2025-06-11 DEI MinutesREGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF THE EL SEGUNDO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INCLUSION (DEI) COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2025
CALL TO ORDER — Chairperson Villena called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm
ROLL CALL
Chairperson Villena -
Present
Vice Chairperson O'Brien -
Present
Member Atmore -
Present
Member Green -
Absent
Member Mitrovich -
Absent
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS — (Related to City Business Only — 5-minute limit
per person, 30-minute limit total)
None
A. CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. MOTION by Vice Chairperson O'Brien, SECONDED by Member Atmore,
approving Special Committee meeting minutes of April 2, 2025, MOTION
PASSED. 3/0
B. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
2. ACC Joint Meeting Discussion
Chairperson Villena provided a recap of the ACC Joint Meeting held on May 27tn
She shared that a Festival of Holidays working group was formed with a couple
members of the ACC. Council Member Michelle Keldorf noted that El Segundo
resident, Ron Swanson, had suggested incorporating more child friendly activities.
Chairperson Villena stated that the working group will take that into consideration.
Senior Librarian Julie Todd inquired about inviting Poet Laureate Kweku Abimbola
to participate in United Against Hate Week. Chairperson Villena provided
additional information.
Chairperson Villena announced that the next ACC-DEI Joint Meeting is tentatively
scheduled for July or August, during which they hope to present plans for United
Against Hate Week.
3. Membership Recruitment Plan
Chairperson Villena announced that membership recruitment was open with three
applications pending. Interviews are scheduled for Tuesday, June 17tn, and the
selected candidates are expected to be sworn in and ready to participate in the
DEI Meeting scheduled for July 9tn
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JUNE 11, 2025
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Vice Chairperson O'Brien inquired whether the application window had closed.
Member Atmore asked whether the pilot program with the school district was still
active. Chairperson Villena provided additional information.
4. Juneteenth and GUNDO Pride Discussion
Vice Chairperson Villena provided an update on Juneteenth, noting that Black in
Mayberry's withdrawal from the event significantly impacted planning efforts,
resulting in no official Juneteenth event taking place within the city this year.
Senior Librarian Julie Todd added that the scheduled Juneteenth storyteller also
withdrew due to an insurance conflict. Vice Chairperson O'Brien mentioned that
Manhattan Beach will be hosting a Juneteenth celebration and emphasized the
importance of planning well in advance to ensure the city can hold its own event
next year.
Vice Chairperson O'Brien shared updates on GUNDO Pride. He inquired about
the possibility of keeping the rainbow lighting on the water tower throughout the
month of June for Pride Month. Council Member Keldorf provided additional
information. She also announced that Director of Recreation, Parks, and Library
Aly Mancini received the Pride Proclamation from the City Council.
5. DEI Presence at Hometown Fair Review
Chairperson Villena provided a recap of the DEI presence at the Hometown Fair
held on May 3rd. Committee members discussed the various activities and
participating clubs that contributed to the event. They also noted that, while the
overall response was positive, a few individuals expressed their disapproval of
DEI initiatives.
C. NEW BUSINESS
6. DEI Presence at Upcoming Summer Events
Chairperson Villena discussed DEI Presence at upcoming summer events
including Concerts in the Park, Movies in the Park, the Family Campout, and
others. Senior Librarian Julie Todd suggested hosting a story time session at the
library as part of the outreach. She also noted the challenges in securing new
vendors due to updated insurance requirements.
7. Subcommittee Reports
Vice Chairperson O'Brien shared his plan to research the diversity, equity, and
inclusion policies of ten major businesses in town. He intends to conduct
interviews with each company, assess the findings, and identify key lessons from
each interview. He hopes to present his findings to the City Council at the
upcoming meeting taking place on September 2na
Member Atmore reported that she recently met with El Segundo Police Chief, Saul
Rodriguez. She shared that the department is focused on de-escalation tactics
rather than reactive responses. She also noted that two new female officers are
EL SEGUNDO RECREATION AND PARKS (DEI) COMMITTEE MINUTES
JUNE 11, 2025
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being hired as part of the department's ongoing efforts to enhance diversity within
the force. They agreed to hold quarterly meetings moving forward.
D. REPORTS — RECREATION, PARKS, AND LIBRARY DIRECTOR
None
E. REPORTS — COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Vice Chairperson O'Brien expressed deep concern about the recent ICE raids
happening within the county. He emphasized that hate has no place in the
community and voiced a desire for the DEI Committee to take a more active role
in addressing these issues within the city. He reiterated the importance of standing
in solidarity with those affected and announced the upcoming No Kings Protest,
scheduled for June 14t"
Chairperson Villena echoed Vice Chairperson O'Brien's sentiments, adding that a
child was recently removed from a neighboring city. She shared that the committee
is actively exploring ways to respond meaningfully and support the community
during this time.
Member Atmore also aligned herself with the concerns expressed by the
committee. She shared her commitment to being present and supportive for the
community, especially in these moments of hardship and uncertainty.
Adjourned at 7.53 PM
Viviann Gonzalez, Senior Administrative Specialist
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JUNE 11, 2025
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