VRSA Inclusion Project Grant featured at the 2022 Annual Meeting

This May VRSA’s Inclusion Residency was highlighted at the  2022 Annual Meeting. VRSA Inclusion Resident Dr. Robin Stacia provided an overview of the accomplishments and discoveries made by participants of the residency.

“Our work was a journey,” said Dr. Stacia. “Throughout the year we learned that it was important to you all to understand these definitions and constructs, and that you want to be more culturally competent.”

Stacia also updated members on the inclusion projects being undertaken by the cities of Staunton and Harrisonburg, funded through the VRSA Inclusion Project Grant.

“The City of Staunton is developing an Equity and Diversity Commission to create community voice and engagement process that will be citizen led,” said Stacia.

The commission will inform, engage, and transform the city government and council’s engagement with the community around strengths and persistent challenges and disparities.

“We need to put more effort into how do we recruit a more diverse workforce, how do we have an employee-base that is more representative of our base, our citizenship,” said Staunton Interim City Manager Leslie Beauregard. “Having Dr. Stacia and this grant for us, is making al the difference in terms of how can this commission be successful.”

Learn more about Staunton’s commission in the video below.

“The City of Harrisonburg is creating a DEI committee within the government that will inspire and operationalize diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging throughout all levels of the organization,” said Stacia.

“When diversity and inclusion are valued truly sought after in an organization, staff are more committed to the mission of the organization, there is greater innovation, greater outcomes,” said Ande Banks, Interim City Manager with the City of Harrisonburg.

Learn more about Harrisonburg’s committee in the video below.

Both projects have been funded through the VRSA Inclusion Project Grant, targeted toward members planning to build inclusivity skills and inclusion initiatives.

For more information on VRSA’s Inclusion Residency, visit our inclusion residency page here.