← GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
GovLove - A Podcast About Local Government
#723 Allyship and Building Connection, Adrianna Tušek Erickson, Chandler, AZ
00:55:06
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- [00:16]
A
Hey, y'. All. Coming to you from Jacksonville, Florida, this is govlove, a podcast about local government brought to you by engaging local government leaders. I'm Ben Kittleson, manager at RAF Telus and govlove co hosts. We've got a great episode for you today. We're going to be talking allyship and connections in local government. But first, the best way to support govlove is to become an ELGL member. ELGL is a professional association engaging the brightest minds in local government. And somehow we are celebrating 10 years of local government stories. And part of our celebration of that 10 years is opening up the GOVLA hotline to you, our dear listener. You can call 720-282-1752 and tell us about the trends you've seen over the last 10 years in local government and what you think local government might look like in another 10 years. Now, let me introduce today's guest. Adriana Touzak Ericsson is the connection and impact program coordinator for the city of Chandler, Arizona, a position she's been in since 2022. Previously, she served as a neighborhood enhancement coordinator for Chandler. She's also held roles as a teacher and in event and program management. Adriana is one of the top 10 influences in local government in 2025 from El Jail, and she's an active contributor to Yale Jill's Morning Buzz series. With that, Adriana, welcome to GovLove. Thank you so much for joining us.
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B
Hi. Thanks so much for having me. I appreciate it.
- [01:30]
A
Yeah. So a tradition on the podcast is to start with a lightning round to get to know our guests a little bit and let you. Let you warm up. So my first question for you. What's the first concert that you went to?
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B
New Kids on the Block was my very first concert I went to. Yeah. And it's one that I wish I had pictures of because I'm sure I looked fantastic in eighth grade at a New Kids concert.
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A
Yeah, yeah, that's. Yeah, I'm sure that style is like, back, you know, back in fashion, so probably.
- [02:01]
B
Yeah, I think you're right. I think my daughter wears some of that same stuff, so I. I think you're right.
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A
Yeah. Very cool. All right, next line. Our question for you. What's the last great movie TV show that you watched?
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B
Oh, so this is a tough one for me. So something that you're going to learn about me is that I do not sit still. Still. So for me to sit down and watch a TV show or a movie is a miracle. But I did consult my. My Contributor. My husband and I asked him and the Diplomat. The Diplomat is a show that we both watch. I love how they built on each episode. And it just, at the end of every episode, the end of every season, you're just wanting more. And so it, it captures my attention, and I absolutely love it.
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A
Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's a good, that's a good pick. That scratches the, like, there's like a genre in our house that's like the kind of West Wing adjacent and that' of those shows.
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B
Yes, absolutely. Totally agree. Yeah.
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A
All right, next letter question for you. What, what book are you currently reading?
- [02:56]
B
Okay, so this falls into that same. I don't sit still long enough.
- [03:00]
A
Yeah.
- [03:00]
B
So I'm probably more of an article reader. I'm really into kind of figuring out what AI means to, to me and to local government and kind of seeing how we can use it more. So I probably save more articles than actual books. You will sense a theme that I don't sit still very well. So that all kind of plays into that.
- [03:20]
A
I love that. Yeah. All right, then. My last lightning question for you. Where do you go for inspiration?
- [03:28]
B
I go outside. I go walking, hiking, kayaking, sitting near the pool, getting in the water. Anywhere where I can be outside is my place where I can find clarity and just take a moment to pause. I call it my church, my gym, and my therapy. So anywhere outside is my place.
- [03:45]
A
I love that. Do you have a favorite place in, in the Chandler area?
- [03:49]
B
You know what? There's so many great places here. We have the most beautiful parks. Truly, there's. We have, I think we're 70 square miles with 70 parks. So we have one park per square mile in Chandler. And I just love how, how beautiful they are, how welcoming they are. They are. You know, we have the Chandler Nature Center, Desert Breeze park, that has a little lake. Both of those have lakes. So just anywhere I could be outside and be around people that I'm there.
- [04:14]
A
I love it. That's. I, you know, I, I, I'm guilty of that as well. It's nice to just get outside, you know, disconnect. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [04:23]
B
And we're lucky because I'm in Arizona, so. And so in Chandler, I mean, I think we're going to hit 72 today. It's sunny. There's a little rain overnight, but that definitely does not stop us. So being outside is what everybody out here loves to do. So I'm fortunate to be here.
- [04:38]
A
Yeah. Yeah. This is the time of year where, you know, living in the south or Southwest, like, you can really, you know, it's, it's you put in the time in July and August to like earn these like 70 degree days in January and February.
- [04:52]
B
Yeah. I texted my friend in Asheville and I said hey, how's the weather? And he said you know, six feet of snow over the past, you know, six days. And I said oh you know I had to put sunscreen on today. And he's like I'll text you in August. Yes, very fair. Thank you. Yes. Good reminder for me.
- [05:08]
A
Yeah. Yeah, awesome. Well you know I gave a little bit of your background in kind of the bio and intro for this but I always love asking folks kind of, you know, their path to local government. So like how in your words like kind of how did you end up in this career field and you know, in the position you're in today, like how did you end up in local government?
