City of Salem Announces Race Equity Task Force Membership
Mayor Kim Driscoll today announced the membership of the City’s new Race Equity Task Force, which will carry out a thorough review of City policies, services, and ordinances, as well as inequities in community systems and will report out clear recommendations, including ways in which success will be measured, in an Equity Action Plan. The Task Force is chaired by Salem resident Shawn Newton.
“I’m looking forward to working with other community members to address this important issue,” said Newton. “I think this is a step in the right direction in order for us to hold each other accountable for the type of community we would like to live, work, and go to school in.”
“We have an opportunity and an obligation to learn, reflect, and understand as we address the legacy of systemic racism in our society and to be a more inclusive and welcoming city,” said Mayor Kimberley Driscoll. “This task force is a dynamic group of leaders and community members of color, is the first step in that effort. I'm grateful to the members who will be volunteering their time and energy in this important endeavor and am ready to engage with them, and all of our community, to undertake the critical work ahead.”
While the Task Force will form the steering committee for this effort, this is a citywide initiative and there is important work for many more stakeholders. It’s expected that a larger number of community members, subject matter experts, and residents will join this effort and participate in the development of the action plan. Those interested in volunteering to join a working group of the Task Force or otherwise offer to assist can send an email expressing their interest to raceequity@salem.com.
The Task Force is administered by Salem resident Dr. Jakari Griffith, an Associate Professor and of Management and the Department of Management and Marketing Chair-Elect at Bridgewater State University, where he teaches courses on organizational behavior, diversity and leadership. Dr. Griffith received his Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research is currently focused on assisting ex-offenders find suitable employment once they are released from prison and removing the stigma attached to former inmates when they enter the job market. He also conducts research on issues of employment attraction and selection for underrepresented populations and groups.
Salem Race Equity Task Force members
As a 21-year-old Afro-Latina Salem resident, Mercis Arias is very eager to be a part of this initiative. She believes it is important for us to be pioneers of change on the forefront of racial equity in our city.
Sean Bennett, EdD, serves as VP for Diversity and Inclusion at Salem State University. He is charged with leading the university’s strategic diversity and inclusion priorities, working collaboratively with stakeholders throughout campus to develop, implement and embed inclusive excellence in all university endeavors. Prior to joining Salem State, Sean served in various of administrative roles. His experiences include serving as Assistant Dean for Academic Operations & Student Success, Director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Success, and Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity Initiatives and Pipeline Programs.
Dr. Nate Bryant was recently appointed as the Interim President of North Shore Community College. Prior to this appointment, Nate served as the Vice President and Chief of Staff to the President at Salem State University. Nate is currently serving on the Board of Trustees for the North Shore Medical Center, Salem Boys and Girls Club, and Salem Chamber of Commerce.
Lucy Corchado, community activist and former Ward 1 City Councillor (2003-2007) currently serves as President of the Point Neighborhood Association (2000 - present). Lucy is on a number of boards and commissions including but not limited to Salem’s No Place for Hate Committee (2009 - present), Latino Leadership Coalition (2012 - present), and the North Shore Community Health Center Board (2005 - present). Lucy works as a Staff Assistant at Salem State University (1995- present)
Manny Cruz currently serves as an elected member of the Salem School Committee. Manny is a Salem Public Schools Alumni, a member of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, a LEAP for Education Board Member, a legislative aide to State Representative Paul Tucker, and a mentor of Salem Youth. He currently chairs the School Committee’s Personnel Subcommittee and is one the committee’s liaisons to the Student Advisory Council.
Born in the Dominican Republic, Councillor Domingo Dominguez has called Salem home for the past twenty-five years. He is a proud husband and father to seven wonderful children. He has owned his current home on Raymond Road since 2000. He is able to communicate fluently in English and Spanish. Domingo currently serves as a City Councillor where he works collaboratively with his colleagues and community groups to bring transformative change to the City of Salem.
Mayor Kim Driscoll has been the Mayor of Salem since 2006 and is the first woman to serve in that position. As Mayor she has helped lead a multi-year revitalization that has transformed Salem into the hip and historic community that it is today. From one of the first non-discrimination ordinances in Massachusetts and a 100% score on the HRC Municipal Equality Index, to the first age-friendly action plan certified in Massachusetts and a new community life center, Salem under Mayor Driscoll has been – first and foremost – about including and welcoming everyone.
Grace Duran is the Program Director at Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education & Psychology from Salem State University in 2015 and has lived in Salem for over 24 years. Grace is currently the President of the Latino Leadership Coalition, a local 501C3 whose mission is to organize and advocate for the inclusion and empowerment of the Latino community in all matters related to the City of Salem.
Terrell Greene is an African American male who works for Salem Public Schools as the Recruitment and Intake Specialist for New Liberty Innovation School. In addition, Terrell is a co-mentor of Brothers For Success, based out of LEAP for Education, and for M.A.L.E.S. a mentor program based out of North Shore Community College in Lynn.
Anyfern González is a recent graduate of Salem High School (June 2019) and is currently attending a PWI (predominantly white institution), Bentley University, as a first-generation low-income college student and a student-athlete, on the women's track and field team. As a daughter of immigrants (Dominican), Anyfern has spent a lifetime experiencing and combating system inequalities while driving forces of change through the power of two languages. She is extremely passionate about social justice, amplifying voices and diversity and inclusion, and dedicates her time to organizations that have to do with these efforts. Anyfern aspires to become an immigration attorney who works with non-profit organizations.
