The MMANC Board has issued the following statements for causes the organization is committed to supporting. To request a statement or letter of support, please contact president@mmanc.org.
March 15, 2022
President Brown,
The MMANC and MMASC Board of Directors wish to express our support of ICMA’s work to expand educational offerings on issues involving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As leaders in city and county governments, it is vitally important that we continue to recognize and uplift how DEI is woven through every facet of the work we do. From distributing public resources, designing public works, and optimizing internal performance and organizational culture, city and county governments have the direct ability to advance DEI to better our communities in an equitable way.
ICMA’s focus on DEI is intrinsically tied to the Code of Ethics, particularly Tenant 4. We as leaders cannot serve the best interest of the people unless we are fully cognizant of the intersection of DEI and public policy. ICMA has a duty to its members to provide opportunities to hone DEI skills, just as ICMA assists members in the development of other crucial skills for city and county management.
Our members represent the next generation of local government leaders including many current and future members of ICMA. Inclusiveness is a central value of MMANC and MMASC, and we recognize how DEI enhances our abilities to serve our diverse communities. Furthermore, we as organizations have been, and will continue to be, vocal about this issue and will continue to support such initiatives. We’ve released cross-organizational statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and in opposition to the rising incidents of hate crimes against Asian Americans.
MMANC and MMASC stand with ICMA in its efforts to advance DEI. If there’s anything we can do to assist in these efforts, please reach out.
Sincerely,
MMANC & MMASC Board of Directors
cc: Pamela Antil, Vice President, ICMA West Coast Region
Roxanne Murphy, Vice President, ICMA West Coast Region
Peter Troedsson, Vice President, ICMA West Coast Region
In our mission to support the professional development of local government leaders and adhere to the highest ethical standards, the Municipal Management Association of Northern California (MMANC), International Network of Asian Public Administrators (I-NAPA), California International City/County Management Association (Cal-ICMA) and Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC) condemn all acts of violence and racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
We recognize the deep history and contributions the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community has made in shaping America and California. AAPIs are the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the U.S. with more than 22 million individuals nationwide and nearly five million in the state of California. Recent violent acts have threatened the lives of APIs partly because of xenophobic rhetoric that falsely connects the COVID-19 pandemic with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
The local government management profession is founded on a code of ethics that demands we serve the best interests of all and act with integrity so that we may earn the trust of those we serve.
We believe that all members of the API community are to be treated with dignity and equity. We understand that our duty as local government leaders means leading our organizations in a just and equitable way. We cannot ignore nor deny the discrimination of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and we will do all we can to ensure our communities are safe and equitable for all.
MMANC, I-NAPA, Cal-ICMA and MMASC remain committed to supporting equity and inclusion within the local government profession.
Below are a few resources and organizations for you to take action:
- Legal Resources: www.napaba.org/page/HateCrimeResources
- Asian American Racial Justice Toolkit: www.asianamtoolkit.org
- Reporting and Latest News: stopaapihate.org
- “Speak Up” strategies: www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/how-to-respond-to-coronavirus-racism
Our organizations have inspired, informed, and connected local government leaders through the support of our engaged communities. We come together to learn, grow, and advance our profession.
Many of us were drawn to this profession because we wanted to make a difference in our communities and because we want to work for something bigger than ourselves. As local government professionals, we pride ourselves on our objectivity, subject matter expertise, ability to see all sides of an issue and ability to advise on the best courses of action to serve our communities.
Our communities continue to experience anger and pain as a result of institutionalized racism. The local government management profession is founded on a code of ethics which demands that we serve the best interests of all and act with integrity so that we may earn the trust of all those we serve. Addressing systemic racism is our ethical obligation. We cannot remain silent.
We believe Black lives matter and understand that our duty as local government leaders means leading our organizations in a just and equitable way. We cannot ignore or deny the injustice and discrimination people of color in our communities and our organizations have suffered and continue to suffer. We are here to evoke positive change.
We will cultivate opportunities for our members to have tough conversations, challenge inequitable power structures, listen, lead with empathy and develop, build, and implement just and equitable policies and programs in their organizations and communities.
We will advance our profession by elevating conversations calling for change and by continuing to provide training and programming that challenges our members‘ paradigms and perspectives while inspiring action at all levels in their organizations.
Working for local government gives us a seat at the power table. We can, we will and we must invite all to shake the table with us.
Signed,
MMANC
MMASC
I-NAPA
Cal-ICMA
LGHN