Building Community through Milton’s Equity and Justice for All Committee
In 2026, it’s not easy to be an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. But as I step down from Milton’s Equity and Justice for All Advisory Committee (“EJA Committee”) after close to six years of service, I for one remain a proud, unapologetic supporter of the town’s efforts to increase our diverse residents’ sense of belonging.
Towns like Milton have not been immune from the effects of a pressure campaign against DEI programs that began with the arrival of the second Trump Administration in 2025, but not because the federal government has specifically targeted the town through litigation, an investigation threat, or jeopardizing a federal grant. Rather, like so many organizations, Milton and its residents are under the long political shadow cast by political attacks on such programs. The Trump Administration’s anti-DEI attacks have successfully created a discernible chilling effect on organizational DEI activities, accomplishing many of the Administration’s policy goals without spending much in the way of additional resources.
To be clear, these attacks have been a long time in the making—anti-DEI hostility is not new. Moreover, as anyone involved in DEI or passionate about such work knows, investment in DEI initiatives tends to be economically cyclical, based on market-driven reactions rather than on true commitments. Organizations may increase their efforts at hiring people of color one year in response to the Zeitgeist, only to fail to promote those same employees and pare down their public-facing statements. The latest political headwinds simply add weight to these cultural and economic realities.
Milton’s government, to its credit, has not dismantled its DEI programs or issued statements undermining its commitments. In 2020, in response to the movement for racial justice that followed the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the Milton Select Board created the EJA Committee as something akin to a temporary task force. It was given an 18-month charge
(i) to review Town policies, procedures, and budgets for the purpose of advancing equity and justice for all, with a focus on eradicating from the Town of Milton oppression, racism, injustice, and violence against people of color (including without limitation immigrants of color), (ii) to report to the Select Board on the results of its work at least once each calendar quarter, and (iii) to make recommendations based on the results of such work for the consideration of the Select Board . . .
See Final Report of the Equity and Justice for All Committee, March 23, 2022 (Appendix C). One of the first recommendations from that iteration of the EJA Committee was that the Select Board charter a permanent EJA Committee, which the Board did immediately.
I was fortunate to be one of the original 11 members of that Committee appointed in the fall of 2020, and had the honor of co-chairing the Committee along with Pat Latimore. The talent and commitment of the Committee’s members were extraordinary: business leaders, academics, lawyers, and those with deep professional commitments to DEI work. That first iteration of the Committee rolled up its sleeves immediately and decided to focus on four issues, acknowledging that there were many candidates: town government; affordable housing; schools, youth, and families; and police and fire. The Committee did its work through subcommittees focused on each of these substantive areas. Those subcommittees read documents, looked for town comparators, and conducted numerous interviews. The Committee also commissioned a town-wide survey to gauge attitudes around DEI issues. That hard work, done with diligence, competence, and urgency, culminated in a 56-page report that I encourage every town resident to read. The report distilled the Committee’s work into specific observations and actionable recommendations.
Unfortunately, much of that work stalled. The Committee reported its findings to the Select Board in the spring of 2022, and presented a summary version of its report to Town Meeting. However, although the Select Board created the permanent committee in 2022, the Committee did not become fully constituted until more than a year later. The new Committee—also diligent, committed, and hard working—operated and continues to operate in a different political environment, where the summer of 2020 has become a memory and the national, collective sense of urgency that had animated the original Committee’s work has been met with a backlash of hostility and fear. The town’s political focus, as well, shifted to building a new school and sorting through compliance with the MBTA Communities Act. And after the passage of so much time, some of the recommendations became stale or outdated, or might not have reflected the priorities of the current Committee.
Despite working against a political backdrop of, at best, muted enthusiasm for this work, the EJA Committee—which I chaired until rolling off last month—discharged its responsibilities by forging partnerships with other groups in town (such as Partnership for a Healthy Milton and Affordable Inclusive Milton), engaging in dialogue with other elected committees, and returning to the recommendations in its 2022 Report to understand what work had been accomplished and what work remained to be done. To that end, I met with the Select Board several times over the past two years—each time, regardless of the makeup of its membership, the Board encouraged our work, took time for discussion, and engaged sincerely in trying to understand what recommendations from the 2022 Report remained to be done, and what recommendations might need to be rethought or reimagined. (You can find and watch these meetings on the Milton Access YouTube website.)
Over the years, I have often been asked, “What does the Equity and Justice Committee actually do?” Sometimes this is a question of sincere curiosity. Sometimes, however, it’s a criticism: how come the Committee isn’t more visible, or acting as an advocate? I welcome these questions and am grateful to have an opportunity to hear concerns and engage in dialogue about the Committee. As the outgoing Chair, I know that I am accountable not only for the work we did, but also for the work that remains undone. In that spirit, I have a few thoughts about this general criticism, and about DEI efforts in Milton more generally.
First, the EJA Committee is an advisory committee to the Select Board (and to other town committees). It has no independent power of its own to enact policy. Anything that the Committee does must be taken up by the Select Board or some other elected body. This can be frustrating both for members who are enthusiastic about making Milton a more inclusive town, and for residents who want to see more DEI goals accomplished in the town. But I think its advisory role is appropriate. Our elected officials are the ones who are charged with policymaking. The EJA Committee provides a way for the town’s boards to take advantage of dedicated eyes and ears watching and listening to important issues of inclusion, belonging, and civil rights. In the end, our town’s elected officials are the ones who are and should be accountable for this work.
Second, there is no monopoly on good ideas. The EJA Committee is made up of, at most, 11 town residents (at the time I rolled off, there were only 8). I am not aware of pending or rejected applications; right now, anyone who wants to be a member has a good chance of being appointed to serve. But even with 11 members, the voices are limited. We need engaged residents. EJA meetings are on the town’s meeting calendar; meetings are public and every meeting begins with an opportunity for public comment. The members of the Committee are listed on the town website. I would love to hear from you. The Committee would benefit from your ideas.
DEI work in general, and in Milton in particular, demands dedication, creativity, and taking the long view. The very recent discovery of the “n-word” in a Tucker classroom dictionary, and the reaction to it—including the development of the Milton Reckoning website and effort to assess and reform Milton’s schools—is an unfortunate reminder. The point of this work is to build a community where all of our residents feel like they actually belong here in Milton; where each of us sees our neighbor as having an equal voice and an equal stake in the life of the town. Like many towns in Massachusetts, Milton’s racial history is, at best, complicated. Political debates concerning schools and housing can devolve into tired and offensive tropes (such as questioning whether black students have met appropriate residency requirements). It is thus both exasperating and infuriating to listen to hand-waving about racial issues: if we want to build community, why don’t we work hard to listen to those in our community who least feel like they belong?
It has been one of the honors of my life to serve Milton on the EJA Committee, and to do so alongside such dedicated public servants. I pledge to stay committed to this work. And I encourage you all to continue to do the work. In fact, why don’t you apply to volunteer? Public service needs your energy, your direction, and your perspective.
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