ELGL All-In Member ViewPoint Cloud pledged $500 to the Diversity Dashboard.
We caught up with the ViewPoint team to learn more about why their company is backing ELGL’s Kickstarter campaign.
- Why did ViewPoint Cloud pledge funds to the ELGL Diversity Dashboard?
- We strongly believe in representative government, and that means people in positions of power should reflect the populations they represent. To advocate for this, we need data that shows who currently holds these positions.
- We strongly believe in representative government, and that means people in positions of power should reflect the populations they represent. To advocate for this, we need data that shows who currently holds these positions.
- Why is diversity in local government leadership important?
- A lot of policymaking and municipal management is a combination of abstract philosophies and nitty-gritty details and numbers. But it all starts with a leader’s real life experiences–their background consciously and unconsciously informs every part of their decision-making. The more diversity of experiences we can bring to the table, the more representative, creative, and inclusive government leadership will be.
- A lot of policymaking and municipal management is a combination of abstract philosophies and nitty-gritty details and numbers. But it all starts with a leader’s real life experiences–their background consciously and unconsciously informs every part of their decision-making. The more diversity of experiences we can bring to the table, the more representative, creative, and inclusive government leadership will be.
- What’s the most innovative thing you’ve heard of a LocalGov doing to become more inclusive?
- A former colleague and I worked on a VisionZero marketing and education strategy for the City of Los Angeles.
We conducted dozens of interviews with stakeholders of all backgrounds across nonprofit advocacy groups, council district offices, private sector firms, transportation and health experts–all for the purpose of trying to see how we could get this message to resonate with as many people as possible in the incredibly diverse city of LA.
Not to mention the fact that VisionZero is meant to increase traffic safety for pedestrians and cyclists instead of just cars–another way to think about diversity.
Another less talked-about aspect of inclusion is how government services are adapted to be more accessible to less able-bodied people. Many of the governments who use our software are moving their permitting and licensing processes online for the first time.
A paper-only environment that requires in-person presence at City Hall or a Department is not only inconvenient for many, it can be prohibitive to people who have a hard time getting around. Especially if a process will require multiple trips. Allowing applicants to apply and communicate can help ease this burden and make it a more inclusive process.
- A former colleague and I worked on a VisionZero marketing and education strategy for the City of Los Angeles.
- If you had to make one prediction about what the data will show when it’s all collected, what do you think it will be?
- That women, people of color, and especially women of color will be statistically underrepresented in every geographical region.
- That women, people of color, and especially women of color will be statistically underrepresented in every geographical region.
- Why should the local government community pay attention to this data collection project?
- This kind of data is just one more piece of the puzzle in creating a more accurate picture of our world. If you care about democracy, you should care about reflective representation in government leadership. If you care about that, you will care about what this data has to say.
- This kind of data is just one more piece of the puzzle in creating a more accurate picture of our world. If you care about democracy, you should care about reflective representation in government leadership. If you care about that, you will care about what this data has to say.
- Anything else you’d like to add?
- A big thanks to ELGL for valuing government leadership diversity, and for bringing people together to put those values into action in a tangible way!