Title
Authorizing proper City officials to accept a stipend of $1,500.00 from Welcoming America.
Body
WHEREAS, Welcoming America is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to encourage and support communities to be more inclusive and welcoming towards immigrants; and
WHEREAS, Welcoming America connects leaders in community, government, and nonprofit sectors to build on the great work happening in local communities by providing tested methods and approaches to create inclusive, welcoming places for immigrants; and
WHEREAS, The Welcoming America Network’s membership program offers tools, resources, technical assistance, and a global network to help nonprofit and government partners transform communities into more welcoming places; and
WHEREAS, in April 2020, Welcoming America, as part of its COVID-19 Rapid Response Initiative, launched a Community of Practice focused on Inclusive Emergency Management; and
WHEREAS, this Inclusive Emergency Management Community of Practice was an opportunity for Welcoming America Network peers to discuss foundational principles, innovations, challenges, and solutions for organizations that are working to ensure immigrants can access and contribute to COVID-19 prevention, care, resources, and response coordination; and
WHEREAS, Welcoming America selected Saint Paul Assistant City Attorney Edmundo D. Lijo as a member of the leadership team for the Community of Practice initiative to assist with facilitating the Practice; and
WHEREAS, in return for Mr. Lijo’s participation on the leadership team, Welcoming America has offered a stipend in the amount of $1,500.00 to the City of Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, Welcoming America has agreed to grant the City of Saint Paul a membership in Welcoming America for 2021 (valued at $1,500) in lieu of a check for $1,500.00; and
WHEREAS, the educational and networking opportunities offered through membership in Welcoming America would be of significant benefit to the City of Saint Paul and its residents; and
WHEREAS, participation in Welcoming America would provide an opportunity to acquire technical support and knowledge to develop and improve the City of Saint Paul’s inclusion programming; and
WHEREAS, we recognize that participating in Welcoming America would benefit the residents of the City of Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul has been a member of Welcoming America since 2019 and the Saint Paul City Attorney’s Office recommends continuing the City’s membership in Welcoming America for 2021.
NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Saint Paul City Council authorizes the Saint Paul City Attorney Lyndsey M. Olson, and her designees, to accept the $1,500.00 stipend in the form of a membership in Welcoming America for the year 2021.