Safe and Welcoming Lynnwood

In 2017, Mayor Nicola Smith, the Lynnwood City Council, and Chief of Police Tom Davis co-signed Resolution 2017-03 reaffirming the City of Lynnwood's commitment to be a safe, welcoming, and equitable community for all. That resolution says the following:

• Lynnwood is a City with great diversity that includes racial, ethnic, socioeconomic status, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, country of origin, veteran status, differently-abled, as well as a diversity of thought, religion, workforce and marketplace.
  
  
• In Lynnwood, all members of our community that choose to live here peacefully, have the right to be treated fairly and to live their lives with dignity, free from discrimination or targeting based on their race, religion, country of origin, or any other identity.
  
  

• The best way to engage underserved and underrepresented communities with local government is through creating trusting relationships built upon mutual respect and understanding.

• The City of Lynnwood understands that a healthy city is one in which all members of the community have an equity-based opportunity to access city services, participate in the public process, and feel safe and welcome in their community.

• The City of Lynnwood is committed to being pro-equity in city practices and governance through our actions, processes and decisions.

• In the City of Lynnwood elected officials have a duty to serve all members of our community and protect their basic human rights, ensure their safety, and social well-being.

• We strongly condemn acts of hate, violence, intimidation, harassment or any other acts that are based on age, race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, gender identity, ability, faith, housing status, sexual orientation, economic status or other social status.

The City of Lynnwood commits to: 

1. The City Council, Mayor, and Police Chief are committed to making Lynnwood a safe, welcoming, and equitable community for everyone that lives, works, plays, does business, goes to school in, or visits our city.
2. The City Council, Mayor, and Police Chief are committed to standing together with the people of Lynnwood in opposing hate, violence, and acts of intolerance committed against our community members.
3. The City Council, Mayor, and Police Chief are committed to continuing our pro-equity work, reaching out and connecting with our community members to ensure that our programs are accessible and open to all individuals.
   
   

Safe Welcoming and Equitable Community Resolution(PDF, 95KB)

Between 2007-2009, Lynnwood Community Members came together to develop our Lynnwood Community Vision. In that vision, it calls for Lynnwood to be a welcoming community, a cohesive community, that respects all, and is responsive to the wants and needs of our community members.

Visit our Community Vision webpage to learn more.

The City of Lynnwood is a member of GARE: Government Alliance on Race and Equity, which is a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. 

Our Lynnwood GARE team consists of twelve employees that represent every City Department, various levels of the organization, and come from diverse backgrounds. Beginning in 2019, our team participated in an 8-month learning cohort from the Northwest, attending monthly sessions focused on building skills and strategies for the implementation of equitable government practices. The team has adopted the name Team REAL (Racial Equity Advancing Lynnwood) and learned effective approaches for building the capacity of government to eliminate institutional and structural racism and advance racial equity. There are representatives from Human Resources, Lynnwood Police Department, Public Works, Finance, Executive Office, Community Development, Parks & Recreation, and Information Technology.

The work of Team REAL continues as we begin to apply their anti-racist learnings to  policies, procedures, and projects in Lynnwood. We are changing our systems and institutions, so all residents of Lynnwood have equal opportunities to thrive.  

The City of Lynnwood launched its inaugural Community Equity Survey and engagement effort in 2021 to better understand community members’ experience with Lynnwood as a safe, welcoming, and equitable community for all. The survey explores the existing landscape of experiences with belonging, safety, civic engagement, and interactions with government across Lynnwood’s diverse communities. The analysis of this survey and the ensuing recommendations – both of which are included in this report – should support the City of Lynnwood with a credible data set and a foundation for decision making to explore more deeply – and subsequently respond to – community equity needs.

Learn more about the Community Equity Survey.

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commission is an advisory board to the Mayor, City Council, and City Staff. They provide advice and recommendations on how to be a welcoming city, remove barriers, provide inclusive engagement and outreach, and help to build relationships with our underserved and underrepresented community members.

Find out more about the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commission by visiting their webpage.

The Human Services Commission is an advisory board to the Mayor, City Council, and City Staff. They provide advice and recommendations on how the City can meet the needs of Lynnwood's lower income residents, the homeless, seniors, veterans, victims of abuse, youth and other underserved community members.

To find out more about the Human Services Commission visit their webpage.

All Are Welcome is an initiative of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commission and is a part of the City's larger commitment to being a safe, welcoming, and equitable city for all.

Please join us in the effort to create a safe and welcoming city by displaying an All Are Welcome decal at your business, community gathering place, and even your home!

To request a decal, contact Doug Raiford at equity@LynnwoodWA.gov or 425-670-5004.

The City of Lynnwood is committed to creating a workplace that is safe, welcoming, and equitable for all of our employees and future applicants. We have an internal committee called LEED - Lynnwood Employees Embracing Diversity. 

LEED's mission is to cultivate and promote a welcoming, safe, equitable and inclusive workplace for ALL employees. Through mutual respect and education, we will achieve our goals of embracing diversity. 

LEED's core values are as follows: We RESPECT the rich and infinite differences of all employees. We demonstrate these values by being a champion to ensure that all employees are able to work in a safe environment of dignity, equity and inclusion. 

For more information on LEED, please contact Doug Raiford at equity@LynnwoodWA.govor 425-670-5004.

In November 2016, the City of Lynnwood contracted with ORS Impact to provide consulting services to explore outcomes-based strategies for ensuring equity and social justice in the City's institutional culture, policies, and practices. ORS Impact facilitated three strategic sessions where ideas were generated by City of Lynnwood leadership and community stakeholders through a collaborative process. 

Equity and Social Justice Planning Meeting Summary(PDF, 3MB)