City commissions must reflect diversity, inclusion
The city of Naperville has taken great strides in advancing its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The city website states, “The City of Naperville is intentional about diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in Naperville and recognizes that diversity in our community and organization makes the City stronger. Advancing equity and inclusion is not a project, rather a constant process of improvement. Naperville is committed to increasing the City’s emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion in the organization and the community.”
As such, actions matter as much as words. The individuals appointed by the mayor and approved by city council to boards and commissions must advance the values and strategic direction of the city as well as fulfill the job requirements of each position.
This is particularly important for members of the Special Events Cultural Amenities (SECA) Commission and the Naperville Public Library Board of Trustees, both of which have openings for new appointees. We are proud of the progress Naperville has achieved with the help of these boards toward becoming a community welcoming to all. We are diverse and that makes our community stronger.
Members of these boards must not espouse racist views, marginalize members of the LGBTQ+ community, promote an agenda at the expense of others or sow divisiveness. In considering new appointees, we urge the mayor and city council to seek and approve people with proven expertise suited to the role and with a history of viewpoints and actions which are inclusive, which foster belonging of all individuals, and which will move us forward as a diverse community.
Sue Topp
President, AAUW Naperville Area
Barbara Vernon
President-elect, AAUW Naperville Area
Elizabeth Carroll
Public Policy Chair, AAUW Naperville Area
Becky Simon
President, League of Women Voters of Naperville
Susan Craighead
Vice President, League of Women Voters of Naperville
Laura Welch
President, Illinois National Organization for Women
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Jill Lexier
State Policy Advocacy co-Chair, National Council of Jewish Women, Illinois
Adcock should not be appointed to any commission
As a resident of the city of Naperville, I am concerned that Mayor Chirico is considering the appointment of Shannon Adcock to the city’s Special Events & Cultural Amenities Commission.
Ms. Adcock would work against the virtues he has championed during his tenure, specifically working against the diversity that makes Naperville such a great place to live.
Shannon Adcock is the founder of a far-right, anti-DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), anti-Black history, anti-mask and anti-LGBTQ group called Awake Illinois. Her appointment to SECA would be the antithesis of DEI. Ms. Adcock has repeatedly, specifically and publicly said she supports defunding all diversity efforts associated with schools and with the city.
She specifically wants to defund the city’s DEI manager. As she tweeted. “The #woke religion sermons are insanely overpriced and the high priests and priestesses (DEI) are insanely overpaid — there are zero metrics for success. The goal of their preaching: #socialism”
SECA has made grant awards to Naper Pride (LGBTQ organization), LWV (which Adcock demonizes) and to cultural minority programs.
Adcock lost her election to the Indian Prairie District 204 School Board. During the 2020 election, Ms. Adcock told several parents interested in discussing diversity issues to “start your own charter school” and “charge tuition and welcome families who want that full time social justice and race-based curriculum.”
Adcock’s organization ambushed the St. Charles Public Library and caused it to temporarily close. Ms. Adcock proudly and publicly led a sit-in against the St. Charles library, which resulted in the police being called and multiple threats being made against library staff.
On her Twitter account, she tweeted, “This is how it’s done! Regular people taking a stand. They told us to mask. They called the police. Freedom rang and parents and kids enjoyed a maskless outing. It was beautiful! …They don’t even know what a threat to safety is yet.”
This appointment is not just a cultural problem, it is a character problem. Anyone who champions intimidation tactics cannot be placed in a leadership position. Adcock leans toward violence, posting, “Good news is many Awake women know how to handle a gun. We ready.”
Cynthia Mundell, Naperville
Mayor’s comment conjures up Marie Antoinette
In 1789, Marie Antoinette said: “Let them eat cake.”
In 2022, Steve Chirico said: “Most of Naperville can afford to keep their sidewalks in a safe condition, with the assistance of the contribution from the city.”
John Tralewski, Naperville
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