HomeMy WebLinkAbout01Jan31MayorsTaskForceFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2017
City of Renton Contacts
Preeti Shridhar, Deputy Public Affairs Administrator, 425-430-6569
Mayor’s Inclusion Task Force sets priorities for 2017
Group’s work will continue to focus on making all residents of Renton feel safe and welcome
RENTON, WA – The City of Renton’s Mayor’s Task Force reconvened for their first meeting last week, set
their 2017 goals and welcomed seven new members, increasing their representation to 16 ethnic groups.
“I was very pleased to see the turnout for our first meeting and to welcome the new members to the task
force,” said Mayor Denis Law. “It’s our priority to make all who live, work, or visit Renton well safe and
welcomed. The work of the task force goes a long way in making that a reality.”
The seven new members represent the African-American, Chinese-American, Indian, Sikh, Somali, Vietnamese
communities and the Muslim faith. The task force now has representation from those groups as well as
African-American youth, East-African, East-Indian, Filipino, Islamic, Japanese, Latino, LGBT, Senior, Sudanese,
and Ukrainian communities.
At the meeting, the task force pledged to continue working towards making all residents of Renton feel safe
and welcome. Over the next few months they will also look at expanding commerce and business
opportunities for all, facilitating forums to encourage open conversations between different cultural groups,
hosting career fairs to increase employment, engaging youth participation, exploring opportunities for seniors
and immigrant groups to come together, and greater outreach about city services to different community
groups.
Mayor Law formed the Inclusion Task Force in 2015 with the goal of supporting the city’s mission of serving all
who live in the Renton community. The goal of building an inclusive and informed city with opportunities for
all is one of five goals of the Renton Business Plan.
“Our goal is to embrace the diversity in the Renton community and build an inclusive city with opportunities
for all,” he said then. “The voices and engagement of all members of our community is essential to the vitality
and quality of our city and all of its neighborhoods. With this task force, it is my priority to remove barriers to
inclusion and sustain long-term relationships with Renton’s diverse communities.”
The full task force meets about five times a year. In addition, subcommittees will coordinate and meet as
needed to work on specific priorities. Since formed, the task force has hosted numerous events, including
community dialogues, forums, and festivals and developed relationships with community and business groups.
Renton ranked as the most diverse city in the state of Washington and the 16th most diverse in the country
according to a 2016 study by WalletHub. Four key dimensions were used to compile the list: social class
diversity, ethno-racial diversity, economic diversity and household diversity. The city’s ethnic population now
accounts for over 50% of the population.
About the City of Renton
The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 101,300 (2016), is located on the southeast shore of Lake
Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace and favorable business
climate have attracted the attention of nationally recognized companies that are providing employees and
their families an outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, the Seattle Seahawks,
and the eternal resting place of Jimi Hendrix. More information can be found on our website (rentonwa.gov),
Facebook page (CityofRenton) and Twitter (@CityofRenton).
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