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Community Awareness and Community Building Recommendations

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Community Conversations and Education | Working Group 1 Recommendations

Video Chapters

  1. Community Climate Survey (video timestamp 7:42) – In order for Mt. Lebanon to truly be a welcoming municipality to all, we need to establish a DEI baseline that focuses on hearing from underrepresented groups in our community. We recommend a comprehensive community climate survey that is both actionable and repeatable and establishes Mt. Lebanon as a thought leader in the DEI space.
  2. DEI Department / Officer (video timestamp 18:47) – Sustained effort is required to make lasting change. We suggest that a staff position be created to ensure these efforts are implemented and other opportunities created in future years.
  3. Implicit / Unconscious Bias Training (video timestamp 20:53) – Bias training explores bias-based decision making, “blind spots,” and provide participants with the tools to make more informed decisions. We suggest frequent “micro” sessions woven into larger public events as well as installations set up in public places.
  4. White Anti-Racism Allyship (video timestamp 25:23) – A series of trainings, including a community-wide evening talk by Dr. Ali Michael, a Mt. Lebanon graduate and nationally recognized anti-racism trainer, hosted at the high school on the weekend of January 15-17, 2022, co-sponsored by the Mt. Lebanon School District and several local faith communities.
  5. Disability Rights (video timestamp 28:12) – Through awareness and knowledge of legislation, empower our disabled neighbors to get equal access to resources and feel a sense of belonging in Mt. Lebanon. Specific recommendations include a community viewing of the film “Crip Camp,” a presentation by a renowned disability rights advocate Ruth Colker followed by a discussion.
  6. Welcoming America (video timestamp 31:13) – Join the Welcoming America Network and then achieve the Certified Welcoming designation like the City of Pittsburgh.
  7. Make DEI a part of our community (video timestamp 36:47) – For sustained impact, we need to fold DEI into regular life in Mt. Lebanon. We recommend including information tables representing various DEI groups at regularly-scheduled public events/gatherings in the community. The goal is educating people about DEI work and potentially gaining new volunteers.

View All Working Group Recommendations

Working Group 1 Members

These are the beautiful people within our community that volunteered their time and labor for the benefit of Mt. Lebanon; thank you! Board membership rosters are publicly available on the municipality’s website.

  • David O Binder
  • Ann-Michele Corbi Potvin
  • Rebekah Diaz
  • Peter DiNardo
  • Rev. Noah H. Evans
  • Adam Flango
  • Dr. Manisha Iyer
  • Heather McCague
  • Rev. Nate Nevala
  • Sarada Sangameswaran