Community Conversations

The City of Mercer Island is pleased to partner with ONE MI and Do the Work MI, community groups focused on advancing inclusivity and supporting families of color on Mercer Island.  

At the August 4, 2020 City Council meeting (see AB5738), the Council adopted a goals statement with regard to the proposed community listening sessions, which included the intention for those sessions to guide future community actions around race, racism, diversity, and inclusion. 

In August of 2021, the Mayor and City Manager connected with ONE MI and Do the Work MI to discuss their interest in collaborating with the City on an event series to engage the community on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion on Mercer Island. Members of ONE MI and Do the Work MI expressed an interest in partnering and supporting this work. 

In November of 2021, the City Council voted to set aside funds to collaborate with ONE MI and Do the Work MI to plan and present the Community Conversation series throughout 2022 (see AB5956).  

Visit this page for event dates and materials from this important community program. 

Upcoming Events:

• How to be an Ally - Teens: 
  October 24, 2022 - 6:30PM:   Learn tools and strategies to be an effective ally in the midst of harassment or racism happening around you. This virtual listening session is geared towards middle and high schoolers. For more information on this virtual listening session visit the Let's Talk Page here
  • Register for this virtual listening session here.

• How to be an Ally - Adults: 
  October 26, 2022 - 6:30PM: Learn tools and strategies to be an effective ally in the midst of harassment or racism happening around you. This virtual listening session is geared towards adults. For more information on this virtual listening session visit the Let's Talk Page here
  • Register for this virtual listening session here.
• 'Disability' as a Strength:
  November 7, 2022: Mercer Island resident and Microsoft's Chief Accessibility Officer Jenny Lay-Flurrie will lead a discussion on how diversity and the inclusion of ability differences enrich our communities, workplaces, and lives. Held at the SJCC and streamed live online. More information on this hybrid event will be posted on the Let's Talk page soon.
• Mitigating Implicit Bias:
  December 8, 2022: This interactive training will teach participants how to understand their own implicit biases in order to begin to undo them. Learn the brain science behind bias and gain confidence in recognizing and undoing implicit bias in your own life. For more information on this virtual listening session visit the Let's Talk Page here.
  • Register for this virtual listening session here.