- [05:26]
B
Yeah, so it was a great windy road. So in junior, in junior high and high school I was a student council person. I was very involved in my school and I really fell in love with the idea of creat things for impact but then also leading with purpose. It felt very natural to me. So when I finished high school I of course graduated and decided to go to college and major in what else? Political science. So I majored in political science and during college I had the chance to work for the Arizona House of Representatives. Learned a lot, very eye opening experience. After I graduated we then moved to San Diego where I had the opportunity to intern for a San Diego city council member for a year. And I did that just free. I just wanted to learn and really be embedded into local government and I really fell in love with it. But then you know, I got married and I had kids and that led me to government relations and public relations. But you know, as my first child was due I really have to kind of think about what my priority was. And so I stayed home for a while but kind of went more towards the events part of, of organizing events and, and, and hosting events and being a part of that world. When we moved back to Chandler I, I began then working for a non profit full time and I just remembered the love I had for service that then led to me being a teacher in high school where of course a political science major. What else am I going to teach? Social studies. So I, I got to teach 9th through 12th grade world history, American history, government and economics. And one day my co worker walked into my room and she's like, you're a great teacher and you have great energy. But she said, you have a true passion for government and that's where you need to be. And I think for the first time in a long time, it kind of hit me that my original love was government and that I should kind of move in that direction. So I saw an opportunity with the city of Chandler in neighborhoods. I took the opportunity. I was a neighborhood preservation coordinator for neighborhood programs and I loved it. I loved working out in the community. But my heart was really leading me towards diversity, equity and inclusion, which at the time we did have an office in the city. And so when I saw an opportunity there, I quickly took it. And then I've been in this role for almost four years, so I'm sure we'll talk about it later. But the role started off as a diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator, and now I'm a connection and impact program coordinator.
- [08:05]
A
Yeah, yeah, no, I, yeah, I definitely want to get into that, that change. You know, I'm curious though, you know, you spent. And it's, I like how you have it in your LinkedIn, like you're, you're a stay at home mom for these years and. Yeah, I, I'm just curious, you know, that's obviously not, not a, you know, unique, you know, story that folks have and.
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B
Right.
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A
But I don't think it's often highlighted when we, you know, are in professional circles or in, you know, having conversations like this or, or at a conference. And so how does that, like time when you were away from, you know, maybe the traditional workforce and doing that and you know, coming back, how has that maybe impacted, I don't know how you approach your job or, you know, you know, or you think about your career. Like, I'm just curious on like how that perspective has maybe changed. Changed you as a, as a professional.
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B
Yeah. And that's a great question and thank you for asking that because that's been on my mind a lot probably the past six months as I see young women in the workforce, especially in the city, people I have friendships with and relationships with. And they're all about to, to start their, you know, they're engaged, getting married, you know, having kids. And I feel like that they don't know what's coming, which is a really hard choice. And that is do you juggle being a full time stay at home mom and being a wife and maintaining your, you know, your skills and characteristics so you can enter the workforce later or do you become a working mom, which then you juggle being a mom and being away from the home and working. So it' Been on my mind a lot because I'm, you know, My youngest is 17 and I, and I have a different perspective now. For me personally, I, what I did was I really became the, the, the volunteer mom, the, the PTO mom. I, I, I made sure that I was still doing everything I loved, which was organizing, connecting, leading in a way, even though I wasn't getting paid for it, I was doing it for the betterment of my children. And that was really important to me. But it was really hard because as I come back, I just, I lost about 10 years of experience, right? So I was in the workforce, staying home with my beautiful, fantastic children for 10 years. But when I came back, it so much had changed. And I think something that, and it's funny because I, one of the ideas for my blogs in the future for the ELG blog is, is the role that women who have stayed home can, can play. And I'll tell you right now, I am more in touch with this younger generation than probably half of the workforce it's in, in my city, because I've got an example living upstairs. I have somebody who tells me the trends and the words and what they're thinking and they're feeling. My other daughter is 20 and she's up at NAU studying. And so I'm privy to different perspective because it's here in my home. We can have conversations. I can see the way this generation is thinking, how they're engaging, what's motivating them. And it's different than, I think, what people see on TV and people see on social media. So, so to me, I kind of feel like I'm a representative of them, obviously being an older generation, but I'm way more in, in touch with them because I have them. But I've also been that way since they were little because I've been embedded with their friends and school. And so I, I see what's happening, what's going on, because I'm, I'm, I'm. That first line, right? I'm right there witnessing it all. And so my favorite days are when I go to work and I teach somebody something that my daughter taught me, if it's a new word or a trend or something else. And like, how do you know all of this stuff? And I'm like, because the kids. So, you know, having that front seat changes my perspective. You know, my generation is kind of, you know, there's a lot of, I guess, stereotypes that we just kind of, you know, put our head down and we grind and we do it no matter what, and, and everything. And that's true. But seeing my daughters, the way they're raised and the way that they care for things and their acceptance, my goodness, the way this generation accepts people for who they are and where they're at is admirable. So it's really impacted me as well, because I don't have to be stuck in my ways. I can see the proof of what they're doing and the impact that they're having just simply in their social circles by knowing how to use pronouns and being okay with it, by understanding what's happening in the world and using social media to voice their opinions. So I get the benefit of witnessing it, but then I also get the benefit of, of kind of creating a better understanding for myself and being able to be a little bit more like them than I think people want to. But they're, they're an incredible generation and I'm really, really lucky that I got to stay home, but it was really, really hard. And I feel for the women and even the men who are on, on that cusp right there where they're about to, you know, get married and have children or whatnot. And there's some really hard decisions to be made. And so I'm definitely glad that that's in my rear view mirror.
