City Leaders Serve Existing Residents and Attract New Ones Through Inclusive Actions

By Deborah Lynn Blumberg

Whether it’s making city facilities more accommodating for an aging population or ensuring English as a second language (ESL) speakers can understand city alerts, inclusion efforts can help build a stronger and more cohesive community.

Over the last few years, more cities have focused on inclusion, or the idea that all residents should be able to join in the same activities, use the same facilities, and have the same opportunities.

Initiatives to make cities more inclusive are important because they help city staff and officials learn about the ways in which residents are different and how they can make sure each is being served in a way that benefits all. Implementing inclusion strategies can help a city to serve their existing population while attracting new residents.

A focus on inclusion brings benefits. One study by the Urban Institute looking at 274 U.S. cities found that, with few exceptions, cities that are more inclusive end up with better economic health indicators.

Inclusion is one part of a larger effort known as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which is sometimes used in organizations to describe efforts by leaders to make their organization more accepting and accommodating.

“DEI is a very large umbrella term,” says Arianna Bloom, who started as DEI coordinator at the League of Minnesota Cities last year. “This work is done on a continuum, and it can fit into cities of all sizes and geographies.”

The League, for its part, helps guide a wide range of cities on the work — from those needing resources when responding to a community incident, to ones interested in learning how inclusion efforts can fit into their mission, to cities with already established efforts looking for new ideas.

“We’re here to support all of our cities,” Bloom says. “Our goal with this work is not to define it for cities, but to help guide them to define it for themselves.”

This could mean a city is looking to reach a wider recruitment pool for firefighters, think about accessibility in playground design, or focus on supporting residents of all income levels to attain home ownership.

The League spoke with staff and officials from four Minnesota communities to learn about actions they’re taking to make their communities more inclusive for all.

Biwabik supports aging residents while attracting new ones

For Jim Weikum, mayor of Biwabik, better accommodating the city’s aging population while working to attract new businesses and residents are top priorities.

“Northern Minnesota in general, and our particular neck of the woods, are aging faster than the rest of the state,” he says. “Our focus has been to make a very conscious effort to reach out to community members in whatever ways we can.”

This work is especially important, Weikum adds, after the demise of local media outlets, which means fewer venues for residents to keep up with local news. Biwabik’s weekly newspaper shut down years ago, while a regional paper is low-staffed, he says.

“There’s a dearth of traditional media outlets we can utilize to reach out to our communities and focus on local activities,” Weikum says.

Biwabik has compensated for that, in part, by upping its social media presence. One City Council member does community outreach online. Posts help engage younger residents, especially, says Weikum. “We want to get the younger generation involved in city activities because they are the future City Council members.”

But social media posts are often lost on older residents who may not be as digitally savvy. That’s why the city must get creative with outreach efforts, he says. Part of the work also involves digital equity and the distribution of broadband. “It’s hard to engage residents if you can’t reach them,” says Weikum.

To help guide the city’s dual goals, it’s formed four strategic direction groups. The first is enhancing and promoting amenities, which includes identifying facilities needing upgrades or maintenance and getting the word out once improvements are made. The group determined the city’s community center needed work and replaced kitchen appliances, repainted the building, and put in new floors.

The second group, which encourages and facilitates economic development, focuses on how Biwabik can make itself attractive as a community. Biwabik is one of a few cities working with the East Range Joint Powers Board and consultants to conduct business retention interviews with local business owners about what they need to thrive.

Group three looks at creating a sense of community through engagement. Currently city meetings are recorded and broadcast on cable. The group’s plan is to offer livestreaming so people can engage more quickly. The group is also working to update the city website and has developed a written communication on city updates to accompany the weekly shopper, grocery coupons, and realty ads sent out to residents.

The fourth group is about reconnecting with community. Using funds from a grant the regional tourist board received, Biwabik hosted a newcomers’ dinner where they promoted the strategic plan. “Newcomers was self-identified,” says Weikum. You could have moved in seven years ago, never really engaged in the community, but got curious.”

Another key piece is growing participation. Weikum asks each strategic group member to invite a friend or family member to meetings. “It does have some impact,” he says.

Listening to residents in Marshall

Several years ago, the City of Marshall participated in a cohort as part of an initiative between the League and the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) to ensure the city is providing services equitably among its residents. Officials met regularly with counterparts from across the state to reflect on barriers in their community, establish goals, and define their vision.

“That got us started in the direction of looking at our mission, and how do we become more inclusive and break down barriers,” says Amanda Beckler, who at the time was Marshall’s community education coordinator. “That was just the beginning for us.”

Marshall’s new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission is comprised of at-large members appointed through the City Council plus standing members from the community. Standing members include local business leaders such as a doctor, refugee resettlement staff, education professionals, as well as community members that are passionate about DEI work, some who are refugees themselves.

