Hudson – Hudson joins communities such as Acton, Framingham, Lowell, Natick and Salem in participating in the REACH (Racial Equity Advancement and Collaborative Hub) program.
REACH is a 10-month program that gives teams the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other towns to learn about and apply strategies for equity in city government.
According to a Feb. 21 memo from Assistant Secretary Thomas Gregory, the REACH program is an “innovative initiative aimed at fostering an inclusive and equitable environment within Massachusetts municipalities.”
The memo also states that the program will be a platform for local government teams to engage in dialogue and learning focused on collaboration, knowledge exchange, and support for racial equity in local government and the larger community. He said it was designed.
Director of Public and Community Health Lauren Antonelli said the program is being operated in partnership with MAPC (Metropolitan Area Planning Council) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. They asked GARE (Government Alliance on Race and Equity) for help, according to their website. The organization is a national network working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunity for all people.
MAPC and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston funded the program, for which Hudson paid $5,000. Antonelli said the Ministry of Health will use grant funding to cover the cost.
The team includes Antonelli, Gregory, Superintendent Brian Regan, Planning and Community Development Director Christina Johnson, Human Resources and Licensing Manager Fernanda Santos, Police Chief Richard DiPersio, Community Youth Drug Abuse Prevention Program Assistant Julie Sieff, It is made up of medical communication specialist Tarita Campello; Molly McKenzie, a Hudson resident and school committee member.
Once a month, the team attends a full-day session in Boston where members collaborate with team members from other communities and share best practices.
“It's nice to have a somewhat diverse mix of communities,” Antonelli said.
She said, “We had to apply to the program in the fall, and part of our application had some goals that we wanted to achieve.”
After learning about the program through MAPC emails, Hudson began the program in February and plans to start in November.
“We are very interested in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives,” she said.
She believes it is important for Hudson to participate in the REACH program for a variety of reasons. At the larger municipal level, the town hasn't done a lot of strategic work in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, she said. Antonelli said it's important to learn about the historical nature of problems because some systemic problems can be traced to governments, she said. By raising awareness, they can “change the present” and become more inclusive.
She said, “This program is really giving us an opportunity to learn about these things.”
President Reagan is pleased to partner with local government leaders and will present a session on the role of local government in promoting racial equity and Affirm, Confront, Transform (ACT), a program designed to address and manage conflict. He said he attended two sessions on the model. Tension and pushing back.
“I was asked by Mr. Lauren if I would like to join the team on behalf of our school division and given our continued efforts to address racial equity in our schools, I was happy to accept the invitation.” Mr. Regan said.
He added, “We look forward to using the learnings from this program, which continues through November, to inform our school division's efforts and our town-wide commitment to equity.”
Johnson said of her participation: “As Director of Planning and Community Development, she will explore ways to better promote racial equity in local government operations, including land use decision-making and long-term planning efforts with communities. It's important to understand.”
In the health sector, they talk about health equity and social determinants of health, a work they have a “strong interest and passion” for.
Looking to the future, Antonelli said that with so many people living and working in Hudson, “it's especially important to us to create a community that is as welcoming and inviting as possible.” She believed it was important that the people representing a town reflected the people who lived there.
He said issues such as how to hire a more diverse workforce would be considered. Overall, topics will be covered such as promoting racial equity, the role of government, and building inclusive communities.
Beyond the REACH program, Antonelli wanted the town to focus on policies and procedures and invest more time in diversity, such as staff training and stock audits.
“We're just trying to build a foundation where we can talk and think about racial equity issues,” she said.