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A
Yeah, I'm on the other end of that spectrum where our oldest is two years and eight months and then our youngest is nine months. And so it's, it's a little chaotic around here, but like, yeah, the time with them is so amazing and like, even just doing the like, you know, parental leave, you know, being able to just dedicate yourself full to them and like, is, is like, it's such a gift. But you know, you coming back, I cannot imagine coming back to work after, you know, nine years of, or 10 years of, of, of being away and like, I can't imagine. I'm sure that transition was really difficult. And like, not only are you not like, you know, your kids are growing and they're at a different stage of their life, but like, you're having to like, renegade into a workplace that, you know, has probably changed a ton. And I know, I know this is years in your past now, but I can. That's gotta be a really hard transition.
- [14:07]
B
Yeah, but I'm so gr that I, you know, I started my work back in the non profit field where if you want to meet people who have heart, you start with, with nonprofits. Right. Those are people who are doing it because they love and believe in that mission. You know, sometimes there's not insurance or, you know, it's part time or long hours or, you know, lower pay. But you know, that's where, you know, I, I, I kind of re, re entered the workforce was through nonprofit. And that just, it's such a blessing because it just gave me the ability to still be who I was, which was an organizer, a planner, an impactor, a leader. But I could still do it with my kids at home too. So it was kind of best of both worlds and it did take, you know, a lot of turns. But you know, if you knew me in high school, you knew that government is where I am meant to be. So happy to be here.
- [14:55]
A
Yeah, well, and I don't want to belabor, but I am curious, like, what's the, you know, when you, when you were making the switch, you know, from nonprofit to like local government, like, what was it like kind of explaining, you know, that gap on your, your resume or like talking about your, I don't even know like what that kind of, I don't know, like what was that like explaining that or just talking that through and like the choices, you know, that you made and like how that maybe impacts the, the recruitment process for trying to get into the local, back into local government.
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B
Yeah. So I think when I came back from, you know, being a stay at home mom, unfortunate because it was back in the time where you would go in person for interviews.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And I've always been a very high energy person and I've always been a very passionate person. And I think if you meet me, you could tell that and if I love something, you'll feel that. And so I think they saw that, you know, their mission really aligned with my mission. And so I think I did a good job portraying that where they were like, wow, even though you've been off for nine years, you know, nine, 10 years, we can still see you in this role when it comes into government. I, you know, I fortunately had the, I went straight into nonprofit. So it is hard though because I look at people who are less and it's not good to compare. But you know, I feel like now I'm at a different point again because like I said, My youngest is 17. She'll be off to college another year and a half. We're going to be empty nesters. She has a car, a job, her own independence. And so now I'm kind of entering another part of my career where I'm ready for that next step. So, you know, there's a hunger that's there that's been building because I had nine years to really think about it, but. But there is a hunger there. And so I feel like people who've stayed home and whatever decision you make, it's always the right one for your family. There is no judgment. But for me, you know, staying at home was the best decision, but also to now, you know, I'm in the starting box and I'm ready to go, so.
- [16:56]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Very cool. Yeah, thanks for that tangent. Like I said, I think it's always. It's something that's more common than we give her credit for it. It's worth talking about because it's a. You know, a lot of folks, I think, you know, have to make those choices and have to then come back to the workforce and.
- [17:13]
B
Yeah, and I really appreciate you asking it. I truly do. I think it's a really important conversation that we have to have and just grateful that you brought it up. Like I said, my youngest is 17, so I came back to work when she was five. So it's. It's been, you know, quite a few years, but.
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A
Yeah, yeah.
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B
But just still, I. I think the sentiment is. Is out there. So, you know, just knowing, like, is this the right choice? Am I doing the right thing? Can I have it all? Which, just so you know, none of us can have it all.
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A
No. Yeah.
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B
Right.
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A
But that's what we're finding.
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B
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And. And you can't. And the only thing that you could do is your best, and that's it. So.
- [17:52]
A
Yeah, that's. Well said. Well, let's shift gears back to your role in Chandler and maybe to start, can you talk about the Connection and Impact Program and maybe the focus of the team and what guides your work? And then obviously we can dive into some of the details from there.
- [18:09]
B
Yeah. So happy to talk about our work. I think there's a lot of ways that we could probably answer that question, but truthfully, in my opinion, we're just creating programs and events that make people feel seen, heard, understood, and valued. That's really what we try to do. We try to make sure that we are creating a community that is inclusive and that really focuses on belonging and that people have access to all the things that we're doing. We used to be diversity, equity, and inclusion. And so about. I'd say six months ago, a decision was made at the leadership level to change our name. For obvious reasons. You know, there's funding tied to the things that the city does, public safety, transportation, housing. And we didn't want to put any of that in jeopardy. And we really wanted to not be a distraction with our name. So we decided to change our name to Connection and Impact. But the great thing is, is that the work hasn't changed. We haven't changed anything different about the impact that we're having in Chandler, the programs that we're creating and implementing, the initiatives that we're a part of, or the events that we're hosting. So our goal really is to create and to be part of a community where we're creating inclusion, belonging and understanding amongst all of us.
