The City of Dallas’ equity department is hosting a diversity-oriented “Welcoming Week” from September 8 to September 17, while other equity-driven City policies have recently stirred controversy.
“Welcoming Week is an annual campaign celebrated in communities around the globe and connects neighbors of all backgrounds,” the City said in a press release sent to The Dallas Express. “This week provides residents an opportunity to celebrate welcoming values through events and local initiatives that foster mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as deeper belonging for all.”
The weeklong campaign is being organized by the Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs Division of the City’s Office of Equity and Inclusion.
“Dallas takes immense pride in its status as the inaugural first Certified Welcoming City in Texas, and we believe engaging diverse communities contributes to a more inclusive Dallas,” said the office’s director, Lindsey Wilson, in the press release.
The City is encouraging residents to celebrate “the importance of diversity and inclusion by sharing pictures with a multilingual ‘I am a Welcomer‘ sign on social media and tagging @DallasWCIA on Facebook.”
A list of Welcoming Week events can be found here. Events include a bilingual storytime, Latin American crafts, and a Thai market at the Buddhist Temple of Dallas.
The City’s focus on equity-driven initiatives has become contentious in recent weeks amid the Dallas City Council’s development of the upcoming FY23-24 budget.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, council members have declined to oppose the tax hike recommended by City Manager T.C. Broadnax, citing concerns over equity.
Council Member Carolyn King Arnold said in budget debates that she would only be in favor of “a tax rate that will support … the equity principle.”
Furthermore, the proposed $4.6 billion City budget allocates $3.84 million toward the Office of Equity and Inclusion, up slightly from last year.
During an August budget workshop, some council members criticized the City’s Equity Assessment Tool, which prioritizes the needs of certain parts of Dallas over others based on a point system.
Another equity-driven City program that issues taxpayer-backed loans to select businesses that must be owned by women or someone in a minority group may be unconstitutional, according to legal experts who previously spoke with The Dallas Express.
