Edina moves forward with citywide equity plan—despite national pushback against DEI

As corporations and federal agencies back away from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the City of Edina is going in the opposite direction — launching a new Equity Strategic Action Plan (ESAP) designed to further embed DEI into city government.

The plan, adopted in June and currently being implemented, is expected to be completed in 2027. According to a city newsletter, the plan will “improve how the City uses data to best understand the needs of employees and the community,” and focus on “creating culturally accommodating public spaces and updating wayfinding signage that is easy to see and understand.”

Alpha News reached out to Edina with a series of questions about the plan. Thomas Brooks, the city’s diversity, equity, and inclusion manager, informed Alpha News that the plan was not approved by the city council—nor was there a formal vote.

“The ESAP is an operational work plan adopted by staff leadership,” said Brooks in an email to Alpha News. “While there was no formal or public vote or council action, the public and City Council were invited to provide input through a survey conducted earlier this year that received just over 350 responses from staff and community members.”

According to Brooks, the plan was created in response to those survey results. That survey, a so-called “Diamond Inclusivity Assessment,” measured Edina’s strengths and weaknesses in areas such as cultural capital, political capital, spiritual capital, the natural environment, and the built environment.

Equity plan has no clear financial cost

“Equity and inclusion work touches everything we do in the City – anything that impacts employees and the people we serve,” Brooks said in the city newsletter. “The ESAP allows us to do that work in a meaningful way.”

As part of the plan’s “built environment” section, the city will be evaluating and updating two public-facing city spaces to reflect Edina’s growing cultural diversity. Those updates include clearer signage and more accessibility.

“All cultures should feel welcomed, safe and understand how to navigate when they enter any of our buildings,” said Engineering Director Chad Millner in the city’s newsletter.

The human development portion of the equity plan focuses on creating a standardized process for collecting, storing, and using demographic data to inform city decisions. City officials say both goals are part of a broader effort to be more efficient and responsive to residents’ needs.

However, the plan has no clear financial cost.

“There is currently no specific cost estimated for the implementation of the ESAP,” Brooks told Alpha News. “With stewardship as a City budget value, City staff are mindful of how resources are sought and managed.”

Critics may see it as political — city says it’s practical

When asked how he would respond to residents who see the initiative as political, Brooks stated that DEI work is tied to concrete services.

“The City’s equity and inclusion work is directly connected to tangible City services,” he said. “Whether it is retention of staff, improving the safety and accessibility of streets and sidewalks, or continually ensuring recreational services are relevant and inclusive as the community evolves, equity and inclusion are key to ensuring all in the Edina community benefit from the programs and services the City offers.”

Asked whether the city considered the national trend away from DEI before launching the initiative, Brooks said Edina’s focus remains local.

“While it is important to be mindful of national conversations, staff’s priority has always been to remain focused on providing high-quality programs and services at the local level, to the entire Edina community,” he said. “As a government entity, it has always been and remains important to ensure City programs and services meet the diverse needs of all in the community.”

For more information on the plan, residents can visit the Equity Strategic Action Plan dashboard.

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