- [19:36]
A
Yeah, yeah. I thought it was interesting that, you know, events are at the core of that. So can you maybe talk about some of the events or why that's kind of, you know, a key part of, of, of the work and, and why this kind of how that kind of connects, you know, all these, these values together. Like why, why, why Community events and education is kind of the core, the core of, of some of the works that y' all do.
- [19:57]
B
Sure. So I'm going to take it a step further and add programs in there as well.
- [20:01]
A
Yeah.
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B
Because we, you know, we think of. Of events as celebration, celebratory things. So like our multicultural festival that we've, you know, we just had our 31st one, our Diwali event. We have Hispanic Heritage, Dia de Fiesta, our Hispanic Heritage kickoff event. You know, those are the times that we get together as a community and we create an environment and a space that's celebratory. It's full of joy and understanding. It could have performances, food vendors, really the opportunity to be in our community and get a taste as to how we celebrate, what we do, how we do it and why. I think the programs part kind of comes in where I think that's taking it a couple steps deeper and really implementing some sort of education purpose and kind of follow through. Right. So, for example, one of the programs that I oversee is the Latino Leaders program. And what that is, it's working with the schools in Chandler and we bring Latino leaders in a variety of careers to speak to students in Chandler. And what we have seen is that there has been this, this waterfall impact with, with this program. So, for example, we brought in one of our council members, Angel Encinis. He is now vice mayor. So Vice Mayor Encinis came to a school. You know, the students could hear his story, hear his path, not a straight path. Right. Took different turns, what he wanted to do, but then they were able to see themselves in him. And so we actually received an email from, from a Parent saying, you know, my child was part of this program, and they saw, you know, the impact that, you know, at that time, Council member Angeline Sinas had on the community and all the things that he's a part of. And now my child has expressed interest in taking that. That same path. So I think when we create an event or a program that is intentional.
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A
Yeah.
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B
And we strive for impact, it's going to be a success. And I think when you look at the data behind the work that we're doing, we've been very successful because people are. They're curious and they're wanting to know and learn and understand, and they also want to be a part of something. Right. It's not kind of human nature is we all want to belong somewhere. And so I feel like through the events and the programs, the opportunity that we have is to make those connections. Right. It's going somewhere and taking something away that you may not have known or learning something or experiencing something or goodness, even going there and being like, oh, my goodness, my family is from this country, and I just learned all this, and my great, great grandmother spoke this language, and I had no idea what it means. And so it's just really that sense of purpose and belief, belonging that I feel like our events and programs have in Chandler.
- [23:04]
A
Yeah, I love that. So, you know, I don't know if you want to list some of them as examples or something, but, like, were these events that were already kind of maybe in existence in the community that the cities always supported, and now it's like, all under kind of one umbrella and, you know, with this kind of, you know, emphasis on belonging and acceptance. But. Or were these things that, like, hey, we want to encourage this. Let's create some events around these areas with, you know, these demographics to make sure we're reflecting the full spectrum of the community.
- [23:33]
B
Yeah, I think it's both, to be honest with you. So, like, our. Our Multicultural Festival, like I just said, we had our 31st annual Chandler Multicultural Festival in January. That one's been around for 31 years. That is a staple in the community. It's a huge free event. We. We try really hard to make it celebratory and joyful. So that one has been there a long time, but some of the other ones have been out of response to our community and really kind of looking and seeing what the needs and what the wants are. So one of the ones that we've added over the years is Diwali. And so Diwali is a festival of light. It's the celebration of light over darkness for the Indian community. And in Chandler, our Asian community, the highest population within the Asian community is the, is the Indian community. And so we have people telling us it'd be great if we could have a Diwali celebration. It'd be fantastic. I'm not Indian, so it's not up to me to drive that initiative because it's what people want. So what we did was we gathered a group of residents together and really learned, became informed as to what the traditions were, what they wanted to see at the event, what they wanted to have happen. And so we created Diwali for our community. And that's been a huge, it's had a huge impact because again, you're giving the opportunity for people to feel seen, heard and valued by simply having a three hour event on a Saturday. People, you know, have their families perform on stage and they do henna and they, they learn about, you know, the reason behind Diwali. And that's really important. Some of the other ones that we've added years is we now have a Women's Empowerment luncheon in May. We do that to really, it's for men and women, but mostly women come. But the Women's Empowerment luncheon is an opportunity for us as women to get some knowledge, you know, have a workshop with things, with topics that are really relevant to our community at the time. So, so it changes every year. But then we also hear real lived experiences from our panelists who are members of our community who have very diverse experiences. That's become a really popular event. Juneteenth, we have culture music in the park. That's where we're celebrating. Juneteenth Chandler is closed on June 19th. And so we take the Saturday before to celebrate what Juneteenth means to our community. We've also, we have a better building, better mental health program. So, you know, we've had licensed clinical social workers come out and talk to not only our employees, but also to our residents about tools and strategies for this chaotic world that we're living in. And the cool thing is, is there we even did an online version, two online versions, because they're two workshops in Spanish. So for our Spanish community. So it's done 100% in Spanish because it's a trying time for all of us, right? To different degrees, to different levels, but it's a trying time for all of us. So we're very, very intentional in our work and we're always trying to see what else we can do. But that being said, we're not trying to do it all. We really do have a group of. We call them our legacy partners. They're organizations who are doing the work in the community so we don't have to step in and take over and do it. So we offer our support to what they're doing.
