FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CITY OF COLLEGE PARK ANNOUNCES NEW RACIAL EQUITY OFFICER
COLLEGE PARK, MD January 27, 2022 – The City of College Park is proud to announce the appointment of Raven Rodriguez as the City’s new Racial Equity Officer. Ms. Rodriguez comes to the City with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in intersectional anti-oppression, race, racism, and racial history. “The City is excited to welcome Raven and we look forward to the guidance and initiatives she will implement in making College Park a more inclusive and welcoming community for all” said City Manager Kenny Young.
Ms. Rodriguez is an accomplished writer, educator, equity consultant, and public speaker in the field of racial equity. A native New Yorker, her clients have included Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, New Haven Public Schools, Princeton University, and The Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. She previously served as the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Yale University’s School of Nursing. “I am excited to join the City of College Park” said Ms. Rodriguez, “I look forward to meeting and building trust with the College Park community and to join the City’s collaborative efforts to combat racial inequity.”
As part of the City of College Park’s commitment to seek out and confront systemic racism, the City created the Racial Equity Officer position in FY2021. The Mayor and Council emphasized the importance of highlighting and acknowledging the City’s history and to improve racial equity within College Park through its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. This position will be instrumental in helping the City achieve its goals of a more equitable community.
The City’s Racial Equity officer will administer and facilitate City-wide race equity programs and ensure that policies are created fairly with equitable access to opportunities. This is in addition to collaborating with City departments and staff to make meaningful movement towards a more equitable City. The officer will review, monitor and provide guidance on personnel policies and practices that have negatively impacted specific populations of employees, identify institutional barriers that limit diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and work to improve engagement among employees. Ms. Rodriguez will also work with the community and be the staff liaison for the City’s Restorative Justice Commission that will focus on the restorative justice initiatives in the Lakeland community of College Park.
The City is excited to welcome Ms. Rodriguez to the College Park team. She will begin working for the City on January 31, 2022.
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News and media outlets are encouraged to contact Ryna Quinones regarding any inquiries or stories about the City of College Park. For all media inquiries, please contact her via email at rquinones@collegeparkmd.gov or by phone at (240) 487-3508.