Los Gatos DEI commission outlines plans to make town more welcoming

Equitable plans

The Los Gatos Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission plans to maintain a physical presence at community events and compile a calendar of “diverse gatherings” in town.

The commission, which the town council voted to establish in September, has been meeting monthly to discuss policies and measures that will make the town a more welcoming place. The commission is one of several such efforts in Los Gatos after a far-right group disrupted council meetings in 2021 and antisemitic graffiti was found in the town’s Jewish community center.

The group plans to table at the Los Gatos Farmers’ Market and outside the Los Gatos Library and is working on a list of local organizations with which it could potentially partner.

“The commission believes the roots of its success lie in creating a continuous network of input from the
many sub-communities that are connected to Los Gatos,” a release states.

The 11 commission members are Gordon Yamate, Folake Phillips, Varily Issacs, Dominic Broadhead, Carmen Lo, Diane Fisher, Michael Kane, Dornaz Memarzia, Pradeep Khanal, Pravin Balasingham and Ryan Idemoto. Members represent residents, nonprofit employees, business owners, faith leaders, youth commissioners and more.

LGHS artists, writers lauded

Among entries from thousands of their Bay Area peers, works by four Los Gatos High School students stood out 2024 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Competition.

Estelle Paduano, Samantha Wilcox, Connor Hines and Gunnar Ivarsson were among the competition’s award winners. Paduano and Wilcox, who were recognized as “gold key award winners,” will be automatically considered for recognition at the national level.

“With more than 6,700 submissions from the nine-county Bay Area region, this competition is hailed as the country’s longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades 7-12,” a press release from the district reads.