- [27:07]
A
What about on the kind of education side? I saw that that's another area that's a priority. Like, how do you guys kind of focus on. Or maybe it's all kind of wrapped up with some of the events and programming too. But how do you focus on or decide what. What are the areas that you want to do some. Some educational work around?
- [27:22]
B
Yeah, I think. I think there's always going to be an educational component to our events or our programs. But for example, we have a program called the Lead program. It's for students who are 17 to 24. It's going to be happening next week, and they're coming together for a Friday evening and a Saturday to really get tools and skills for. It's. It's catered towards those students who don't exactly know what they want to do. Like, they don't exactly have that clear path. So we wanted to. To create something where students can come in and get some tools and really be a part of the process of kind of trying to figure out what you do next. Right. So it's going to talk about, you know, resume writing. They're going to have headshots, they're going to talk. They have a variety of speakers that are coming out to speak to the kids, giving the students the tools, educating them on the options they have and the things that they could do in the next three months. Six months. Three years. Six years. So that's a really important component. Also working with our school districts. There are three school districts in Chandler, and we're lucky enough to be a part of them and trying to again, embed into what they're doing and offer support. Everything that we do. We really tried again to have that education component to it. But one of my favorite things I love that we get to do is we get to do internal programming. So we do some inclusion workshops and we also have a speaker series that's called In Their Own Words. It's members from our community who are coming in to share their stories, their lived experiences with Team Chandler so that we get a better understanding as to their perspective and their experience. We had somebody come in and she was recently diagnosed with autism and bipolar Chandler resident. And she gave a really interesting perspective that a lot of people hadn't heard from before. And so it really, it gave us more information to be able to have empathy and understanding for the people that we are serving every single day.
- [29:31]
A
Yeah, yeah. So I'm curious. A lot of the work is obviously focused on the community doing, you know, programs and events and education, like, and engaging with folks in the community. Is there how do you kind of coordinate, you know, internally with, you know, city staff or with departments like is. Is there any kind of, you know, maybe that's connecting some of them to some of these programs that are primarily for, you know, residents. But like, what does that kind of work look like on the like, organization side?
- [29:57]
B
Yeah, that's a great question. We are, we're a very collaborative city and I think one of my favorite things about working at the city is just the relationships that we have with people outside of your own division or department. One of the ways that we've cross collaborated, I think that's probably been one of the most impactful is there is a device out there called Translate Live. So it's an instant language device where picture it like a two way tablet. And we have it in about 20 different locations around the city. So the water apartment, the courts, we have it at the library, we have it at the museum. And so we've worked with these different departments to train them on this language assistance, this instant language assistance device. And they now have it at their location, which means that any resident can come in and let's just say they're at the library. And so I'll use my parents as an example. My parents are Croatian. That is their first language. If my mom were to go to the library, she can speak English, of course, but if she wanted to kind of focus on something that maybe she doesn't remember the words for in English, she could ask for this device. And so they would use this device. She would select her choice language and then as the city representative is speaking, it's translating it into the language that she has chosen.
- [31:19]
A
Wow.
- [31:19]
B
Yeah, so that's a lot of cross collaboration because it very cool. It's not just a Google app where you just translate. There's technology involved and there's how to use it, when to use it, all these different things. And so we've been able to work with 20 different locations within the city to offer this because this falls under our umbrella. So we're really grateful to be able to, you know, it. It's in the courts, it's in the libraries, it's scattered all over the city because we're trying to bring access to our residents, regardless of what language they speak. And the interesting thing is, is on this device, one of the top languages is actually English. So if you think about it, you know, people who are either they don't understand by listening to somebody, or they're hard of hearing. This device will translate what's being said into your chosen language so you can read it. It's also ADA accessible, so you can actually also have a. A sign language interpreter who. Who can show up on the screen as well. So. And again, that's. That's a huge initiative that is taking on a lot of different departments and divisions and people within our city.
- [32:33]
A
Oh, wow.
- [32:33]
B
Yeah.
- [32:34]
A
That's fascinating. So, yeah, working with departments to help improve access for folks and meet these kind of needs. Like that. Yeah. Very cool.
- [32:40]
B
Absolutely.
- [32:42]
A
Well, one of the reasons I wanted to have you on the podcast was an article you wrote for Yale Jail somewhat recently that we'll link to it in the show notes, but it's on allyship. And maybe just as a way, can you start maybe describing what you mean by allyship and why that, you know, you think is particularly important for local governments?
- [33:04]
B
Absolutely. So to me, allyship really means supporting people either with words or actions, and valuing them for who they are. It really goes back to that being seen, hurt, and understood. And it's funny because I say that all the time in my role when I'm out talking to people and we're talking about, you know, what it is that we do or how we do it or why this is important. It really comes down to people want to be seen, heard, valued, or understood. That's what it come it comes down to. Our role as allies is to remove the barriers or at least move them a little bit so that they can be seen, heard, and understood. That's really important. And when I wrote that blog, I had been. I had went for a walk, and I was thinking about, you know, what does allyship mean? Because I had just come off doing a presentation at my alma mater at Arizona State University, spoke to a group of students as part of a multicultural group, and I asked them what allyship meant, and they met. They said, it really just means showing up for each other. It's not some grand gesture. It's not this overwhelming protest. It starts by just showing up for each other. So being in a room and introducing somebody that maybe they don't have access to that meeting, you know, to that organization and just saying, hey, this is my friend. This is. This is Ben. You know, hey, this is Ben, you know. Hey, Ben. And right there, that is allyship. That is giving you an opportunity for you to be seen, hurt and valued where you are at. So you're gonna hear me say a lot, but it's that being seen, heard, and understood.
