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Race, Equity and Inclusion

Last updated:   06/16/2022  

The City of Mountain View is fully committed to racial equity and justice as we strive to create a welcoming, safe and inclusive community for all. While recent national events have created an urgent cry for policing reform across the country, the City recognizes that systemic racism is far-reaching and long-standing and requires a comprehensive approach of reflection, engagement and action.

This webpage is dedicated to keeping the community informed about the City’s efforts to uphold our commitment to racial equity and justice and the opportunities for community members to be involved.

On June 23, 2020, the City Council unanimously adopted a Resolution proclaiming that the City of Mountain View stands in solidarity with its black residents and communities of color and that Black Lives Matter.

On June 9, 2020, then Mayor Abe-Koga announced the appointment of an Ad-Hoc Council Subcommittee on Race, Equity, and Inclusion (REI Subcommittee) to engage the community in meaningful dialogue and take action toward a vision of racial justice and equity in Mountain View and renewed public trust in law enforcement. The Subcommittee consists of Mayor Ellen Kamei, who serves as Chair, Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga and Vice Mayor Lucas Ramirez.

The REI Subcommittee met periodically from June through November 2020, and brought recommendations to the full City Council December 1, 2020; where the City Council established the Public Safety Advisory Board (PSAB).  The next REI Subcommittee meeting will be June 21, 2022 at 5 PM.  REI Subcommittee meeting agendas and materials are available below. For questions or comments on the REI subcommittee, please email REISubCom@mountainview.gov .

Subcommittee Meetings

April 22, 2021 Meeting – 5 pm to 7 pm via Zoom - Register Here

  • Meeting Agenda 
  • Meeting Minutes - Coming Soon
  • Meeting Video 
  • Meeting Discussion Topics: Recent events and efforts to address Xenophobia and Anti-Asian
    American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Sentiment

November 19, 2020 Meeting – 5 pm to 7 pm via Zoom

October 05, 2020 Meeting – 5 pm to 7 pm via Zoom

August 24, 2020 REI Subcommittee Meeting: 

  •  August 24, 2020 Meeting Agenda
  • August 24, 2020 Meeting Minutes
  • August 24, 2020 Meeting Video
  • August 24, 2020 Discussion Topics
    • Alternative Police Service Delivery Models: The City is exploring alternative approaches for MVPD to respond to mental health-related calls for service with regional collaboration. The Subcommittee received a presentation from Santa Clara County regarding the Mobile Crisis Response Team. The City is further exploring alternative approaches for mental health related calls for service, including the White Bird Clinic’s CAHOOTS program in Eugene, Oregon.
    •  MVPD Policing Activity:  The City is compiling and evaluating data on policing activity to identify and understand any disproportionate impacts to communities of color. The Subcommittee received a presentation on preliminary MVPD Racial Demographic Statistics. The City is working with academic partners to bring analytical expertise and a neutral perspective to better understand MVPD policing data and develop approaches to address any disproportionate findings.
    •  Public Police Oversight:  The City is examining community-involved police oversight models to determine potential oversight approaches for Mountain View. The Subcommittee received an overview presentation on police oversight models.  The City continues to assess what option would work best in Mountain View based on community input, Mountain View Police Department operational realities, and any identified issues related to public trust and police accountability. 

June 30, 2020 REI Subcommittee Meeting:

The City is implementing a Race, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan focused on policing practices, policies and accountability, celebration and recognition of community diversity, and review of City operations and policies, with opportunities for community engagement throughout. Updates on the Action Plan will be provided at each REI Subcommittee meeting.

Download the Race, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan 

 

As the movement for racial justice began to sweep the nation at the end of May 2020, and we saw some of the largest protests in Mountain View in recent memory, the City recognized the opportunity and obligation to connect with residents to listen to concerns, provide information, promote dialogue and find a path forward together.

United Against Hate Week 2021 - November 14 through November 20

  • Book Lists and Displays - November 14-20, 2021

    Lists of reading materials for children, teens and adults will be available on the home page of the library website. Visit the library website at mountainview.gov/library
    • Adult reading materials
    •  Children’s reading materials
    • Teen reading materials

     United Against Hate book displays can be found in Teen Services on the first floor, and on the second floor of the Library.

