Under the direction of Mayor Eric Mikkelson, the City of Prairie Village has established a diversity task force. The mission of the task force is to develop a set of advisory recommendations for the governing body to attract and retain diverse residents in Prairie Village. The group will have its first meeting September 22.

“In addition to racial diversity, that mission includes diversity of religion, sexual orientation, national origin, and more,” Mikkelson said. “Its broad policy scope includes housing and development policy, the arts, sustainability, affordability, events, policing, infrastructure, recruiting and hiring, funding, communication and more.”

The task force's initial goal is to develop a set of recommended, prioritized action steps and initiatives to make Prairie Village a more diverse and inclusive community. Members of the Prairie Village Diversity Task Force are Prairie Village residents Etienne Clatanoff Orozco, Todd Harris, Dr. Jameelah Lang, and Pastor Dennis Solis, NAACP representative Michael Shook, police representative Major Byron Roberson, staff lead Deputy City Administrator Jamie Robichaud, Planning Commission Member Melissa Brown, Councilmembers Tucker Poling and Inga Selders as well as Mikkelson.

The group’s first meeting will take place via Zoom September 22 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be available for the public to listen to and/or view. To watch the meeting, please use the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85226786387.