You are here: Home / Community Activities / EDA Equity Alliance Series / August 2023 DMC: Let’s Spill the T.E.A.

August 2023 DMC: Let’s Spill the T.E.A.

How Transformative Equity Analysis can unveil critical insights and elevate organizational efficacy.
When Aug 23, 2023
from 12:00 PM to 01:00 PM
Where Virtual
Contact Name
Add event to calendar Outlook/Android
Apple iPhone/iPad
Add to Google Calendar Add to Google Calendar

 


Table of content: August Meeting Materials (Video Recording, Slides) | 


 

 

 August Meeting Agenda

 

Description

In a world where action speaks louder than words, how do you ensure your organization walks the talk of diversity, equity and inclusion? Join Amanda and Laura, organizational equity & justice consultants, as they dive deep into the transformative realm of equity auditing, where insights meet action. Just as regular and continuous self-reflection is important for personal development, engaging in critical, in-depth, and meaningful analysis of our organizations is essential to keeping up with worker and community expectations of a commitment to equitable impact.

Amanda and Laura will spill the tea by revealing harmful workplace/school patterns that prevent revolutionary culture shifts, while also sharing proven systems-change practices, discovered through transformative equity analysis. Analysis can include policy/procedure/practice review (employee handbooks, hiring, recruitment, website accessibility, conflict and harm intervention), programmatic updates (curriculum, structure, community engagement support, (re)branding), environmental scans (social media/website, accessibility, gender inclusivity, representation, culturally relevant physical spaces and content), and mission/vision/values (re)development and/or alignment assessment.

OUR PRESENTERS

AMANDA FLORENCE GARCIA GOODENOUGH (she/her)
Educator, Consultant, Speaker, & Team Lead for Social Responsibility Speaks, LLC
Founder & Lead Executive Officer (LEO) of Goodenough Consulting, LLC

Amanda Florence Garcia Goodenough (she/her) is a dedicated educator operating from a cultural humility framework to center and elevate historically marginalized voices, promote belongingness and mattering, disrupt structural inequities, and advance intersectional social and racial justice. She is currently the CEO & Founder of Goodenough Consulting and a Team Lead & Partner for Social Responsibility Speaks. Amanda is also a member of the Greater La Crosse Area Diversity Council’s (GLADC) Speakers Bureau, an independent contractor/facilitator for the La Crosse Area YWCA Racial Justice workshops, a cultural guide for the Waking Up White Collaborative and Creating a Healthier Multicultural Community initiative, and a board member for The Pump House Regional Arts Center.

Amanda was the 2021 recipient of La Crosse’s 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award and the 2010 recipient of the Social Justice Achievement Award for YWCA’s Tribute to Outstanding Women, and she previously served as the Director of the Research & Resource Center for Campus Climate at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Leaning on 20 years of professional experience in justice, equity, decolonization, and interconnectedness (JEDI) efforts, Amanda engages in systems-change work and strives to speak truth to power as an act of love and liberation.

 

LAURA ABELLERA (she/her)
Justice and Equity Consultant for Goodenough Consulting and Social Responsibility Speaks

Laura Abellera (she/her) is a facilitator and consultant drawing from her professional, educational, and lived experiences as a community organizer and teacher. She received her M.S.Ed. from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) while spending her graduate assistantship in the Research and Resource Center for Campus Climate. She also received her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago, focusing on civil rights, public interest, and legislative research. Laura has undergraduate teaching experience in the area of Race, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She has experience with organizational harm response and intervention, as well as community organizing, political education, and arts-based student leadership programming.

Laura currently works as a justice and equity consultant with Goodenough Consulting and Social Responsibility Speaks. She brings her identities as a queer, multi-racial, Filipina daughter and sister into spaces to better facilitate collective and shared learning experiences. She is passionate about cultivating strong systems of community care and social transformation rooted in liberation, healing, and joyful relationships. Outside of paid work, Laura is involved with local grassroots initiatives that focus on criminal legal system reform, multiracial movement organizing, housing and tenants’ rights, and spending lots of time at her favorite local independent bookstore (Pearl Street Books in La Crosse, go check them out!).

About the Equity Alliance Equity Series
The Equity Alliance Equity Series is a monthly seminar sponsored by Destination Medical Center and the City of Rochester. The purpose is to introduce diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices, build sustainable DEI community strategies, and build advocacy and allyship within the Rochester community. The series is held virtually on the fourth Wednesday of every month at noon.