  • “Mountain View Stands United Against Hate” Campaign - November 14-20, 2021
    •  Free Posters Available at the Library.  Members of the public can show their support by displaying the Mountain View Stands United Against Hate poster in their homes. A limited number of posters will be available on the book display areas in Teen Services on the first floor, and on the second floor of the Library.
    • #UNSelfie Social Media Campaign.  The Library will encourage members of the public to:
    • Take an #UNselfie (selfless selfie) holding up the poster.
    • Post the selfie on their social media account.
    • Talk about how or why they are standing up against hate.
    • Add the hashtags #UNselfie, #UnitedAgainstHate, and #MVPLibrary.

     

     Events available through the Teen Center (open to 6th through 12th grade students)

  • Monday, 11/15
    • United Against Hate Sign Making: Monday, November 15 | 3:30 – 7 p.m. at The View Teen Center
      Kick off United Against Hate Week by creating a poster as a tangible reminder to create a safe and inclusive environment for all. Display your poster at the Teen Center, your locker at school, or in a window at home.
    • Chain Link – Monday 11/15 (After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
      Students will create paper chain links to solidify their union against hate. Students will write statements on strips of paper on how they can create and promote a safe space amongst their fellow students. Students can also write how they will build a more inclusive environment for all. When the chain link is completed, students can hang them in their classrooms.
  • Tuesday, 11/16 
  • Book Club: The Hate U Give: Tuesday, November 16 | 5 – 6 p.m. at The View Teen Center
    Library staff and teens will discuss Angie Thomas' award-winning novel The Hate U Give. Whether you’ve read it before or this is your first time, you can join the discussion.*Parent/Guardian permission required. Limited space available. Must attend the book club session on Tuesday, November 16 to be eligible to receive a free copy of the book. Pre-register by November 12 by emailing TheViewTeenCenter@MountainView.gov.

    Book Bio: Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.
  • I Am Poem- Tuesday 11/16 (After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
    Students will write “I Am” poems. I am poems are an exploration of the poet. The poem is an exploration of one’s character, likes/dislikes, hopes/fears, goals culture or even family. Students will be able to share their poems with the entire classroom. This activity will promote a voice for students to share and speak up as well as create awareness amongst students by giving a closer insight to their fellow classmates’ individualities.
  • Wednesday, 11/17
    • TEDx Teen Center Against Hate: Wednesday, November 17 | 5:45 – 7 p.m. at The View Teen Center.

    Join us as we host a night of streamed, hand-selected TED Talks on the subject of anti-hate. This event will feature 5 short talks that will spark action to inspire you to make your community a safer and more inclusive place. Light refreshments will be served. Parents are welcome to attend this event with their teens. Talks will start promptly at 5:45 p.m.

    • Peace Tree Mural – Wednesday/Thursday 11/17-11/18 (After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
      Students will create a “Peace Tree” mural. The base will be a tree with the roots representing of what we think the world needs in order to be more united against hate (Peace, Hope, Love, Justice, Kindness, etc). Students will receive templates of leaf cut outs which will represent the flags of the countries where students are from. The leaves will be placed on top of the tree. The mural represents how all students from different cultures will grow together by standing tall like a tree, united against hate.
    • Bystander Intervention Training - Wednesday, November 17 | 6-7 p.m. via Zoom. The Library will host a Bystander Intervention Training  over Zoom on Wednesday, November 17, led by the Council of American-Islamic Relations. In this virtual training, participants will learn hands-on skills to de-escalate a hate incident before it leads to violence, and ways to support a person who’s being targeted.
  • Thursday, 11/18
    • Game Night Against Hate: Thursday, November 18 | 3:30 – 7 p.m. at The View Teen Center.

    We're pledging to take action to create a safe and inclusive community. Join old and new friends for corporative board games that promote working as a team! Games include: Scattergories, Code Names, Dudgeons and Dragons, Jenga, and more.

    • Peace Tree Mural – Wednesday/Thursday 11/17-11/18 (After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
  • Friday, 11/19
    • Film Screening: Not in Our Town: Friday, November 19 | 5:30 – 7 p.m. at The View Teen Center.

    Join us for a screening of Not In Our Town. Communities have faced hate before, and we can learn from one another. This screening will help provide a way for teens to convene and open the discussion about how to stand up to hate together. Free popcorn!

