“If you had a superpower, what is one thing that you would change in the world?”
That is the “icebreaker” question that Freddie Broome, GMA’s Director of Equity and Inclusion, posed to the group at the first Nurturing Health Communities “Dinner and Learn” workshop held in May in St. Marys.
Without participants knowing it, almost every answer centered around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). And that was Freddie Broome’s intention.
“It was designed to show everyone how DEIB’s ideology is already integrated into conversations, theories, concepts, morals, and beliefs,” said Broome. “It helped them see the connection between DEIB and their personal lives, making the topic more relatable and engaging.”
After the icebreaker, Broome spent the next 90 minutes exploring the definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, facilitating a group discussion, talking about the challenges and illustrating ways to move forward. The thinking is that by incorporating the values and tenets of DEIB, communities get stronger and healthier.
Those attending the inaugural Nurturing Health Communities workshop were leaders and key stakeholders from Camden County, including the Chamber of Commerce, the County Commission, as well key officials from the cities of St. Marys, Woodbine and Kingsland. Members of the Camden County School Board were also invited but had a scheduling conflict.
St. Marys Mayor Pro Tem Lisa James, who also sits on GMA’s Board of Directors and the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council, was happy to host the event. “As an elected official and a stakeholder in the community, I thought it would be great if we could all have a starting point to think about and understand what a healthy community means,” James said. “A healthy community is something we all strive for, and this is a good way for us to see how it connects with equity and inclusion.”
Building a healthy community was the main motivator for Woodbine City Administrator Samantha Young to attend the workshop.
“I thought it would be wonderful way to arm myself with more knowledge as it related to DEIB,” Young said. “I want to make certain that we are doing exactly what we need to be doing to create an environment where all employees and community members feel accepted and included and to know that their perspectives and opinions are very important to us.”
Broome believes this workshop provides a unique opportunity for elected officials, city leadership and community stakeholders to come together and examine how DEIB can significantly impact a community's quality of life. It also increases knowledge and raises awareness of what can be a difficult conversation.
“This workshop is not just about understanding DEIB but about harnessing its transformative power,” Broome said. “By embracing these fundamental concepts, we can create environments that enhance the quality of life and foster inclusive live, work and play communities.”
“Nurturing Healthy Communities” is designed to give community leaders words of encouragement as well as help them understand that if they want things to change and improve, they must change their mindset and start seeing things differently.
“There are a lot of challenges when it comes to DEIB and there’s a lot of discomfort at every level,” James said. “This workshop is a way to help people realize how this matters in their community. It’s not just about race and ethnicity. Anyone can feel excluded. This was dipping your toe into the water and getting a basic understanding to at the very least feel comfortable that it’s not something to fear. It’s more about enhancing what we’re already doing.”
Broome hopes that those who attend these workshops will leave with a better understanding of how to build a sustainable community that enhances the quality of life by creating an environment that embraces differences, promotes equity, encourages inclusion, and creates a sense of belonging.
James believes that all communities want to be healthy – on all levels. “At the end of the day, those of us who are in public service all have the same core values, because you don’t get into public service without some propensity of wanting things to get better,” she said. “By connecting the core values of DEIB with what we are already doing – which is trying to improve our communities – we can create a better quality of life. While it might be a little scary at first, the journey towards common goals often starts with taking the first step together.”
Young also encourages other cities to look into participating in “Nurturing Healthy Communities.”
“It is worth it for every city to get some level of training and be willing to shift and change with the times,” she said. “If cities would take advantage of these trainings, it would help them have a better understanding of all members of society, and allow us to coexist, get along and do some wonderful things together.”
GCS is offering this new program to all its cities, with the intent to bring city, county, community, and business leaders together to have conversations. The program can be offered as Lunch and Learn or Dinner and Learn. For more information, please contact Freddie Broome by email or by phone at 470-249-6423.