Race, Equity and Inclusion (REI)

Mountain View's Commitment

The City of Mountain View is fully committed to racial equity and justice as we strive to create a welcoming, safe and inclusive community for all. While recent national events have created an urgent cry for policing reform across the country, the City recognizes that systemic racism is far-reaching and long-standing and requires a comprehensive approach of reflection, engagement and action.

The Racial Equality and Justice page is dedicated to keeping the community informed about the City’s efforts to uphold our commitment to racial equity and justice and the opportunities for community members to be involved.

Affirming the City's Values

Council proclamation condemning antisemitism
Council proclamation honoring Women's History Month
Community for All has been a City Council Major Goal since 2017 and is a priority within the City's new Strategic Roadmap
Council Resolution Proclaiming Black Lives Matter
Council Resolution to Denounce Xenophobia and Anti-Asian Sentiment Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mountain View Police Department’s policies aligned with 8 Can’t Wait and State Attorney’ General
City letter of support for Assembly Bill 1466 - Racially Discriminatory Covenants
African American History Month Proclamation
Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation
Lunar New Year Proclamation
National Day of Racial Healing Proclamation
Welcoming Week Proclamation
Racial Equity and Justice Library Collection: Aligned with the City of Mountain View’s commitment to racial equity and social justice, Library staff created collections on diversity, anti-racism, and activism to engage and inspire community members of all ages. These collections are now available through the new Racial Equity and Justice Library Collection page on the Mountain View Public Library website.
Mountain View 2021 Film Festival: Race, Equity and Inclusion was the City's first virtual film festival and was centered around submissions about diversity and inclusion. Each film submitter was required to write a statement on how their work embodies this theme and was part of the judging criteria. The judges were a made up of the multi-racial, multi-ethnic steering committee, including representation from persons with disabilities. All members are accomplished in various production aspects of film. Submissions to the festival were due on April 1, winners announced on April 16, and festival viewing was April 24-25.

Black Lives Matter

Ad-Hoc Council Subcommittee on Race, Equity, and Inclusion

On June 9, 2020, then Mayor Abe-Koga announced the appointment of an Ad-Hoc Council Subcommittee on Race, Equity, and Inclusion (REI Subcommittee) to engage the community in meaningful dialogue and take action toward a vision of racial justice and equity in Mountain View and renewed public trust in law enforcement. The Subcommittee consists of Mayor Ellen Kamei, who serves as Chair, Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga and Vice Mayor Lucas Ramirez.

The REI Subcommittee met periodically from June through November 2020, and brought recommendations to the full City Council December 1, 2020; where the City Council established the Public Safety Advisory Board (PSAB). The next REI Subcommittee meeting will be June 21, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. REI Subcommittee meeting agendas and materials are available below. For questions or comments on the REI subcommittee, please email REISubCom@mountainview.gov.

Subcommittee Meetings

April 22, 2021 Meeting – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. via Zoom

Meeting Agenda
Meeting Minutes - Coming Soon
Meeting Video
Meeting Discussion Topics: Recent events and efforts to address Xenophobia and Anti-Asian
American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Sentiment

November 19, 2020 Meeting – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. via Zoom

November 19 Meeting Agenda
November 19 Meeting Minutes - Coming Soon
November 19 Meeting Video
November 19 Discussion Topics:

October 05, 2020 Meeting – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. via Zoom

August 24, 2020 REI Subcommittee Meeting

August 24, 2020 Meeting Agenda
August 24, 2020 Meeting Minutes
August 24, 2020 Meeting Video
August 24, 2020 Discussion Topics
- Alternative Police Service Delivery Models: The City is exploring alternative approaches for MVPD to respond to mental health-related calls for service with regional collaboration. The Subcommittee received a presentation from Santa Clara County regarding the Mobile Crisis Response Team. The City is further exploring alternative approaches for mental health related calls for service, including the White Bird Clinic’s CAHOOTS program in Eugene, Oregon.
  - Presentation Slides: Santa Clara County Mobile Crisis Response Team
- MVPD Policing Activity: The City is compiling and evaluating data on policing activity to identify and understand any disproportionate impacts to communities of color. The Subcommittee received a presentation on preliminary MVPD Racial Demographic Statistics. The City is working with academic partners to bring analytical expertise and a neutral perspective to better understand MVPD policing data and develop approaches to address any disproportionate findings.
  - Report: Mountain View Police Racial Demographic Statistics
- Public Police Oversight: The City is examining community-involved police oversight models to determine potential oversight approaches for Mountain View. The Subcommittee received an overview presentation on police oversight models. The City continues to assess what option would work best in Mountain View based on community input, Mountain View Police Department operational realities, and any identified issues related to public trust and police accountability.
  - Report: Police Oversight Models
  - Presentation Slides: Police Oversight Models

June 30, 2020 REI Subcommittee Meeting

June 30, 2020 Meeting Agenda
June 30, 2020 Meeting Minutes
June 30, 2020 Meeting Video
June 30, 2020 Discussion Topics
- Police Department Use of Force Policies: The City has reviewed and revised MVPD’s use of force policies to align with the 8 Can’t Wait campaign and California Attorney General.
  - Presentation Slides: Mountain View Police Department Use of Force and De-escalation Policy
- Scope of Race, Equity, and Inclusion Subcommittee: The REI Subcommittee discussed the scope of community conversations and other potential activities to work toward racial equity and justice.