- [34:44]
A
Yeah. Yeah, I love that. That's a. That's a nice little. A little phrase of like, you know how. Because that doesn't take much. Well, that can often not take much effort. Right. That's not. You don't have to, like, get up and make a big speed. You just have to, you know, be. Allow someone to feel heard, feel understood, feel valued. And that. That. That can. That can go a long way.
- [35:04]
B
Yeah. And we love grand gestures, right? I mean, we need grand gestures. We need people to. To really show up and, And. And to remove those barriers. But then also, too, we need people that, in their everyday routine that they are showing up in small ways, because that's what's going to make the impact, you know, by simply being in a room and saying, you know, hi, I'm Adriana Erickson. My pronouns are she, her, hers. I just created allyship. That. That's allowing somebody else to feel comfortable enough for them to say their pronouns. You don't have to. But. But by me just saying that somebody else could feel comfortable to say it, that's an opportunity we have. It's a very, very small lift. So I think it's really important by you know, doing those small things throughout the day that, you know, it's. It's. Again, it's going back to being intentional.
- [35:56]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Well, and when you think about how local government can have, like, an impact on a community through, like, allyship, like, how is the, like, the signaling, the like. Yeah. Showing value. The. Like, what are the things that maybe, you know, how this can. This. You know, thinking about it, allyship this way can be kind of powerful from, like, a local government, like, almost organizational perspective.
- [36:18]
B
Right. So I feel like. And I know something that. That I think about is local governments have the most diverse populations of almost any organization around them. Right?
- [36:32]
A
Yeah. Yeah.
- [36:32]
B
So. So for us, we have 285,000 residents here in Chandler. You could take, let's just say intel, which is a major company based here in Chandler, Maybe they have, I don't know, 20,000, 15, 10,000 workers. They're not going to cover all the different demographics, all the different.
- [36:51]
A
Exactly.
- [36:53]
B
Right. They're not going to have one of everything. We, as a city do. We have one of everything. And then some. So we really have some of the most diverse populations out of any organization. And I think that our role is to work with these residents regardless of what group they identify with or what box society has put them in. But we're here for them. We're here to make their community safer, more prosperous, more profitable, with a greater sense of belonging, more inclusive. We're working for them. And I think we have to remember that we're working for all of them. I'm not working for one population. I'm working for 285,000 residents in. In Chandler. And that's really important to remember because the work isn't for a segment, it's for all. I mean, and that's what local government is. Right? We try to create the opportunity for people to understand that local government is for everyone, for all of us. And so, you know, our piece of that is having understanding that we have such a diverse and beautiful population that we should show up for them. We should create safe spaces, we should create opportunities, we should create celebrations, we should create programs for all of them. Now, not everyone's going to fit under every single one. But that's the beauty of what we do. We have community organizations, the things that we work on. We really work hard to cover the spectrum and to make sure that, you know, where. Where are we? What gaps are we missing? And if we're missing gaps, who can we work with to help us with the gaps? You'll always hear us say we don't claim to know everything, but we want to be the bridge to make sure that everybody feels included.
- [38:41]
A
Yeah. Yeah, I love that. Well, and yeah, you're exactly right. Like, we don't. We have to serve everybody in the community. We don't get to pick our customers like Amazon or something, so.
- [38:50]
B
Right.
- [38:51]
A
Yeah. And then I think the next step also is like, challenging us, ourselves to say, like, hey, given our current processes and approaches, like, are we welcoming, are we ensuring everybody is, you know, is seen and heard and understood, or is it just, you know, some segments of the community?
- [39:06]
B
Community, yeah. And I mean, and the thing about local government is it's not every piece of it is for everybody. Right. I may never have to call 911 in my entire life, but that doesn't mean that I want, you know, that, that, that my neighbor's not going to need it or, or my, you know, my family is going to need it. So it's there for all of us and we should act like it. We should, you know, make sure that our stuff city work is being inclusive, accessible and intentional.
- [39:39]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I may never need a fence permit, but everyone in the community should be able to get one, regardless of, you know, what language they speak or their background.
- [39:47]
B
Yeah, exactly. And by having those ISA devices, those instant Language Assistance devices, you know, by being able to have those, we've created an opportunity where you can. Somebody can go in there and hear in a different language. And that's incredible. I mean, how many people are we missing by not having that? Right.
- [40:10]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Well said. So I'm curious. One of the things I wanted to talk about today was like. And we've kind of gestured at it, I think, a few times in our conversation already, but how has your work been changed, affected by the federal government's recent executive orders around diversity, equity and inclusion over the last year? Plus, at this point, maybe I'll start there and I won't bait the witness, but I'm just curious how you and your team and the city have been affected by some of those actions.
