OKPOLICY.ORG
By Clayton Youngman & Lauren Partain
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Mayor G.T. Bynum has appointed a new Chief Resilience Officer to oversee development and growth of the city’s resilience efforts, specifically focusing on racial disparities in Tulsa.
Bynum selected DeVon Douglass to fill the position, according to a news release from the city. Douglass was previously an analyst for the Oklahoma Policy Institute focusing on economic opportunity and poverty.
“In Tulsa, we are serious about bringing all the resources at our disposal to address racial disparities in our city. If our city is to be truly resilient, we must address these honestly and strategically,” Bynum said in the release. “DeVon brings the experience, knowledge, and will to help Tulsa build a stronger and more resilient community for the next generation of Tulsans.”
In 2015, the city of Tulsa partnered with 100 Resilient Cities to form an “action-oriented plan that will build partnerships and alliances, financing mechanisms, and pay particular attention to the preliminary “priority areas” such as mobility and transit, social stability, security and justice, and public health.
Douglass, who organized a series of community forums about racial disparities and safety in the city called Tulsa Talks, will spend time analyzing and strategizing ways to address racial disparities in Tulsa as they relate to those focus areas.
“I’m excited to begin working with the many community partners that will have a direct impact on our resilience efforts in Tulsa,” Douglass said in the press release. “I want to thank Mayor Bynum for entrusting me with this responsibility and I look forward to implementing a strategy that will enable and empower all Tulsans to rise to the challenges that lie ahead.”
Douglass will begin working Jan. 3. Her position is fully funded by 100 Resilient Cities, a two-year initiative of The Rockefeller Foundation.
http://ktul.com/news/local/mayor-bynum-appoints-new-chief-resilience-officer
