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Put forth in March 2023, the Sustainable CT organization—which advocates for environmental, social / political equity and DEI and is tied into 138 towns and cities in Connecticut—made an eye-raising announcement. Six new “equity coaches” were hired “to provide guidance, resources, and support to municipalities as they work to implement sustainable and equitable practices. The Equity Coaches will help municipalities identify and address the root causes of environmental and social injustices in their communities, with a focus on historically marginalized and under-served populations”, according to the far left organization.
The new Equity Coaches were hired with “the generous support” of the Connecticut-based Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, a key funder of the statewide Sustainable CT scheme. Connecticut Centinal readers will recall that the foundation has been embroiled in controversy this year regarding its application for special exclusion zoning status for a residential property in Madison featuring a design by ex-Nazi agent / architect Philip Johnson. The controversy was also widely reported in Hearst media newspapers across the state. The property won this special status unanimously by the Madison PZC last month.
It was coincidentally also announced last month that the town of Madison won Bronze Certification status from the Sustainable CT organization, among recognitions to other municipalities in Connecticut. Madison First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons and Town Planner Erin Mannix are listed as the first and second contact persons for the town-NGO initiative. In order to be considered for any Sustainable CT certifications, initial DEI actions are required, presumably with the advice and assistance of the activist equity coaches.
Former Sustainable CT executive director Lynn Stoddard stated last year, “We are thrilled to welcome these talented and experienced Equity Coaches to the Sustainable CT team as part of our ongoing commitment to advancing equity and inclusion in all areas of our work. Their expertise and passion for equity will be invaluable as we work to create a more sustainable and just future for all Connecticut residents."
The role and risks of pursuing equity initiatives in the United States and Connecticut are uncertain given proposals for president-elect Donald Trump’s second term, and the current political realignment deep into former Democratic Party strongholds. In the debrief concerning the decisive loss, legacy media outlets have included more diverse viewpoints in the past week. Some on MSNBC, CNN, in the New York Times, and elsewhere blame the far left in the Democratic Party (and the narrow viewpoints in legacy media) for losing the presidential election, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The decisive loss deeply surprised them.
Within this context, Associated Press reports, “Trump has called for ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government institutions, using federal funding as leverage.”
So, which activists have taken an advisory role in your CT municipality? When will these initiatives be
fundamentally dismantled? Does the municipality face losing federal funding if it insists on continuing
the widely controversial programming? What other potential liabilities are there? How can municipalities prove that they have ceased all DEI initiatives to meet proposed requirements? What additional costs will taxpayers face to clean up the DEI rollout-and-removal mess?
Sustainable CT’s Board of Directors includes Laura Francis, Sustainable CT Board Co-Chair, Deputy Director/Director of Transportation Planning, South Central Regional Council of Governments; Sean Ghio, Sustainable CT Board Co-Chair, Policy Director, Partnership for Strong Communities; Josh Kelly, Sustainable CT Board Treasurer, CEO, Thames Valley Council for Community Action; Sheila McKay, Sustainable CT Board Secretary, Senior Staff Associate for Government Relations, CT Association of Boards of Education; Danielle Chesebrough, First Selectman, Stonington; Nicole Chevalier, Member of the Public; Dave Dickson, Director, University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research; Camille Fontanella, (Non Voting), Director, Office of Innovative Partnerships and Planning, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; Matthew Fulda, Executive Director, CT Metropolitan Council of Governments; Bryan Garcia, President & CEO, CT Green Bank; Jessica LeClair, (Ex-Officio, Non Voting), Executive Director, Sustainable CT; Zachary McKeown, (Ex-Officio, Non Voting), Advocacy Manager, CT Conference of Municipalities; Abby Piersall, Town Planner, Clinton; Michael Purcaro, Chief of Government Administration, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation; Dave Smith, Vice President, Global EH&S Governance, Stanley Black & Decker; and Latha Swamy, Director of Food System Policy, New Haven.
Hopefully clarity will be offered at Sustainable CT’s event for award winners today in Old Saybrook, the town being a Sustainable CT Gold Certification recipient and site of a recent “boys in girls” high school sports controversy. The awards ceremony will take place at The Kate, named after Katherine Hepburn. Among the famous quotes stated by the legendary actress: "If you give an audience a chance, they will do half your acting for you."
