Equity and Inclusion

Serving All

Vibrant communities respect, involve, and serve all their residents. Core to our mission, the Kentucky League of Cities is committed to modeling equity, diversity, and inclusivity for its staff and member city officials. Executive Director|CEO James D. Chaney established the KLC Equity & Inclusion Committee in April 2021 to develop and support a robustly diverse community where all members engage and belong.

E&I team members formed subcommittees to focus on education, employment, and community outreach. KLC is working on making small but meaningful changes and successfully carried out several objectives:

  • Updates to the KLC application for employment process to exclude information identifying gender, race, ethnicity, and age.
  • Analysis of current policies for opportunities to advance the focus on equity and inclusion.
  • Changes to the language used in policies and materials to be more inclusive.
  • Intentional focus on diversity in the development of KLC-provided training and content.
  • Compilation of minority- and women-owned businesses for inclusion in purchasing and procurement.
  • Staff enrichment through cultural education, self-assessments, and discussions.
  • Research of equity programs among state leagues and government institutions.
  • Identification of learning opportunities for KLC staff.
  • Development of equity and inclusion programming for KLC members.
KLC will:

1. Be more intentional about equity, diversity, and inclusivity.
2. Strengthen and maintain an equitable, diverse, and inclusive work environment.
3. Engage staff members and city officials to understand implicit biases and expand cultural competencies.
4. Empower city officials to foster and promote equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces and community practices.
5. Collaborate and align with various organizations, associations, and educational institutions to further equity, diversity, and inclusion.

KLC Member Training

Looking Beyond Tokenism

Tokenism is checking a box and providing a false sense of improvement without actual, substantial, and lasting growth. This webinar discusses how to make diversity and inclusion more dynamic and immersive. It will also provide examples of how employers and HR professionals could and should show respect and empathy for cultures and traditions.


Access presentation slides here

Previous KLC training:

    Equity & Inclusion Matters: How to reduce bias in your workplace

    We all have biases especially the unconscious kind. Unconscious bias gone unchecked could prevent good collaborations, performance and decision making. Unconscious bias creates a space of resentment and frustration. The more frustrated we are the more likely we are to be silent and disengaged. 

    How to reduce bias in your workplace – We all have bias - especially the unconscious kind - and it's preventing us from doing our best work. Gone unchecked, bias can make employees feel resentful, frustrated and silenced, and it can even lead to outright discrimination and harassment. Check out three key ways to reduce bias at work, according to Just Work cofounders Kim Scott and Trier Bryant.

    With questions regarding the KLC Equity and Inclusion initiative, contact KLC Corporate Compliance Officer Eleanor Barbour.