Inclusive Auburn - Investing in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
White River Valley Museum
As part of our dedication to creating a culturally competent workforce, all new and current City of Auburn employees receive two hours of education on the racial history of Auburn through a guided tour of the White River Valley Museum’s diverse galleries. This educational opportunity supports employees learning about the history of Auburn through a racial lens, learning about the many different racial and ethnic groups who make this valley their home. Museum Curator, historian, and author of Images of America: Auburn Hilary Pittenger takes them through the galleries and back rooms of the Museum and covers topics such as colonization, immigration, Muckleshoot history, tribal sovereignty and reservations, Japanese incarceration during WWII, redlining/housing discrimination, anti-Black and anti-Asian land laws, and more.
This exposure helps City employees understand the impact systemic racism has had on people of color in our city by sharing the stories of people and communities right here in Auburn who were harmed by national, state, and local government decisions. As City workers, we might not be responsible for the racially inequitable decisions of the past, but we do have the power and responsibility to ensure we don’t continue them. By learning about our history and how it has shaped the community we live and work in, all City employees will be better equipped to serve our community now and into the future.
The Racial History of the White River Valley tour is available to groups and organizations outside City government as well. Museum staff have provided this program to college staff, fire departments, non-profit boards, law enforcement, senior groups, and more. It is also available as an outreach program that can be presented at other locations when travel to the Museum isn't practical.
If you have questions about this program or would like to schedule your organization to participate, contact the Museum at [email protected].
Priorities
Inclusive Auburn Resolution 5427:
- Eliminate systemic causes of disparities, racial and otherwise, in the City of Auburn
- Promote inclusion and create opportunities for full participation for every resident and business in the City of Auburn
- Reduce, and eventually eliminate, disparities of outcomes in our community