Four years ago, Draper City established the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee. “2020 was a turbulent time and Mayor Walker thought it would be great to have a group of residents to advise him on issues…It morphed into making everybody feel welcome. They’ve met with the school district when there were bullying incidents, they’ve spoken to the Mayor’s Youth Council and different youth groups. We have great committee members and they have interesting histories, including what they’ve endured becoming U.S. residents,” said Kellie Challburg, assistant city manager. She’s been an advisor to the committee since its origin. 

In addition to acting as an advisory group to Mayor Troy Walker, the committee has helped organize and volunteer for city events such as the Cinco de Mayo celebration, the International Arts & Crafts Festival, and recognition of holidays including Kwanzaa (a celebration of African-American culture) and Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights). They’ve also put on a children’s art contest for Black History Month. “That contest has grown and the entries have become more varied and interesting,” Challburg said. 

Somewhere along the way, diversity became a politically charged term for some. In January 2024, The Utah Legislature passed House Bill 261, sponsored by Rep. Katy Hall of Davis/Weber counties. HB 261 took effect July 1. “Utah has joined a growing coalition of state legislatures that have passed sweeping prohibitions on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public education and in state government,” according to Dorsey & Whitney LLP (Dorsey.com). The firm’s online description of HB 261 says it, “Authorizes the withholding of state appropriations to any covered institution that fails to cure a violation of these requirements.”

In September, the Draper City Council approved a name change for the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee. “Draper City felt the state’s action could be applied to the committee’s name and met with committee members to get their input on a new name. The committee decided Community Engagement Committee was a good fit for the broader vision and objectives of the committee which are to build community, encourage involvement in City programs and events, ensure that a variety of experiences and points of view are considered, and provide resources and support for community members in need,” said Linda Peterson, Draper’s communications director. 

“We haven’t received direction from the state yet and we weren’t sure how much it would impact our group. We saw the trend of other cities taking the diversity name away, universities too. We thought we’d get ahead of it. I didn’t want to make this group of great people a target. They really have great intentions. They’re about making people feel they belong and different cultures are seen and celebrated. Those words were becoming pretty political, so we thought we’d get ahead of it and change it,” Challburg said. 

HB261 reshaped diversity initiatives at state colleges and universities including, but not limited to, the University of Utah, Utah Valley University and Utah Technical University. According to KUER, at the U of U, “centers used by women, minorities and members of the LGBTQ community were closed including the Black Cultural Center, the LGBT Resource Center and the Women’s Resource Center. Their websites were disabled and the three offices now operate as the Center for Cultural and Community Engagement.” The University of Utah’s Brand website says, “words to avoid include diversity, equity, inclusion. Preferred words include all backgrounds, belonging, differing viewpoints, equal opportunity, social mobility, student well-being and underserved.” 

Draper’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee was established with 12 members with staggered terms, some for four years and others for two Tara Bradshaw has served as chair and Ron Williams as vice-chair. Challburg said more than 50 people applied when the committee was formed. The mayor interviewed applicants and chose the members. At the time, the city sought out an ethnically diverse mix of people to serve on the committee. Challburg anticipates that will likely continue. “A lot of applications are diverse people in our community,” she said. Five spots on the renamed committee are up for renewal or new appointments at the end of October.  

“We look for people with great stories, inclusive personalities, and the willingness to help make Draper welcoming,” Challburg said. λ