The Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) in Austin, Texas, has issued an apology to its staff following a controversial plan to hold racially segregated "antiracist" meetings.
The department's equity and inclusion coordinator, Magaly Arredondo Lopez, who recently assumed her role, sent an email on January 25 inviting employees to attend separate monthly meetings. These meetings were categorized as "for people of color" and "for white people," according to a copy of the internal communication obtained by KXAN. PARD Director Kimberly McNeeley subsequently issued an apology via email, stating that the initial message was "inappropriate" and did not align with the department's values.
In a statement to KXAN, PARD acknowledged the email, stating, "Department leadership is aware of an email sent to the citys parks and recreation department staff regarding efforts to establish antiracist affinity groups." The department admitted that the email was not properly vetted and did not reflect its values. An apology was issued within 24 hours for the exclusion of employees in any space. The department reiterated its commitment to inclusivity and collaboration among all staff.
The statement further explained that the original email aimed to create separate racial groups to foster comfort and openness in sharing personal experiences. The intent was not to exclude, but to provide a supportive environment for sharing lived experiences and identifying ways to improve the department's relational culture.
However, the proposed segregated meetings sparked concern among several PARD employees, who spoke to KXAN on the condition of anonymity. The controversial email was titled "Healing from Racial Trauma: PARD Antiracist Affinity Spaces."
One PARD employee expressed their discomfort, saying, "Growing up seeing the signs saying, Whites Only [and] No blacks, it was likewow, it took me back." They questioned the effectiveness of racial healing if all parties were not present. Another employee expressed their frustration, questioning how they were expected to perform optimally when they felt divided.
In light of the controversy, PARD will not proceed with the monthly meetings as initially planned, as reported by KXAN.
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