Brian Kennedy is PEM's Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Director and CEO. Born in Dublin, Kennedy has held senior leadership positions at art museums around the world, including posts in Ireland, Australia and the United States. Since becoming PEM's director and CEO in 2019, Kennedy opened the museum's new wing and is leading a strategic planning process to advance PEM's mission, further its impact and more deeply integrate the museum into the community.
Since 2013, State Senator Joan Lovely has served as State Senator for the Second Essex District, comprised of Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, Salem and Topsfield. In 1997, Senator Lovely successfully ran for a seat on the Salem City Council and served for 15 years, six as the Ward 3 Councillor, and 9 as a Councillor-at-Large. During that time, she served as City Council President, Acting Mayor, and the Council Liaison to the Salem Council on Aging and Commission on Disabilities.
Born in Bermuda, Thomas MacDonald emigrated to the United States in 1985 and has lived in Salem with his spouse, Bill Henning, since 1998. Thomas retired as Director of Sales of the Hawthorne Hotel in 2016 after eight years with the hotel. Prior to that he worked for the Bermuda Department of Tourism in Chicago, and then Boston and London, where he oversaw the Department’s offices.
A proud Jersey girl living in Massachusetts, Cristina Machuca, holds a B.A. in Psychology and is currently working on her MBA in Social Impact both from Eastern University. A daughter of immigrants, her upbringing in West New York, NJ instilled in her a passion for justice and diversity. She has spent countless years dedicating time both inside and outside of the classroom to social justice issues, whether through volunteering, educating, and organizing community events. In the future, Cristina hopes to continue enacting tangible systemic changes for both people and the planet.
Shawn Newton is the Associate Dean of Students at Suffolk University in Boston, where he oversees, among many other offices, the University’s Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion. Newton is the co-founder and Executive Director of Urban Echo, a Salem-based nonprofit that organized fundraisers, community-building events, and in-depth training sessions focused on social justice, and serves on the Board of Trustees for Plummer Youth Promise. He previously worked as Assistant Dean of Students at Salem State University.
Ana Nuncio was born in Mexico and raised and educated in Puerto Rico and Chicago. After a long career in educational publishing, culminating as Executive Editor of Bilingual Programs at Houghton Mifflin, she served as Manager of Community Partnerships at The House of the Seven Gables until 2018, coordinating educational and settlement programming and services for Salem’s underserved youth. She has lived in Salem for 20 years and is a member of the Salem School Committee.
Graysen M. Ocasio was born and raised in PR before moving to Philadelphia to pursue his education. A first generation Latinx, Indigenous man, Graysen holds a Bachelors in Journalism from Temple University and an MBA from Marylhurst University. He is the publisher of Boston and Salem-based and award-winning LGBTQ+ newspaper, The Rainbow Times. He is also the Co-Executive Director of Project Out, a transgender services organization founded out of Salem. Fully bilingual and bicultural, Graysen often presents workshops, trainings & seminars on LGBTQ+ People of Color issues to various audiences around the nation.
Councillor Conrad Prosniewski was born and raised in Salem and is a first generation American whose parents immigrated to Salem after WWII. A recently retired Captain from the Salem Police Department, most of his career concentrated on community engagement and problem solving, including being a board member of Salem’s No Place for Hate Committee since its inception in the early 1990’s. He has over 40 years of public service and dedication to the City of Salem.
Councillor Megan Riccardi is a graduate of Salem State and a Salem resident for over 20 years. She is the mother to an eight-year old and works in the field of technology. Megan has a history of volunteerism in Salem with many local organizations and is passionate about community engagement. She currently serves on the Board of Rebuilding Together, Boston, a non-profit dedicated to transforming the lives of low-income homeowners by improving the safety and health of their homes and revitalizing communities.
Joseph Riley is the incoming President of the Salem Partnership and a 39-year veteran of the financial industry, having overseen all aspects of retail banking for Salem Five’s 34 locations. He is an expert in consumer and small business sales and service management and retail growth and optimization. He serves on the Boards of North Shore Community College, the College’s Foundation, the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, and the Lynn Boys & Girls Club.
David J. Roberts, M.D., is the president of North Shore Medical Center (NSMC) and a board-certified cardiologist. As president, he brings a deep understanding of the North Shore community, a commitment to clinical excellence, and strong relationships with the NSMC staff and the academic medical centers of Mass General Brigham. Since taking on the role in 2017, he has demonstrated a commitment to finding thoughtful solutions to the challenges that lie ahead for NSMC and the North Shore community.
Gwendolyn Rosemond is a retired academic dean and is an adjunct faculty member of the English Department at Salem State University. She has been a resident of Salem for 30 years
State Representative Paul Tucker has represented Salem in the Massachusetts House of Representatives since 2015 and currently serves on the legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. Prior to his election to the House, Rep. Tucker served as the Chief of Police in Salem and had been a member of the department for 34 years.
Jude Zephir is a Haitian immigrant and first-generation college graduate. A native of Lawrence, Jude received his undergraduate degree from Salem State University, is completing his Master’s degree there in Industrial Organizational Psychology. He has worked at the university for the last eight years in the Registrar’s Office as the Academic Services/Graduation Representative. Jude is a mentor, an activist, an educator, an organizer, and a maverick.
Dr. Stephen Zrike is the incoming Superintendent of Salem Public Schools and had previously served as Receiver/Superintendent of Holyoke Public Schools. Previous experiences include Superintendent of Schools in Wakefield, Massachusetts and Chief of Elementary Schools for the Pilsen-Little Village Network in the Chicago Public Schools, and as the principal of three elementary schools in the Boston Public Schools district.