Sonoma County supervisors address microaggression, bias concerns

Community members called on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to cut the platitudes and “walk the walk” when it comes addressing racism in the county.

During the regular supervisors meeting Tuesday, board members vowed to support leaders and employees of color who encounter racism.

Their statement came in the face of a new focus on the issue that came after the county’s economic development director quit last week, citing examples of racism and microaggressions.

Board of Supervisors Chair Lynda Hopkins opened the meeting with a request that the county’s equity office provide a report updating its work and focusing on feedback from county employees of color.

“We have begun this work but we still have a long way to go,” Hopkins said. “And we need to move forward with a sense of urgency and with a sense of intention.”

The report is due sometime in December.

All five supervisors emphasized the need “to do better” in addressing the racism that leaders of color, particularly Black leaders, have reported experiencing in the county. But community members called on the board to “walk the talk.”

Outrage over the loss of economic development director Sheba Person-Whitley and health services director pick Derrick Neal because of the racist treatment of county leaders of color, permeated much of the board’s morning agenda, including its redistricting discussion.

Community members used the public comment portions of the board’s meeting to push the supervisors to take more immediate action and bolster its office of equity. Some noted that the board should not be surprised by Person-Whitley and Neal’s concerns, as they are just the latest to speak out on the county’s long struggle to address racism.

Over the summer, members of the local NAACP gave the board “fair warning” that Black leaders were experiencing racist aggression and bias while “still being expected to work without support.”

“You should take this feedback you have been given over and over and over as a gift,” said Kirstyne Lange.

The comments follow economic development director Person-Whitley’s announcement last week in which she shared that racial bias and microaggressions had made working in the county “untenable” and that she had accepted an appointment with the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Her last day will be Dec. 27.

Person-Whitley’s announcement coincided with a decision by Neal, the county’s pick for health services director, to turn down the job over concerns over the treatment of department heads of color.

Both Person-Whitley and Neal are Black.

Last week supervisors acknowledged they met with Person-Whitley about a month ago to discuss what she had been experiencing, but did not realize she would be leaving.

One resident, Kimi Barbosa, urged the board to take a look at its own lack of support and microaggressions “that lead to brilliant professionals leaving.”

Microaggressions are comments or actions, often subtle, that communicate hostility or lack of respect toward marginalized groups.

“Commissioners of color within the commission face microaggressions themselves and various challenges just to be at the table,” Ana Lugo Bedolla, a commissioner on the board’s Advisory Redistricting Commission.

The board appointed diverse community leaders to the 19-member commission earlier this year to lead the county’s redistricting effort with a focus on creating more equitable district boundaries.

The county currently has four appointed department heads of color, according to Christina Cramer, the county’s HR director.

Tuesday, County Administrator Sheryl Bratton informed the board that of the county’s 4,000 employees, 74 are Black.

Bratton said the county needs to look at the pathways available for employees of color to move up, and “how to support them to be effective leaders.”

You can reach Staff Writer Emma Murphy at 707-521-5228 or emma.murphy@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MurphReports.