Just Released! Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Badminton (Podcast)

It is often rare that people are involved in creating history, which is why the January 11th Irvine City Council meeting was momentous. Councilmember Larry Agran took today’s podcast to recount the history and public participation that made the City Council’s decisions possible.

First, he was proud to make the temporary Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee a permanent City committee and to expand it from 5 to 7 members. As the first of its kind in Orange County, it builds on the history of the Human Rights Ordinance he helped Irvine establish in 1988. The Human Rights Ordinance barred discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and though the ensuing backlash cost Larry and others re-election, it laid the foundation for Irvine’s rise as the most diverse, thoroughly integrated community in America. Larry shares:

“The diversity of our community is a calling card. It's a big positive that people want to move to Irvine to be part of Irvine and this wonderful community.”

Additionally, the City Council voted to explore interim and long-term facilities for Irvine’s next source of Olympians, badminton! The badminton community brought such earnest testimony to the meeting that Larry remarked on the podcast:

“We know that Irvine's a sports-crazy town, and that we've provided sports facilities of all kinds throughout Irvine, but it looks like we missed a couple!” 

Larry is happy the City has taken steps towards inclusiveness this week. Listen and learn how you can be involved with the next wave of change in Irvine.