Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As Woodbury continues to grow and becomes more diverse, fostering an inclusive and welcoming community is paramount to the city's continued success. It is important that everyone feels welcome, safe and connected in the community. The city also is committed to providing the best public service possible to people of all backgrounds. To help, city staff is gaining a better understanding of all forms of diversity through a number of programs:

  • A select number of staff actively represented Woodbury at Minnesota Government Alliance on Racial Equity programs throughout 2016 and 2017.
  • A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion employee committee was formed to focus on improving internal processes and policies so that an employee (or prospective employee) is not limited by their identity under a protected class. The group's goal is to increase diversity in the organization by making the city organization a welcoming, attractive and inclusive organization for all people.
  • The city deliberately seeks input from people from all groups of life in the community. This is done, in part, through a collaboration with Nexus Community Partners.
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

These activities will continue to change and grow over time, along with the community.

Woodbury embraces its growing diversity and has decades of experience adapting to change, having evolved from a quiet, largely agricultural community in the 1960s, into a bustling, diverse, economic hub of the East Metro today. It is important to retain and enhance all the great qualities and characteristics that have attracted so many people to Woodbury in the first place, while also realizing that "community" means something different to everyone.

Resources

Diversity in the Woodbury Police Department

The city is proactively studying how Public Safety service demands (and how the Department provides services) will continue to evolve as the community continues to grow, age and become more diverse. Adapting and enhancing Public Safety effectiveness is one of the strategic priorities identified by the City Council for the 2019 to 2021 cycle.

Visit the Police Department's Race Equity and Police Accountability page to learn more about their ongoing efforts.

George Floyd Interview

In 2020, Woodbury resident Timothy Brewington II, a pastor at Fellowship Church and member of Public Safety's Multicultural Advisory Committee, interviewed then-Woodbury Public Safety Director Lee Vague about his reaction to the death of George Floyd and how Public Safety can be held accountable to protect and serve all residents.

Watch the Interview on YouTube.