Westland Creates Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commission

Mayor William R. Wild is proud to announce that he has filled the positions on the newly created Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Commission. The DEI Commission was created as a result of a resolution passed by City Council in August 2020 Declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis.

The initial Resolution was brought before the City Council by Councilperson Tasha Green. To ensure the resolution contained an all inclusive format a diverse group of community members , staff and elected officials came together to perfect the resolution. It was important to make sure the resolution was not just words on paper. After several meetings, the group was in agreement and the resolution was passed unanimously by the Westland City Council.

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Commission is governed by a seven 7 member board and two (2) alternate members that are appointed by the Mayor. Members serve a three (3) year term, except that of those first appointed, three shall serve for 3 years, three for 2 years, one for 1 year and the alternates will serve for 1 year. Members must reside in the City of Westland. Current City Officials or employees are not eligible for appointment. The Commission make up will be representative of the City's diverse population. The DEI Commission will meet quarterly as necessary. The DEI Commission promotes, supports and advocates for the vision and values around diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels. Identifies barriers to achieving greater diversity, equal opportunity, and inclusive environment and provides recommendations on how to overcome those barriers. The commission is to work to create an equity and justice oriented organization, with the commission identifying specific activities to increase diversity and to incorporate antiracism principles across membership, leadership, staffing and contracting.

"Many residents applied for the open positions on the DEI Commission and it was not an easy decision as there were so many qualified applicants," stated Mayor Wild. "A lot of consideration went into these appointments and I feel we have a nice composition of diversity, age, gender and skills that is reflective of the community."

The newly appointed members are as follows:

Elnora Ford is a longtime resident and has served on the City of Westland's Commission on Aging for nearly 20 years. Elnora is a member of the Southeast Homeowner's Association (SEHA), she serves on the board at her church and is the past state secretary for the NAACP.

Lena Nichols has lived in the City since 1957 and raised her 4 children here. Lena served on the PTA when her children were in school as well as being on the Board of Directors for the Methodist Childrens' Home Society. Lena retired from Ford Motor Company where she began her career as an hourly employee and worked her way up to a Product Process Analyst.

Arthur Warren has been a resident for 44 years. Arthur currently serves as President on the City of Westland's Community Development Citizens Advisory Council (CDCAC), President of the SEHA, President of the Westland Democratic Club and is an active member of the Norwayne Citizens Council.

Angela Rimmel has been a resident nearly her entire life. Angela has a master's degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Angela is a Foster Care and Adoption Director where a major aspect of her position is maintaining high levels of satisfaction for the company and employee through the company's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Fabiola Sanchez Santos is a certified instructor for Zumba Gold. Fabiola has taught Zumba to the members of the Westland Friendship Center since July 2019. Fabiola was a for Buyer Clerk for a company in Mexico for 8 years and a Bilingual Executive Administrative.

Denise Sedman is now retired after spending 37 years in advertising and public relations. Denise served as the Director of Public Relations for GM Fleet & Commercial Division, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Automation Alley and Marketing Coordinator for Oakland County Business Development and Planning Division supporting Economic Development. Denise also served on the Board of Directors for the Plymouth/Canton Community Literacy Council and Board Member of the YMCA of SE Michigan.

Dr. Mohammad Elmenini, MD is a Fellow of the America College of Geriatrics and a Diplomat of the American Board of Geriatric Specialists. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Cardiology and a Master of the American College of Ethical Phycians. Dr. Elmenini is a graduate of the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine.

Ebonite Guyton (Alternate) is a master's level public health practitioner with the State of Michigan where she has been working the last four years to provide equitable community health programs to low income Michigan residents. Ebonite is part of the MDHHS Chronic Disease Division MI-RACE team that was developed to lead the division to implement change strategies to address the root cause of racism and how it impacts the health and future of Michigan residents.

Steven Thomas (Alternate) has served many years in the customer service industry. Steven is a highly proficient accountant and he has a wide array of computer knowledge. Steven is an exceptional saxophonist that has put his skills on display and many City events.

The Commission members were in attendance at the November 16th City Council meeting to be introduced. In addition, all members will attend a brief training on the Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act.