The following letter was submitted to The Detroit News and to state Sen. Lana Theis, R-Brighton Township, in response to her editorial of Aug. 7, 2021. Additional context is provided for this publication in italics for those who may not have read her original letter, which is only available to paid subscribers of The Detroit News.
State Sen. Theis:
In your Opinion letter to the Detroit News of Aug. 7, 2021, you referenced the Livingston Diversity Council and the work we are doing in the community. While we would have greatly appreciated you coming to us first with questions or concerns about our work, you did not, so we are taking this opportunity to correct the record.
First, some important background:
The Livingston Diversity Council has served Livingston County since 1987, answering many different calls for help from concerned residents. Historically, we were called upon to stand firm with the community against cross burnings and hate-inspired propaganda. The Council has also supported and collaborated with community members who were eager for the community to leave its KKK ties in the past and look to a more diverse future. We’ve been called to educate and bridge understanding with the LGBTQ community. We have joined forces with churches on race discussions and a community healing event mourning George Floyd.
This important work is made possible by members serving on our board, which, as you duly noted, consists of caring people from our local businesses, schools, health facilities, banks, religious organizations, and elected offices, as well as civic-minded individuals. Some of these individuals serve in a personal capacity, while others represent organizations committed to the mission of the Livingston Diversity Council. Your claim that our website was “scrubbed” of information and board member affiliations in some sort of a covert attempt to conceal our work from the community is simply not true. Changes to our website in recent weeks have been made to better clarify who serves in what capacity.
The mission of the Diversity Council has always been clear: “We are a change agent for diversity, equity, inclusion, and access that collaborates, educates and empowers to build a thriving community.” It’s a mission that should be easy for everyone to stand behind. We are a non-political, 501 (c)(3) organization. We believe everyone has the right to be judged, rewarded and held accountable on the basis of individual action, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, age, religion, medical condition, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic. Communities do not thrive where hate is allowed and citizens are excluded.
Even though much has changed in our community since our organization’s beginning more than 30 years ago, there’s more work to be done. In the last two years alone, we have had dozens of requests for information or training from concerned Livingston County residents and businesses on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), disability issues, critical race theory (CRT), and LGBTQ support. As education is part of our mission, we have offered resources on our website, as well as personal conversations and group training sessions on various DEI topics.
In your letter, you state that “the Livingston Diversity Council…is advocating to add critical race theory to local school curriculums,” and also referenced The 1619 Project. So that there can be no confusion, please know that as an organization, we provide information and education but do not “push” CRT or any specific agenda or training. To date, we have had no inquiries on The 1619 Project.
The Livingston Diversity Council will continue to provide resources as needed and host discussions on these topics. We will also continue collaborating with our county neighbors and businesses toward the goal of a more inclusive, welcoming county.
Our Council’s future vision is clear: “Livingston County will be a transformative community that embraces and empowers all people for their uniqueness and contributions.”
This isn’t political.
None of our volunteers, members or board members are asked about their political affiliations. We are a non-political organization focused only on being a change agent for diversity, equity and inclusion, and access.
Any community member who agrees with our mission and vision is welcome to join us in this important work. We are proud to be a part of the changes Livingston County has made, but we know there is much more to do. Together we hope to facilitate the continued growth of Livingston County.
Sincerely,
Nicole Matthews-Creech
President, Livingston Diversity Council
livingstondiversitycouncil.org
livingstondiversitycouncil@gmail.com
