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In 2013, the relatively new APWA-MN Diversity Committee identified outreach as its primary goal and basis for initial activities.

 

In general, the outreach goal focuses on increasing the diversity of both our Minnesota public works industry, as well as the diversity of our APWA-MN chapter membership through increased contact with minority populations.

 

A short-term goal initiative of the outreach goal is “to recruit existing public works employees of minority descent to join APWA -MN.” This initiative will produce the best results in the short-term if:

 

A.  We use membership statistics to create more awareness about the need of growing our organization and particularly, the need to encourage diversity.

 

B.  Existing members of the organization help to identify potential candidates and volunteer to recruit them. 

 

A flier was created and distributed at the Fall Conference highlighting some of the basic statistics to create awareness.

 

The committee has started the effort to create a list of existing members and public works employees of minority descent to proceed with a recruiting drive. The first stage of this effort has concentrated on some of the largest public works employers in the area: 

 

The Diversity Committee welcomes those with an interest and availability to help recruit these new members. Please contact Alyson Fauske at AFauske@ci.chanhassen.mn.us to volunteer either names of potential candidates and/or your time to contact the potential candidate(s). Once the list is completed we will select a week to launch a recruiting drive and contact all the potential candidates.

 

The demographics of Minnesota continue to evolve. Public works must continue to evolve. APWA-MN must continue to evolve.

 

Our best approach to staying engaged with the public, staying relevant to the public, and increasing the support of the public is for us to best represent the public -- through the values common to us all and through the diverse ethnic, generational, cultural, and gender-based interests of our state.