Race, Equity, and Inclusion Action Plan

Opportunities for Engagement

As the movement for racial justice began to sweep the nation at the end of May 2020, and we saw some of the largest protests in Mountain View in recent memory, the City recognized the opportunity and obligation to connect with residents to listen to concerns, provide information, promote dialogue and find a path forward together.

United Against Hate Week 2021

November 14 through November 20

Book Lists and Displays

November 14-20, 2021

Lists of reading materials for children, teens and adults will be available on the home page of the library website. Visit the library website.
- Adult reading materials
- Children’s reading materials
- Teen reading materials
United Against Hate book displays can be found in Teen Services on the first floor, and on the second floor of the Library.

“Mountain View Stands United Against Hate” Campaign

November 14-20, 2021

Free Posters Available at the Library
Members of the public can show their support by displaying the Mountain View Stands United Against Hate poster in their homes. A limited number of posters will be available on the book display areas in Teen Services on the first floor, and on the second floor of the Library.

#UNSelfie Social Media Campaign
The Library will encourage members of the public to:

Take an #UNselfie (selfless selfie) holding up the poster.
Post the selfie on their social media account.
Talk about how or why they are standing up against hate.
Add the hashtags #UNselfie, #UnitedAgainstHate, and #MVPLibrary.

Events Available through the Teen Center

Open to 6th through 12th Grade Students

Monday, 11/15

United Against Hate Sign Making
Monday, November 15
3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at The View Teen Center
Kick off United Against Hate Week by creating a poster as a tangible reminder to create a safe and inclusive environment for all. Display your poster at the Teen Center, your locker at school, or in a window at home.

Chain Link
Monday 11/15
(After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
Students will create paper chain links to solidify their union against hate. Students will write statements on strips of paper on how they can create and promote a safe space amongst their fellow students. Students can also write how they will build a more inclusive environment for all. When the chain link is completed, students can hang them in their classrooms.

Tuesday, 11/16

Book Club: The Hate U Give
Tuesday, November 16
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at The View Teen Center
Library staff and teens will discuss Angie Thomas' award-winning novel The Hate U Give. Whether you’ve read it before or this is your first time, you can join the discussion.*

Parent/Guardian permission required
Limited space available
Must attend the book club session on Tuesday, November 16 to be eligible to receive a free copy of the book
Pre-register by November 12 by emailing TheViewTeenCenter@MountainView.gov.
Book Bio: Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.

I Am Poem
Tuesday 11/16
(After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
Students will write “I Am” poems. I am poems are an exploration of the poet. The poem is an exploration of one’s character, likes/dislikes, hopes/fears, goals culture or even family. Students will be able to share their poems with the entire classroom. This activity will promote a voice for students to share and speak up as well as create awareness amongst students by giving a closer insight to their fellow classmates’ individualities.

Wednesday, 11/17

TEDx Teen Center Against Hate
Wednesday, November 17
5:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at The View Teen Center
Join us as we host a night of streamed, hand-selected TED Talks on the subject of anti-hate. This event will feature 5 short talks that will spark action to inspire you to make your community a safer and more inclusive place. Light refreshments will be served. Parents are welcome to attend this event with their teens. Talks will start promptly at 5:45 p.m.

Peace Tree Mural
Wednesday/Thursday 11/17-11/18
(After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
Students will create a “Peace Tree” mural. The base will be a tree with the roots representing of what we think the world needs in order to be more united against hate (Peace, Hope, Love, Justice, Kindness, etc). Students will receive templates of leaf cut outs which will represent the flags of the countries where students are from. The leaves will be placed on top of the tree. The mural represents how all students from different cultures will grow together by standing tall like a tree, united against hate.

Bystander Intervention Training
Wednesday, November 17
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
The Library will host a Bystander Intervention Training over Zoom on Wednesday, November 17, led by the Council of American-Islamic Relations. In this virtual training, participants will learn hands-on skills to de-escalate a hate incident before it leads to violence, and ways to support a person who’s being targeted.

Thursday, 11/18

Game Night Against Hate
Thursday, November 18
3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at The View Teen Center
We're pledging to take action to create a safe and inclusive community. Join old and new friends for corporative board games that promote working as a team! Games include Scattergories, Code Names, Dungeons and Dragons, Jenga, and more.