“It’s been great to have so many voices at the table, with different backgrounds and lived experiences,” Beckler says.

The commission meets monthly and the public is invited. Already, it’s partnered with “It Begins With Us,” which was formerly known as “Cultures on the Prairie,” a virtual conference organized by Southwest Minnesota State University highlighting the many cultures in workplaces, schools, and communities of southwest Minnesota. Marshall set up a world café at the event to get feedback on a variety of topics.

The speed-dating-like event involved attendees rotating tables — each had a paper with a different set of questions. Notetakers — in this case commission members — listened to attendees talk about a topic. This time, the discussion focused on community barriers from an accessibility and language standpoint. The YMCA Minneapolis helped facilitate.

The commission organized a similar world café for nonnative English-speaking families at Marshall’s ice arena in partnership with the school district. While parents participated, children ice skated. Interpreters ensured parents understood the questions.

Marshall is still sifting through the gathered data. “We want next steps to be inclusive and people to have a voice as we determine what those steps are,” Beckler says. Having conversations with community members will be key.

This year, communications for nonnative English-speaking families and newcomers are a priority. To ensure information is shared equitably, the commission is looking into sharing videos, brochures, and city signage in multiple languages.

Her advice: “Don’t be afraid to move forward out of fear of making a mistake. Instead, look at it as an opportunity to learn and grow.”

A place for all to play in Bemidji

Bemidji’s waterfront is a fixture for residents and a first stop for many visitors. As part of a larger renovation of the area, the city — in partnership with the Bemidji Rotary Club — decided to enhance the area with a playground experience for all to enjoy.

“People drive from good distances to enjoy the playground as it provides an opportunity for all children to play together, rather than having children sit on the sidelines watching,” said Marcia Larson, the city’s parks and recreation director.

The inclusive playground project started when city staff heard from residents that there was a desire and a need for a universally accessible playground. Larson conducted research, and Bemidji eventually partnered with Shane’s Inspiration, a California-based organization that helps plan and develop inclusive playgrounds. Area families, adults, and children provided input during the design phase, and once it was determined, a small committee of dedicated parents began fundraising.

“The best thing we did was ask families and children what features they would like,” Larson said. “Kids drew their ideal playground; parents spoke about what they wanted to see.”

The fully completed Paul Bunyan Inclusive Playground has a northwoods theme and includes components that offer a tactile-rich setting, with a roller slide and a sensory wall that features animals of the area, Larson said.

There are also walkways to all areas and heights of the playground, as well as poured-in-place surfacing. This gives everyone, including kids with mobility restrictions as well as caregivers, access to all parts of the playground and encourages inclusive play.

“This was such an amazing project to be a part of and the impact is difficult to measure,” Larson said.

Organizing inclusive events and workshops in New Brighton

The City of New Brighton has also undertaken several inclusion and equity-related projects and initiatives. Since Hue Schlieu started as DEI coordinator in New Brighton this year, the city has advanced the equity strategic action plan that its new equity commission and internal equity strategic action team are shepherding. Schlieu leads the latter and is the staff liaison to the commission.

“We started with level setting because you can’t really give input without knowing,” Schlieu says.

Among its many efforts, New Brighton has worked to develop more inclusive hiring practices and updated city job descriptions to reflect cultural competency as a core competency. It was important to use language broad enough to apply to all jobs, performance measures, and personal goals. “We wanted to make sure that one of the core competencies on every job description was to advance equity,” Schlieu says.

Another initiative has been to promote the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers’ Open to Business program to underrepresented groups including residents who are women, Black, Indigenous, and people of color. The city used social media to spread the word and set up monthly office hours in City Hall with its consortium liaison.

Additionally, in an effort to uplift historically excluded communities, the city has been hosting community events to celebrate diverse residents. Over 100 residents, city officials, commissioners, and staff attended its first community iftar in April, which included speakers and a meal catered by a local Muslim family’s restaurant. Iftar is the evening meal that breaks fast for those who observe Ramadan.

The city has also worked to ensure its neighborhoods are, and remain, more inclusive by correcting past exclusionary housing practices. In March, the City Council approved Resolution 23-029, allowing New Brighton to join the Just Deeds Coalition, which provides free legal and title services to help property owners discover discriminatory covenants and remove them from property titles. These types of covenants have been used to keep people of color from purchasing homes.

“Removing this language prevents it from ever being enforceable in the future,” Schlieu says. “This is an opportunity for the community to heal through learning and action.”

The city hosted an information session for residents to learn more about the issue and made yard signs to spread awareness. Residents who want to remove covenants can get help from city attorneys and county fees for the changes are waived.

As work continues, communication is paramount, Schlieu says. “It’s about figuring out which people to lean on in order to connect with even more residents. When we respond to our community, we do our best work.”

Deborah Lynn Blumberg is a freelance writer.