The City of Newburgh moves forward with a new Equity and Diversity Consultant, hiring lifelong resident Genesis Ramos.

The Mayor and City Council voted in favor (6-1) of moving forward with a vendor services agreement with Ramos, showing initiatives surrounding justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

In this position, Ramos will work with the City Manager and City Council to increase and ensure equity in several areas of the local government.
The position is part-time with a salary of $6,250. The contract goes until the end of the year.

She will work to define Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) areas for 2021, conduct surveys and interviews, review data and more. With these efforts, Ramos would help the City build a strategic, data-driven and measurable approach to make impactful JEDI changes.

“The bottom line is building a foundation for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion work to be able to be carried out here in the City,” said Ramos. “As of now, there is no foundation for that kind of work. There needs to be a blueprint that can speak to the actual needs and priorities in the community.”

According to the 2010 Census, the City of Newburgh’s population is more than 75 percent minority. These populations are disproportionately affected by issues stemming from poverty, violence, workforce development and lack of education.

“Being born and raised here and being able to relate to the experience of so many people here is something that no book can teach you, no class can teach you,” said Ramos. “It allows me to be culturally competent. I’ve beared witness to a lot of the disparity, giving me the motivation to take on roles that are specific to fostering bridges and helping tear down some of the barriers that exist.”

Ramos has almost a decade of experience within the nonprofit sector, including working with at-risk youth, victims of domestic violence and human trafficking and people living with HIV/AIDS, and has been involved with a number of local social justice initiatives.

During the August 10 council meeting, Mayor Torrance Harvey said, “I’ve worked with her in varying different capacities. I think she is a well educated young woman who is from our community, who has been very active in our community, and again, her work and her credentials speak for themselves.”

Councilman Omari Shakur was the only council member who voted no.

“I sought out Genesis because it’s our priority to start this work in a very meaningful and purposeful way,” said City Manager Joseph Donat. “I don’t know anyone who cares more about the city than her.”

She recently graduated with a Masters in Public Administration from Marist College. Her capstone paper, Laying the Foundation for Equity Legislation, focused on creating a strong foundation for equity through the creation of legislation in the City of Newburgh through a three-point plan.

The plan includes professional development, community engagement and measurement/evaluation, which she wants to implement in her new position.

“I very strongly feel that when it comes to equity legislation, you can’t just create legislation in the typical ordinance process that exists, but rather, there has to be a very intentional approach to it,” said Ramos.

Ramos serves on the City of Newburgh Human Rights Commission, the Mayor’s Strategic Economic Development Advisory Committee and is a member of the Board of Directors of Safe Harbors of the Hudson. Ramos believes her experience gives her “a well-rounded approach to see the bigger picture.”

The Chief Equity Officer position that Ramos is prepping for is not currently in the budget.

“It is my intention to propose this position in the manager’s budget, which will be presented in October,” said Donat. “There is a heck of a lot of work that needs to be done to plan for the future position. In order for the position to thrive, we need the critical planning to take place.”