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I\u2019ve previously mentioned in the blog that one of the highlights of my week is attending the Monday New Employee Orientation.\u00a0 Meeting our newest colleagues is inspiring!<\/p>\n
I always enjoy the comments and perspectives of people who have chosen to\u00a0contribute to our work, and this week\u2019s conversation did not disappoint.<\/p>\n
In this week\u2019s call we had folks with ties to the Stadium District, Spanaway, Saipan and Saudi Arabia, among many other places.\u00a0 Their previous work experience ranged from consulting engineering to immigration law, from Costco to teaching in Hawaii, and from a mental health crisis responder to caring for our most challenged children. This exceptional group of new colleagues are working throughout the County, from the Sewer Division to Environmental Education, from the Clerk\u2019s Office to IT, from Aging & Disability Resources to a new District Court Commissioner.\u00a0 I am so encouraged to see the folks who are\u00a0joining our team!<\/p>\n
The window I get into who works at the County is valuable and it never fails to broaden my perspective. And, put simply, that\u2019s what our efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion are all about. Getting different ways of looking at things while giving each of us the opportunity to contribute and participate –\u00a0 because it helps us serve our community more effectively!<\/p>\n
We recently published our third annual diversity, equity and inclusion report to outline our goals, track our progress and inform our residents.\u00a0 You can read the full report\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0 You can also read a one-page summary<\/a>.<\/p>\n For those of you who like numbers, here are a few:<\/p>\n The report doesn\u2019t just simply report numbers and graphs \u2013 although it is gratifying to see us reaching our goals \u2013\u00a0it also focuses on learning more about the people doing the work to serve all<\/strong> our residents.\u00a0 It is more than just who we are as a County team, but it also reflects how our work is building a brighter future for our community.<\/p>\n As I close, I want to share another important perspective with you. That is, the voice and words of someone whose mother went missing several years ago. It\u2019s never easy to lose a parent, of course, but it\u2019s especially traumatic when they vanish.\u00a0 For some, there are no answers or closure.\u00a0 I can\u2019t imagine the pain.<\/p>\n As we continue raising awareness about the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous people this month, I ask you to listen to Carolyn DeFord of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and hear her story.\u00a0 It is critically important for all of us.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/files\/2023\/05\/DEI_Data.jpg\")