she began her career as an hourly employee and worked her way up to a Product Process Analyst; Arthur Warren, a 44-year city resident who currently serves as president on the City of Westland Community Development Citizens Advisory Council (CDCAC). Warren is also president of the SEHA, president of the Westland Democratic Club and an active member of the Norwayne Citizens Council and Angela Rimmel, a life-long city resident who has a master's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Rimmel a is a foster care and adoption director and a major aspect of her position is maintaining high levels of satisfaction for the company and employees through a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Also appointed to the commission were: Fabiola Sanchez Santos, a certified instructor for Zumba Gold. Santos has taught Zumba to the members of the Westland Friendship Center since July 2019. She was employed as a buyer/clerk for a company in Mexico for eight years and also worked as a bilingual executive administrative assistant; Denise Sedman who is retired after spending 37 years in advertising and public relations. Sedman served as the director of public relations for GM Fleet & Commercial Division, executive director and co-founder of Automation Alley and marketing coordinator for Oakland County Business Development and Planning Division supporting economic development. She also served on the board of directors for the Plymouth/Canton Community Literacy Council and was a board member of the YMCA of Southeast Michigan and Dr. Mohammad Elmenini, MD, who is a Fellow of the America College of Geriatrics and a diplomat of the American Board of Geriatric Specialists. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Cardiology and a Master of the American College of Ethical Physicians. Elmenini is a graduate of the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine.
The two alternates named to the commission are Ebonite Guyton who is a master's level public health practitioner with the State of Michigan where she has been working the last four years to provide equitable community health programs to low income Michigan residents. Guyton is part of the MDHHS Chronic Disease Division MI-RACE team that was developed to lead the division to implement change strategies to address the root cause of racism and how it impacts the health and future of Michigan residents and Steven Thomas, who has served many years in the customer service industry. Thomas is an accountant and has a wide array of computer knowledge.
The newly named commissioners were formally introduced to the public during the Nov. 16 meeting of the members of the city council.
All members will attend a brief training on the Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act. A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Planning Session has been scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5. Meetings and the planning session will be open to the public.