- [40:47]
B
So we get asked that a lot. So when my LinkedIn changed from diversity Equity Inclusion Coordinator to, you know, Connection Impact Coordinator, I had people reaching out to me and saying, like, oh, right. Like, everyone got this, like, sense of fear. And not just people on LinkedIn, but also too in the community. Even my family, like, but, but, you know, mom, but your dei. This work is so personal to so many of us. The things that we're. That we're doing, it's so personal. You know, for me, my parents are immigrants. I'm first generation, born from both sides of the family in the United States. English is my second language. Access, inclusion, belonging, it is just is part of my DNA and it is who I am. I think what's really important is that it's not the name that does the impact, it's really the work.
- [41:40]
A
Yeah.
- [41:40]
B
It's really how we show up for our community. It's really what we're doing. The strides that we're taking. I understand the tie to diversity, equity and inclusion, but those are words on the paper. And what's really more important to me is how we're showing up. What is it that we're doing as part of connection and impact? You know, if they started to strip away our funding or limit our resources, I would see where the concern could be. But I think by just changing our name, we're still doing the same things in the community. We haven't had one speed bump. I mean, we haven't slowed down one bit. If anything, I think we've picked up steam because what it's done is people have this understanding that it's. It's just words. And words are powerful, and I understand that they matter. But what matters more is the work that is being done. And I think that is something that we, you know, constantly try to tell people and, you know, let them know. Now, if. If you didn't see us the Saturday before June in the park, celebrating June Juneteenth, you should be concerned. When you look at our calendar and you look at our agendas and the things that we're doing, you should be empowered because what we're doing is creating inclusion across the entire city. So connection and impact, to me, you know, DEI was what we were called. Connection and impact is what we're doing.
- [43:14]
A
Oh, yeah, yeah. And so as long as you can keep doing that work.
- [43:17]
B
Right.
- [43:18]
A
That's all that matters. You call whatever you want.
- [43:19]
B
Yeah, right. Yeah. And, you know, and that's the sentiment amongst practitioners out there is, you know, call us whatever you want, but just let us continue the work. The work is going to be there, you know, and, you know, kind of tying back to allyship. It's the same thing. You know, allyship is kindness. It's intentionality. Does it matter if we call it allyship or just being a good human? Right.
- [43:43]
A
Yeah.
- [43:45]
B
What are your actions behind it?
- [43:47]
A
Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, that's. That's well said. And, yeah, I love that sentiment. That's like it. Yeah. DEI also meant the allyship and kindness and include and, you know, and working with these people, working with everyone and making an impact. And so as long as the. Those things can continue, it doesn't really matter the. The title or the. The label.
- [44:10]
B
Now. Now, do I wish it didn't change? Sure. Because I think it's. It's made people question. But I also think that, you know, people had this. Not all, but some people had this negative connotation to what DEI means. And if it's not understood, then you're not. Then. Then the meaning doesn't matter if you understand it. Right.
- [44:30]
A
Yeah.
- [44:31]
B
So by, you know, it's unfortunate that it was so divisive, but also, too, it's an opportunity to rebrand. It's an opportunity to create maybe some clarity, some more understanding. Because the moment you said dei, people would cut it. Right. Some people would just be like, nope, absolutely not. And then you start to peel back the layers and talk about, like, the American Disabilities Act. That's part of dei, right? Having, you know, being, you know, having parental leave. That's part of dei. Having a flexible work schedule. That's part of dei. But if that word is going to hold people to this different idea of it being divisive, then let's call it something else, but let's keep offering those same things.
- [45:19]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true. If the label was, you know, can. Yeah. Confusing, if not counter to the. To the mission, maybe it's okay that it's. That's changing. Well, I know you're pretty connected, though, in the region and, you know, has that been the case in other places? Has this work been able to continue and just under a different, you know, a different name? Because I know, you know, of the. Of the regions in the country, I think the two places we're calling in from have maybe seen some of the hardest backlashes towards some of this work between Florida and Arizona. I'm just curious, kind of has this been, you know, trying to. Across kind of some of your colleagues doing this work where, you know, we're finding ways to do it just without maybe the divisive or, you know, staying out of the political fray?
- [46:04]
B
In some ways, I think, you know, if you're working, so. So that's tough.
- [46:16]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [46:20]
B
I feel like everything can be misconstrued as being divisive right now. Yeah, the, you know, everything you say or do can be considered divisive. I don't want to focus on what people think, and I'm going to clarify that. I don't want to focus on what people think. I want to focus on how our residents feel. That's really important to me.
- [46:46]
A
Me.
- [46:46]
B
So, you know, I'm lucky. I get to live in the city that I work in. So again, going back to work, that. That's very personal. This is very personal to me. I'm in the community as a resident, as a taxpayer. You know, I'm part of this community, and I want people to feel like they belong here and that Chandler is for them. It's really, really important to me for. For a lot of reasons, but I don't want to talk about the ways that things are being spun or labeled. Not because I don't think it's important. I think those conversations can be had. I just have to focus on the work that I'm doing and the impact that I can make and go in it with an open head, an organized heart, an impactful mind, and just to see what I could do. You know, we had. We had over 8, 000 people come to our multiculture festival.
