Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird today said that both the recent calls for racial justice and equality and the disparate impact that COVID-19 has had on communities of color have drawn attention to the moral, social, physical, and economic costs of systemic inequity. She said that is why inclusivity was incorporated at the outset into the mission of the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force that she announced May 27.
“The Task Force’s charge is to develop data-driven, locally informed strategies for supporting local businesses and employment as the local economy begins to recover from COVID-19, while fostering public health, inclusivity, and resilience,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird.
Gaylor Baird noted that this economic recovery work lies at the intersection of all three of the initiatives her administration announced last fall:
- Lincoln Forward, which encompasses the City’s economic and workforce development efforts, is about growing Lincoln’s prosperity and quality of life.
- One Lincoln, which encompasses the City’s equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts, is about ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to access that prosperity and quality of life.
- Resilient Lincoln, which encompasses the City’s climate and infrastructure resiliency efforts, is about developing Lincoln’s capacity to endure challenges to the City’s prosperity and quality of life.
“The alignment of our economic recovery efforts with our commitment to making Lincoln more inclusive and resilient is necessary to ensuring that our City’s recovery is robust, strategic, and wise,” said Gaylor Baird.
The co-chairs of the Task Force are Angie Muhleisen, President and CEO of Union Bank & Trust, and Ava Thomas, President and Publisher of the Lincoln Journal Star. Mayor Gaylor Baird announced that the following people will serve on the Task Force:
- Marco Barker, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Matt Bavougian, Owner of Onyx Piercing Studio and member of the Legislation and Regulatory Affairs Committee of the Association of Professional Piercers
- Wendy Birdsall, President of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce and the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development
- Quentin Brown, Executive Director of Educare Lincoln
- William Cintani, CEO of Mapes Industries, Inc.
- John Croghan, President of the Seniors Foundation Board of Directors and Executive Director of Immanuel’s The Landing at Williamsburg Village
- Maribel Cruz, Ph.D., Director of Leadership Consulting with Talent Plus, Inc. and President-Elect of The Angels Theatre Company Board of Directors
- Shannon Harner, President and CEO of HomeServices of Nebraska
- Jasmine Kingsley, Senior Vice President of Legal and People at Hudl
- José Lemus, Community Organizer with Civic Nebraska and Collective Impact Lincoln
- Susan Martin, President/Secretary-Treasurer of the Nebraska State AFL-CIO
- Dan Marvin, Director of the City Urban Development Department
- Kim Russel, Founder and CEO of Russel Advisors and retired CEO of Bryan Health
- Nader Sepahpur, Owner of Yia Yia’s Pizza and Beer, MARZ, and Amu Manu ramen bar
- Bud Synhorst, President and CEO of the Lincoln Independent Business Association
- Cori Sampson Vokoun, Vice President of Sampson Construction Company
“I deeply appreciate the service of all the Task Force members and their dedication to helping our community move forward together,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird.
The Task Force is charged with developing a set of recommended strategies for:
- Supporting local businesses in adapting their business models and retaining and supporting their workforce;
- Supporting local workforce development and employment; and
- Supporting local sectors of the economy and community that have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and that contribute to the city’s quality of life and competitive advantage.
The Task Force will begin work this month and is expected to issue a report in August.
More information, including resources for businesses, is available at COVID19.lincoln.ne.gov.