Although the city of Durango has an internal Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Cross-Functional Team, it has lacked a public-facing board focused on DEIB work since the former Community Relations Commission became defunct almost two years ago – until now.
On Tuesday, Durango City Council approved the formation of the Community and Cultural Relations Commission. It serves a similar role as the CRC did for 10 years, with a slightly adjusted objective.
Founded in 2012, the CRC focused on fielding resident complaints and offering mediation between residents and the city. But the re-imagined CCRC will concentrate on “relationship building and greater awareness of diverse needs of all our community members,” according to city community engagement specialist Klancy Nixon.
Members will serve on the CCRC via City Council appointment, she said. They will serve consecutive two-year terms and appointments will “provide equal access and opportunity to serve on the commission to all historically under-represented groups represented in our community.”
Under-represented groups include but are not limited to:
- Black individuals.
- Latin or Hispanic individuals.
- Native Americans or Indigenous people.
- Asian Americans.
- Members of the LGBT community.
- Individuals with disabilities.
- Neurodiverse individuals, or people whose brains work differently and uniquely from others’ brains.
- And youth members between 18 and 25 years old.
The board will have up to seven members.
Nixon said the CCRC will strive to support “an environment in which our diverse community members feel valued and heard when they interact with the city of Durango as an organization.”
“The CCRC will help create a welcoming setting for historically disadvantaged groups that encourages participation and builds trust in collaboration,” she said. “The CCRC works to build new relationships with community leaders and organizations, celebrate Durango’s diverse cultural communities and cultivate meaningful and authentic engagement.”
Two-way communication with residents to strengthen the city’s relationship with them is the charge, she said. The CCRC will also be tasked with creating an annual cultural heritage event for the city and other programs recognizing the community’s cultural diversity.
The city’s decision to reconstitute the CRC as the CCRC comes after quite a shake-up that occurred nearly two years ago.
In October 2022, a city employee naively posted a “Happy Columbus Day” message to the city’s official Facebook page. The employee was unaware of the city’s policy to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day, which rose to holiday status in the United States in a counterculture movement against Columbus Day.
According to Laura Mielke, Dean’s Professor of English at University of Kansas, Columbus Day has for over a century been criticized as exaggerating Christopher Columbus into a U.S. national figure, a distraction from the suffering inflicted on Native Americans during westward expansion.
The “Happy Columbus Day” post sparked division and outrage in the comments section and among CRC members, who demanded an apology from Durango City Council. Councilors refused, stating an apology had already been issued by the city and it was best to move on.
That was the last straw for all but one member of the since-defunct CRC. Four of the five members signed a letter of resignation and abandoned the board, chastising City Council on their way out. The board, despite assurances it would be re-implemented in a more regional role with third party partners such as Fort Lewis College, went dormant.
At the time, Councilor Olivier Bosmans was the only councilor who appeared interested in issuing a formal apology as a council body.
On Tuesday, he said he is happy with the creation of the new board, also noting that the city mistreated the CRC.
“I’m reflecting on the last three years. And if you know the history and the way we treated the CRC over the past three years, you’d also understand how disappointing we have been,” he said. “ … I also want to use this opportunity to recognize the previous CRC members and all they have accomplished.”
Mayor Jessika Buell said City Manager José Madrigal’s office attempted to put together a more regionally-oriented CRC-like board with entities such as FLC and Durango School District 9-R, but other entities ultimately weren’t interested.
She said she’s glad the CCRC was designed to fit within the city’s operations and scope.
cburney@durangoherald.com
