Quincy Mayor To Form Diversity, Equality, And Inclusion Committee

QUINCY, MA — Mayor Thomas Koch is working to establish a Committee on Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion to make Quincy a more welcoming environment for all people, said the city in a news release Wednesday.

The committee's responsibilities will include investigating recruitment and hiring practices, facilitating public outreach to all populations, providing access to public facilities, and enhancing communication between the city and the public.

“For more than a century and a half, Quincy has been a city where immigrants from around the world have settled,” said Koch in a statement. “We are a melting pot of different national origins, ethnicities, religions, races, and languages. Its important that we regularly self-assess our performance to ensure that we continue to meet the evolving needs of all the people whom we serve.”

According to city records, 41 percent of Quincy's population includes people that identify as either Asian, Black, Native, Hispanic, or multi-racial and over 60 percent of Quincy Public School students identify as an ethnicity other than "white." Approximately 38 percent of Quincy household speak a language other than English and over 33 percent of residents were born in another country.

“Quincy’s greatest asset is its people, whether they be lifetime Quincy residents, first-generation Americans, or anywhere in between," said Koch. "Our schools benefit greatly from our diversity as students absorb different cultures, traditions, perspectives, and experiences as part of their own education inside and out of the classroom. Our business community also benefits greatly from the entrepreneurial spirit of many of our first-generation Americans. We want to make sure Quincy remains a welcoming community to people from around the globe.”

Throughout the spring and summer of 2021, the committee will investigate areas of importance that could be improved. Koch will ask for their recommendations no later than this fall.

“My goal for this Mayoral Commission is not just to make meaningful improvements in how we serve the public but to also send a message that all residents are valued in our community," said Koch. "I think we do a decent job with that now but we can always improve. I want to thank the folks that volunteered to serve on this important commission and I look forward to their recommendations.”