Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | January 13, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 9 ry," he said. For Lovaincy, this learning begins with meeting with the City's internal team to make sure the administration is set up for success. en he plans to move on to making himself accessible to the public in an effort to promote transparency and build a bridge of trust within the community. From this research, Lovaincy said the most urgent matters will rise to the top, and those are the concerns he plans to tackle first. Reforming the police department One of the City's most pressing concerns has already presented itself to Lovaincy. e DOJ's investigation of the Worcester police, released on Dec. 9, has led to a large community outcry and calls for significant reforms. e DOJ report details multiple disturbing civil rights violations by the WPD between 2018 and 2022 including use of excessive and unjustified force, disproportionate policing of minority racial groups, and sexually assaulting women, especially those suspected to be involved in the sex trade, under threat of arrest. On Dec. 16, the City established a hotline for people to report alleged mis- conduct by police officers. at hotline is being managed and operated by the EODEI. Lovaincy and his office will use the data collected through this hotline to identify issues needing addressing. In addition, Lovaincy said he is work- ing with Worcester's Interim Chief of Police Paul Saucier to address the DOJ's report and to strengthen the relation- ship between the community and the police force, with a main component of their work centering around DEI and implicit bias training. "I deeply believe in ongoing training to address behaviors, to address how people are socialized, but also to inform their policy as well too," said Lovaincy. Training is essential, said Lovaincy, even as he acknowledges the counter- argument against this approach, which is essentially that officials need to be taught not to abuse their power in such violent ways. e training he and his office are looking to implement starts with ana- lyzing how individuals are socialized on interpersonal, institutional, and societal levels. is means understand- ing microaggressions and thoughts versus actions, the importance of power and control dynamics, and covering historical policing. "If you start with training before officers hit the streets, they have a better understanding impacting their ideology. So now the next time they're coaching a population that may be marginalized or minoritized, they have the education behind that," said Lovaincy. Prior to Lovaincy's appointment, city police officers had already been offered training around bias, discrimination, and harassment. Lovaincy said that training will continue with the goal of reaching every active service member. In addition, Lovaincy is exploring the option of creating a use-of-force review board for the WPD and is actively creating an interactive racial equity dashboard to allow the commu- nity to check in on where the City is at in addressing different recommenda- tions to promote a more equitable city. It takes a village No matter the context in which Lovaincy is tackling DEI efforts, he uses the framework of intersectionality. Intersectionality, a term coined by advocate and scholar Kimberlé Cren- shaw in 1989, refers to how an indi- Prioritize equal pay for equal work On Oct. 28, Kevin Lovaincy assumed his new role as chief equity officer for the City of Worcester, a position that had remained vacant for more than two and a half years since Stephanie Williams' resignation. Since then, the City's Executive Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion had undergone an overhaul reorganization spearheaded by City Manager Eric Batista. Batista has outlined six key commitments to be fulfilled by both Lovaincy and the restructured EODEI in an effort to make Worcester a more equitable and accessible city. When polled online, the plurality of WBJ readers said Lovaincy's top priority should be ensuring equal pay for equal work. Which of the City of Worcester's priorities for its new chief equity officer is most important? Increasing diversity among City employees and leadership Creating equitable hiring processes Providing DEI training Including and supporting people with disabilities Ensuring equal pay for equal work Providing equal business opportunities for diverse vendors 11% 16% 4% 18% 38% 13% Hayley Haywood, founder of Elevating Access Massachusetts DEI officers Out of Massachusetts' 10 largest cities, seven have chief or lead diversity, equity, and inclusion roles. Kevin Lovaincy at the City of Worcester is the only man among the seven. Government City lead DEI position? Boston Y Worcester Y Springfield Y Cambridge Y Lowell Y Brockton Y Quincy N Lynn Y New Bedford N Fall River N Source: Each city's websites and confirmation with city representatives W vidual's multiple identities, such as sex, race, and class, intersect and compound with one another, creating nuanced forms of oppression and privilege. "I'm not only focusing on one trait. I'm focusing on the person as a whole and everything that encompasses that person," said Lovaincy. "You're looking at the multiple identities of a person, and how does that interact with their lived experiences or the barriers that they face." Effective equity work at its core is intersectional, said Hayley Haywood, founder of equity-based consulting firm Elevating Access in Worcester. As Lovaincy develops in his new position, Haywood said people need to first analyze the context in which he is working. Equity work takes time and support to prosper. Having the right infrastructure, re- sources, and team behind the position will prove critical. Lovaincy will need to have a critical eye to the City's hiring practices, community engagement, and professional development, she said. "Before we look to Kevin, we also have to look at the environment we've created for him to be successful in that work," Haywood said. "A city that's truly committed to equity is going to embed it in everything they do." Lovaincy's position is accountable for different stakeholders with varying priorities and different levels of knowl- edge of equity work with differing levels of motivation to do that work, she said. Haywood has seen many chief equity officers not provided the positional power necessary to make needed struc- tural changes. "at's a lot to navigate and hold, and so it really requires a village of support- ers and advocates," Haywood said. Batista said he is committed to being a champion of Lovaincy and his recom- mendations. In his capacity as city manager, the role directly overseeing Lovaincy, Batis- ta said he must create an environment in which changes can be made, even if those changes are within himself as a leader. "A good leader creates a culture," said Batista. "If I'm not allowing my staff to feel open and welcomed enough to have a conversation with me, even when I'm not doing something right … then I'm not really being a good manager and a good leader." For Lovaincy, that support is already readily apparent and he feels lucky to have it. Lovaincy knows he has stepped into a role full of needs and challenges, but he's not intimidated because he sees those challenges as opportunities for success. "I fell in love with the city and what it has to offer and how I can be impact- ful," said Lovaincy.

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