Rotary has opened doors of opportunity and success for people throughout its 115-year history. Now the organization needs to open more doors for more people.
2020 exposed deep cultural tensions right here in Minneapolis with the killing of George Floyd by police. Rotarians across the district were astounded that this type of injustice could happen right here in Minnesota. The event mobilized an already-growing voice within Rotary to be more inclusive. As Past District Governor Tom Gump stated in a recent speech, “If everyone in the world had a Rotary Club where they felt welcome, Rotary could continue to grow and do more good.” District Leadership, including DG Marianna Khuav and DG-E Lloyd Campbell, champion diversity and inclusion within Rotary and have elevated it to a priority for the district. I have been selected to lead our first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Action Team. This new committee will be tasked with identifying strategies and providing resources to support clubs within our district to create more welcoming clubs for people of diverse backgrounds.
For Rotary to continue to be successful in the 21st century, our membership must be welcoming to more people. If you are a passionate social justice champion, this important initiative needs you! Reach out to Andrew J. Ramirez at rami0074@icloud.com to be part of the discussion. Our team meets monthly via Zoom and we would like to see at least one member from each club involved.