Posted on May 12, 2021
Our speaker on May 12th was Dez Squire, the Senior Racial Equity Organizer for the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity & Inclusion.
 
The Roundtable’s mission is to empower individuals to transform communities and the workplace to overcome racism, discrimination, systemic inequities, and institutional and inherent bias.  It centers its work on anti-racism with historical analysis through multi-generational storytelling. 
 
A component of the Roundtable is ALPACT which examines issues affecting police and community relations.  Its members (law enforcement, community leaders and elected/appointed government representatives) work to enhance the bonds of trust between the two by recommending strategies. There are now eight regional ALPACTs with 500 members state-wide.
 
To build bridges, the Roundtable brings people together to have tough conversations and discuss lived experiences.  This has been a struggle through virtual meetings this past year, but it is finding ways to stay connected by making phone calls to check on people and by putting together a resource sheet.