Lacey council OKs equity commission members, but still needs to make it official
Lacey City Council agreed to the recommended members and alternates for the city’s new equity commission on Thursday, but still needs to make it official at a regular City Council meeting on May 20.
Still, there will likely be no changes to the commission because the council seemed pleased with the recommendations for seven members and two alternates during its work session on Thursday.
The members and alternates: Kristine Stolberg, Jonathan Hegwood, Thelma Jackson, Clifton Brown, Annie Clay, Makieda Hart, Kim Sauer, Sue Medeiros, alternate; Markiesha Lawson, alternate.
The commission was created to help inform the city on issues of race and equity. The city received 23 applications for the commission — 16 from the city, seven from the urban growth area — and each will serve a three-year term.
They also may serve up to two full consecutive terms, said assistant city manager Shannon Kelley-Fong.
Here is a little on each member, taken from the applications they submitted to the city.
▪ Stolberg: “I am a lifelong resident of the city of Lacey. I have a bachelor’s degree from The Evergreen State College and currently work for the Division of Disability Determination Services as an adjudicator. I have seven years of service with the state of Washington.”
▪ Hegwood: “I am a biracial man that has lived in Lacey (and surrounding areas) for nearly 10 years now. I have also been with my now-husband for nearly 10 years and we met while we were both in the military. My husband is still serving, and I am now employed by the credit union on Fort Lewis.”
▪ Jackson: “I have served in various leadership capacities over the past 50 years that I have resided in this community. I have been witness to many changes that have taken place in this area over this period of time. The city of Lacey can be a model for other cities in this county and I desire to provide my expertise to help make it happen.”
▪ Brown: “I moved to Fort Lewis from Germany in 1991 as an Army officer. I built my house in Lacey in 1992 and have been a resident for the last 29 years. My son and daughter graduated from River Ridge High School. I grew up in a small town in Mississippi. I graduated from an all black high school, community college and from Jackson State University with a degree in political science.”
▪ Clay: “I am a white, lesbian woman retired from chaplaincy work in hospice care. I am a Washingtonian, although my parents come from Missouri and North Carolina. I was raised in Lewis County, but have lived my adult life in Pierce or Thurston counties. I graduated from Evergreen and also completed union apprenticeship in carpentry. I have resided in my current home for 20 years.”
▪ Hart: “I am a mom of four, married to my high school sweetheart. We are a biracial family. I grew up an Air Force brat, married my Army soldier (now retired), and I am the proud mom of an Army National Guard veteran. My professional background is in administrative work. I quit my federal job at the end of 2016 to pursue entrepreneurship.”
▪ Sauer: “I have been a resident of the city of Lacey since 1992. I can bring the experience of being a long-time resident as well as the perspectives, issues, and voices from people of color, especially from immigrant communities. I emigrated from South Korea as a young adult and started my career at both federal and state agencies.”
▪ Medeiros: “I grew up as a Navy brat in Guam, Germany, Japan, Hawaii, Connecticut and Washington D.C. I was privileged to learn about cultures different from the one I was born into. At age 10, I experienced being an outsider as I was thrown into a German school before knowing any German, and when no one in the school spoke English.”
▪ Lawson: “I am an 39-year-old African-American woman who was raised in Lacey since the age of 6. Growing up in Lacey, I had a lot of ups and downs, I believe, due to the color of my skin. I have witnessed and/or been the recipient of racial biases and racism from teachers, neighbors, people in the community, as well as police officers.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
