OneKLC Inclusion Initiative

Serving All

At the Kentucky League of Cities, we believe vibrant communities thrive when everyone feels respected, involved, and served. As a cornerstone of our mission, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and belonging environment for our staff and member city officials. KLC established the OneKLC Inclusion Taskforce to nurture a richly inclusive community where every voice is heard and valued, and everyone belongs.

Our passionate OneKLC team has created subcommittees focusing on education, employment, community outreach, and accessibility for all. We are committed to making impactful changes and have successfully achieved several key objectives:

• Revamped Employment Process: We’ve updated our application process to focus solely on your talents and qualifications, removing identifiers like gender, race, ethnicity, and age.
• Policy Enhancement: We continuously review our policies to find new ways to advance inclusion and belonging.
• Inclusive Language: We’ve refined our policies and materials to use language that welcomes everyone.
• Diverse Training Content: Our training and content development now intentionally focus on diversity.
• Inclusive Procurement: We’ve compiled a list of minority- and women-owned businesses to support our purchasing and procurement efforts.
• Cultural Enrichment: Our staff engages in cultural education, self-assessments, and enriching discussions.
• Research and Learning: We study inclusion programs from state leagues and government institutions to bring the best practices to KLC and our members.
• Staff Development: We identify and create learning opportunities for our staff.
• Member Programming: We develop inclusion and belonging programs for our KLC members.
  
  At KLC, we promise to:

1. Champion Inclusion: We are committed to making inclusion and belonging a central part of everything we do.
2. Cultivate Diversity: We strive to maintain an equitable, diverse, and inclusive work environment.
3. Educate and Engage: We engage our staff and city officials in understanding implicit biases and expanding cultural competencies.
4. Empower City Officials: We empower city officials to foster inclusive workplaces and community practices.
5. Collaborate for Growth: We partner with various organizations, associations, and educational institutions to further our inclusion and expansion efforts.
   
   Together, we are building a community where everyone can thrive. Join us in making a difference!

OneKLC Taskforce Members:
Eleanor Barbour, Corporate Law & Finance
Martha Cosby, Executive Team Member
Michelle DeMattina, Claims
Chris Johnson, Member Legal Services
Jessica Johnston, Accounting
Katie Hook, Accounting
Jenny Klever, Accounting
Adam Mayo, IT
Elizabeth Schepens, Employee Services
Kristen Searcy, Employee Services
Sarah Stoll, Member & Business Development
Scott Tremoulis, Public Affairs

OneKLC Member Training

Teamwork vs Themework Leadership Models

West Kentucky Community and Technical College President Anton Reece talks about leadership models and their impact on organizational dynamics. The interactive discussion includes a talk about team dysfunction, effective communication, and the chaos that miscommunication and no-communication create.

Previous OneKLC training:

• Moving Beyond Bias
  
• Looking Beyond Tokenism
• How to Ensure Accessible Events
• Gearing up for Systematic Change
• Intentional Inclusion
• Disability Awareness in the Workplace
• Avoiding Diversity Backlash
  
• Creating a Culture That Supports Generational Diversity
• Equity & Inclusion Matters: Implicit Bias - Dr. Cleveland

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 – 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.