BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Government Code ? 84308 Applies: Yes ? No ?
(If "YES" Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code ? 84308)
SUBJECT:
Title
Adopt a Resolution to Declare Valley Water's 2024 Monthly Cultural Observances Calendar.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution DECLARING VALLEY WATER'S 2024 CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT OBSERVANCES MONTHLY CALENDAR.
Body
SUMMARY:
Every year, local, state, and federal agencies issue proclamations declaring monthly cultural observances. Cultural celebrations, such as monthly observances, are of great importance as they help honor and elevate each culture's histories, experiences, and contributions to the United States. Monthly celebrations provide space to teach and learn about cultural histories that are often omitted from mainstream narratives. These are also an opportunity to reflect on the experience of other groups and our treatment of these groups within our society to raise awareness so that we may collectively move toward a more equitable, just, and inclusive society.
Valley Water is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion within our workforce and the communities we serve. Historically, resolutions to acknowledge culturally significant monthly observances were led by employee resource groups (ERGs), which inevitably left some observances without acknowledgment. Over the last two years, Valley Water has been more intentional in supplementing ERG efforts to ensure acknowledgment of all officially recognized cultural months going from six resolutions per year, prior to 2022, to 19 in 2023. Starting in 2024, Valley Water will adopt an annual Monthly Cultural Observances Calendar, which includes 25 cultural month observances for 2024. This approach allows Valley Water to further streamline the acknowledgment process and facilitate efforts to honor cultural months beyond the adoption of a resolution. In partnership with ERGs, Valley Water will continue to coordinate internal acknowledgments an...
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