Peace Tree Mural
Wednesday/Thursday 11/17-11/18
(After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)

Friday, 11/19

Film Screening: Not in Our Town
Friday, November 19
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at The View Teen Center
Join us for a screening of Not In Our Town. Communities have faced hate before, and we can learn from one another. This screening will help provide a way for teens to convene and open the discussion about how to stand up to hate together. Free popcorn!

United We Stand (Game Day)
Friday 11/19
(After school programs - Beyond the Bell and The BEAT)
Students will play a variety of games that will promote team building. Staff will focus on teaching students about sportsmanship, empathy, and inclusivity. Playing games will create a stronger bond amongst students as they work closely together as a team.

Saturday, 11/20

Outdoor Storytime: Uniting our Community
Saturday, November 20
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
The Library will host an outdoor storytime in Pioneer Park on Saturday, November 20. Our librarians will sing and read stories about community and inclusion. This event will be interactive; attendees will be able to read, sing and dance alongside our librarians. Perfect for families with children age 3-5.

Public Safety Advisory Board

The City Council appointed seven community members to the first Public Safety Advisory Board (PSAB) on April 13, 2021. Learn more about the PSAB on the PSAB webpage.

Listening Forums on Local Policing Update

Human Relations Commission to Share What They Heard From The Community

The Human Relations Commission (HRC) met with Police Chief Max Bosel on June 4, 2020 to discuss the Police Department’s values and policies. The HRC formed a subcommittee to help facilitate police-community relations through the planning of a community engagement process on Mountain View policing. This included Listening Forums, an online portal for written stories and one-on-one interviews.

The Listening Forums on Local Policing were held on the following dates:

Session 1 - Monday, August 31 (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) - English
Session 2 - Thursday, September 10 (5:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m.) - Youth
Session 3 - Thursday, September 17 (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) - Spanish
Session 4 - Thursday, September 24 (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) - Mandarin

These multilingual forums with small group discussion facilitated by the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC) provided a safe space for individual community members to share their stories about their experience with policing in Mountain View. Community members also had the opportunity to share their stories in confidence by submitting anonymous online statements and one to one meetings with HRC members.

With facilitation by PCRC, the HRC shared the themes from community member stories on Wednesday, November 18. Participants at this virtual meeting were invited to engage in small group discussions to: reflect on how the experiences shared by story tellers may be similar to or different from their own, imagine the perspectives of both the story teller and the police, and highlight what went well and what the police could have done differently to improve the experience.

Presentation including a Summary of the Themes from the Forums
Report on the Themes from the Community Engagement Process - This report will help inform future police policies and programs.

The report out session by the Human Relations Commission on November 18, 2020 is available on the City's YouTube channel and is embedded below.

Mountain View Police Department Interactive Educational Forums

MVPDx: Partnership for the Future of Policing, is a listening and learning program that brings residents together with Mountain View Police officers to discuss, collectively, what next steps look like for our City when it comes to how the department protects and serves those who live, work, and visit our community.

The program, which will take place over seven sessions, will deep-dive into various themes and topics that will allow community members to ask questions, foster dialogue, and increase connections with local law enforcement to build the best future possible for policing in Mountain View. The first cohort will be starting in September with representatives from a range of groups and individuals who have contacted the Police Department seeking to engage on this topic. The interest list will be used to help fill future cohorts.

To learn more and to sign up for the program interest list, visit the MVPDx: Partnering for the Future of Policing webpage.

Please note, classes will be primarily conducted over Zoom but will also include in-person activities. Each cohort is limited to no more than 12 people to maximize engagement and conversation and comply with public health protocols.

The Police Department continues extensive one-on-one outreach with community members who have reached out with questions, comments, and concerns around policy, procedure, and budgeting. You may contact PolicePIO@mountainview.gov for police specific questions. If you have general questions or comments about the City’s Racial Equity and Justice efforts, please contact REISubCom@mountainview.gov.

Community Resources

County of Santa Clara Hate Crimes Task Force

On December 15, 2020, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Clara established the Hate Crimes Task Force in partnership with other interested jurisdictions to address hate crimes and violence in the community.

The Hate Crimes Task Force is tasked with:

Developing a clear set of recommendations to address hate crimes and violence incited by hate speech in our community.
Developing recommendations to employ existing state and federal laws to protect against gender-based hate crimes and to assess new policies and legislation to achieve this end.
Examining the pathology of hate crimes to develop the best methods and policies to address them.
Examining the relationship of firearm accessibility to hate crimes and developing recommendations on investments in law enforcement intelligence to combat the illegal gun trade and to monitor the proliferation of hate speech.
Recommending school or school-based programs to promote a change in our community culture relative to hate crimes and violence.

The Hate Crimes Task Force is tentatively scheduled to meet monthly. You may view past and future meeting agendas.

Police Department