    • United We Stand (Game Day) – Friday 11/19 (After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)

     Students will play a variety of games that will promote team building. Staff will focus on teaching students about sportsmanship, empathy, and inclusivity. Playing games will create a stronger bond amongst students as they work closely together as a team.

  • Saturday, 11/20
    • Outdoor Storytime: Uniting our Community - Saturday, November 20 |10:30-11 a.m. The Library will host an outdoor storytime in Pioneer Park on Saturday, November 20. Our librarians will sing and read stories about community and inclusion. This event will be interactive; attendees will be able to read, sing and dance alongside our librarians. Perfect for families with children age 3-5.

Public Safety Advisory Board

The City Council appointed seven community members to the first Public Safety Advisory Board (PSAB) on April 13, 2021.  Learn more about the PSAB on the PSAB webpage.

Listening Forums on Local Policing Update - Human Relations Commission to Share What They Heard From The Community 

The Human Relations Commission (HRC) met with Police Chief Max Bosel on June 4, 2020 to discuss the Police Department’s values and policies. The HRC formed a subcommittee to help facilitate police-community relations through the planning of a community engagement process on Mountain View policing. This included Listening Forums, an online portal for written stories and one-on-one interviews.

 The Listening Forums on Local Policing were held on: 

  • Session 1 - Monday, August 31 (6:30-8:30) - English
  • Session 2 - Thursday, September 10 (5-7) - Youth
  • Session 3 - Thursday, September 17 (6:30-8:30) - Spanish
  • Session 4 - Thursday, September 24 (6:30-8:30) - Mandarin

These multilingual forums with small group discussion facilitated by the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC) provided a safe space for individual community members to share their stories about their experience with policing in Mountain View. Community members also had the opportunity to share their stories in confidence by submitting anonymous online statements and one to one meetings with HRC members. 

With facilitation by PCRC, the HRC shared the themes from community member stories on Wednesday, November 18. Participants at this virtual meeting were invited to engage in small group discussions to: reflect on how the experiences shared by story tellers may be similar to or different from their own, imagine the perspectives of both the story teller and the police, and highlight what went well and what the police could have done differently to improve the experience.

Mountain View Police Department Interactive Educational Forums

MVPDx: Partnership for the Future of Policing, is a listening and learning program that brings residents together with Mountain View Police officers to discuss, collectively, what next steps look like for our City when it comes to how the department protects and serves those who live, work, and visit our community.

The program, which will take place over seven sessions, will deep-dive into various themes and topics that will allow community members to ask questions, foster dialogue, and increase connections with local law enforcement to build the best future possible for policing in Mountain View. The first cohort will be starting in September with representatives from a range of groups and individuals who have contacted the Police Department seeking to engage on this topic. The interest list will be used to help fill future cohorts.

To learn more and to sign up for the program interest list, visit their webpage.

Please note, classes will be primarily conducted over Zoom but will also include in-person activities. Each cohort is limited to no more than 12 people to maximize engagement and conversation and comply with public health protocols.

The Police Department continues extensive one-on-one outreach with community members who have reached out with questions, comments, and concerns around policy, procedure, and budgeting. You may contact PolicePIO@mountainview.gov for police specific questions. If you have general questions or comments about the City’s Racial Equity and Justice efforts, please contact REISubCom@mountainview.gov. 

County of Santa Clara Hate Crimes Task Force

On December 15, 2020, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Clara established the Hate Crimes Task Force in partnership with other interested jurisdictions to address hate crimes and violence in the community.

The Hate Crimes Task Force is tasked with:

  1. Developing a clear set of recommendations to address hate crimes and violence incited by hate speech in our community.
  2. Developing recommendations to employ existing state and federal laws to protect against gender-based hate crimes and to assess new policies and legislation to achieve this end.
  3. Examining the pathology of hate crimes to develop the best methods and policies to address them.
  4. Examining the relationship of firearm accessibility to hate crimes and developing recommendations on investments in law enforcement intelligence to combat the illegal gun trade and to monitor the proliferation of hate speech.
  5. Recommending school or school-based programs to promote a change in our community culture relative to hate crimes and violence.

The Hate Crimes Task Force is tentatively scheduled to meet monthly. You may view past and future meeting agendas here.

 

The Mountain View Police Department takes great pride in being transparent and earning trust within our community. It is a top priority for the MVPD to remain engaged with and meet the standards of the community in how we protect and serve city residents and visitors.

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