- [47:47]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [47:48]
B
People wanted to come out and see what this means to us. What does it mean? In Chandler? What does it mean to Chandler? And it wasn't just for Chandler residents. It was for anybody who wanted to come. And what a great opportunity for us to. To celebrate our diverse population and really showcase some of the things that, you know, we have happening here in. In Chandler. The work will go on regardless of what you call us. And, you know, there's always been the sentiment amongst EI practitioners that the hope is that someday we don't need to have. Right. A DEI division or a DEI initiative because it should just be part of our every single day thought process. So I know the work is continuing out there outside of our division. I know it's definitely happening in Chandler and that we're very intentional with how we're serving and the things that we're offering and the things that we're doing. So I'm going to focus on the positive impact that we can make.
- [48:47]
A
Yeah.
- [48:48]
B
And leave politics for people. Over a beer or something. I don't know.
- [48:54]
A
Yeah, yeah. No, I think that's on. And I think you're touching on something that I feel and I hear when my work takes me all across the country and all sorts of different local government organizations and that I think there's this flatness in the national political conversation or national media around some of this work and what diversity, equity, inclusion means or what that looks like. And then you go talk to people in local governments or in communities, and those values are still wildly important to folks, and they're still what they want to see out of their local government or out of their community or out of their neighborhood. And so, you know, it's. It's like living in a split reality sometimes where you're like, you're seeing this, you know, backlash in one sense, and then you go on the ground and like all of these communities are still, still, you know, placing so much value on this and see the importance of it, regardless of, you know, what. Yeah. What the political discourse might be.
- [49:45]
B
Yeah. And I think that's really important because, you know, local government, it's, you know, we have direct interaction with our residents every single day. Every single day. So we had our State of the City event last Thursday. We had, I think about 800 people show up to. To this event. We do state of the City differently than any other city. It is an incredible experience. And to be in that room full of people and to look around and to think, you know, oh, I know that person through this organization, this person helped us here. This person did that. You're looking around a community, a friends of supporters, of allies, you know, and as much as they appreciate what we do, I appreciate what they're doing for us. They're wanting us. They want to see these programs keep happening. They want to have this women's empowerment luncheon, you know, and we see that because of the numbers of the people who are interested in coming to our event. You know, we see when we have 8,000 people come to Multicultural Festival, that's not because nobody wants it. That's because they're craving it. You know, they're hungry for it. And so I think I'll continue to kind of take that thought as I, you know, work through, you know, our. Our programs and events for the year and really just be grateful that Chandler has opened up their arms and welcome. Welcomed us and really shown support for the work that it is that we do for our residents.
- [51:17]
A
Yeah, yeah. Well said. I love that. Well, what's next? What are you working on that some of our listeners should look out for or, you know, that they ought to tune in for as you continue this work in Chandler.
- [51:30]
B
Do I have to do more? You know, like all government, we do a lot, and there is a lot that we do. And I think we're in this stride where we're really trying to go deeper versus go higher. Right? So we don't want people to look at our calendar and see, you know, 500 events, but they don't have intention behind them or meaning or for us to have, you know, programs, you know, you know, 50 programs, but. But we don't, you know, but they're lackluster or they're not, you know, they don't give that education component or have that depth that people have come to expect of us. So for me, I'm looking that we go deeper in some of these programs and events instead of higher. It's important that as the world is changing and as we have this new generation coming up, that we're really understanding who we're serving. And that means changing our events. That means, you know, adjusting and accommodating our programs for that. And so I don't so much want to do more. I want to do it better.
- [52:33]
A
Yeah, I love that. All right, so the hardest question of any interview, if you could be the gov luv dj, what song would you pick as the exit music for this episode?
- [52:42]
B
Oh, this is the easiest question I've had. If anybody knows me, they know what the song is. So it is my feel good song. It is Lovely Day by Bill Withers.
- [52:52]
A
Oh, yes, that's great. I love that. Yeah.
- [52:55]
B
Put that song on and you cannot help but number one sing and number two, smile like it is. It's the feel good song of, of any decade of any genre. It is. It is meant to be played as oftentimes as possible.
- [53:09]
A
Yeah, yeah. And it's particularly great walking outside, you know, with the sun out.
- [53:16]
B
Sorry, everybody listening. Who has snow on the ground?
- [53:18]
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, that.
- [53:21]
B
Yeah, it is definitely. It is definitely. It's a great song no matter where you are.
- [53:25]
A
Yeah. And that. Well, that ends our episode for today. Adriana, thank you so, so much for coming on and talking with me. I really appreciate, appreciate you sharing your perspective and, and your expertise. This is, this has been really fun.
- [53:35]
B
Well, thank you for having me. I appreciate it. And thank you for letting me share about what it is that. That we do here in Chandler and, and how we do it. And you know, I just, I'm going to say, you know, my last words are. Are going to be all else fails make people feel seen, heard and understood.
- [53:50]
A
I love it. I love it. Yeah, no, I love. That'll be my takeaways. Those. Those words. So I love that. And for our listeners, govlove is brought to you by engaging local government leaders. The best way to support GovLove is to become an ELGL member. You can reach us online at elgl.org govlove or at our page on LinkedIn and subscribe to GovLove on your favorite podcast app. If you're already subscribed, go tell a friend or colleague about this podcast. And heck, if you're already subscribed, help us celebrate 10 years of gov love by calling our hotline at 720-282-1752. Tell us about the trends you've seen over the last 10 years in the and what you think local government might look like in another 10 years. And with that, thank you for listening. This has been Gov love, a podcast about local government.
- [54:39]
B
Just one look at you and I know it's going to be the it down.