“PG DEI Task Force has problems”

Sent to both the Monterey Herald and the Carmel Pine Cone around Feb. 14, 2024, neither newspaper published it.

I attended the Pacific Grove Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force meetings on January 8 and February 12. I attended all of their meetings last year as well. So, as a member of the PG public, I have a few suggestions:

1. While I realize you are not in the entertainment industry, try not to be so boring. Of the eight present members of the public, most were dozing, some left early and others were on their phones.
2. Skip the endless spreadsheets of past actions you have NOT accomplished and future items you think you might try to accomplish.
3. Skip the hour-long discussion of what to include on your proposed DEI webpage. Please just get it done.
4. Along with acknowledging Gay Pride Day, The Chinese New Year, and Black History Month, what about saying the Pledge of Allegiance? What about mentioning a Christian holiday like Easter?
5. Please admit you have an agenda. We all do but don’t make it so obvious. If you invite the PG Library, Police Chief, and the Chamber of Commerce, make these presentations interesting and informative. Not indoctrination.
6. Admit with only 4 members on The DEI Task Force (with the 5th position unfiled), you can’t have 15 subcommittees addressing 15 different issues.
7. Stop insulting your public audience who attend these meetings by making statements implying that we will become disruptive and badly behaved during General Public Comments. We never do and we never have.

While I wish to thank The DEI Task Force for their time and effort, I am not sure that this project is going to work out well. Not only has little been accomplished, but their favoritism towards certain groups of people has alienated many members of the Pacific Grove Community.

Carol Marquart, Pacific Grove