More info on DMC Website

 

 

Back to TOC

 


 

August Presentation Materials

 

Video Recording

 

 

 

Back to TOC

 


 

August Presentation Slides

 

 

 

Back to TOC

 


 

 

 

 

 

More information about this event…

Filed under: DMC, Diversity, CMRC, key
Equity Alliance Series
From Cradle to Career: Driving Lasting Change for Rochester's Youth
America's City for Health - DMC Development Plan 2025 Update
Disability Rights
Breaking Down to Build Up
Toward Equity in Public Spending: Intro to Participatory Budgeting
Addressing Student and Family Homelessness through Collaborative Partnerships
Family Unity and DEIA in Our Current Climate
Safe Spaces at Work: Creating a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging
Beyond the Ballot: Black/Diverse Voices in Local Leadership
Pathways to a Vibrant, Just, and Equitable Rochester
Equity Alliance Equity Series Equity Eats: Power of Community Benefits Agreement
Equity Alliance Equity Series Equity Eats: Reviving Roots, Restoring Ecosystem Economies Through Indigenous Foodways
Latino Economic Development Center: Creating Generational Wealth One Entrepreneur at a Time
Youth Engagement from the Youth Perspective
How Organizations Can Commit to Accessibility
Investing in Community: Equitable Planning and Design Strategies in the Twin Cities and Beyond
Working Toward Equality for Minnesotans of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage
Empowering Women in the Workplace
Uncovering Rondo Community Land Trust and the Reparative Framework
How We Rise: Lessons from Rochester’s Black History
Advancing Equity in the Built Environment
Business Practices – a key lever to drive equity in the workplace and community
Data-informed tools to drive racial equity and inclusion within organizations
Enhancing equitable housing opportunities through community initiatives and collaboration
August 2023 DMC: Let’s Spill the T.E.A.
DMC: July 2023 Equity Series Community Wealth Building
Equity Alliance Series - More…

Two types of event information being shared in the following:

1. A list of Beam aware upcoming community events of all types. 

2. A list of noteworthy past events that have one or more of the following contents: presentation slides, video recordings as well as takeaways. 

Upcoming Events
2025 C2C Annual Education Summit Oct 29, 2025 09:00 AM - 04:00 PM — Mayo Civic Center
World Cafe - Uplifting Parent Voices for Multilingual Leaders Oct 29, 2025 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM — Edison Building
Forum and Discussion on ‘Democracy Innovations for Better Public Meetings’ Nov 06, 2025 05:30 PM - 07:30 PM — Rochester Community and Technical College campus).
Introduction to Restorative Justice - Circle Training Nov 11, 2025 04:00 PM - 08:00 PM — Christ United Methodist Church
Introduction to Restorative Justice - Circle Training Nov 13, 2025 08:00 AM - 03:00 PM — Christ United Methodist Church
ZMVS Presents Heartreach Clinic Nov 15, 2025 12:30 PM - 03:30 PM — Christ United Methodist Church, Rochester, MN
NAACP 2025 Freedom Fund Banquest Nov 15, 2025 05:00 PM - 10:00 PM — HILTON ROCHESTER MAYO CLINIC AREA
Hot Stuff: Electrifying Water Heating, Cooking, and Clothes Drying Nov 20, 2025 06:00 PM - 07:30 PM — 4001 West River Parkway NW Suite 100 Rochester, MN 55901
RPS Sound School Presents Tuvergen Band Nov 21, 2025 07:00 PM - 08:30 PM — Chateau Theatre
Upcoming events…
Community News

This panel displays the latest community news. For a standalone view please click this LINK.



Restorative Justice Circle Collaboration with RPS

2025 RPS Collaboration to improve school attendance; Circle Training

2024 Project Legacy Collaboration

 References

Last Updated October 26, 2025



DMC 2026 Budget and Workplan

2026 Budget and Workplan September DMCC Board Meeting

Reference(s): Concurring City Council Oct 6 2025 Approval Request 

 

Last Updated October 26, 2025



America's City for Heath and Older Elders Needs

AI Summary of Dave Beal's PB Op Ed:

"Include older adults in Rochester's Plans"

 

Last Updated October 23, 2025



HOME OWNERSHIP CREATION PROGRAM – LONDON BROOK PONDS

City Council Meeting Approval of Housing Support: Housing Funding Allocations; TIF approval

PB reporting

Last Updated October 21, 2025



Seneca Property Plan Shelved

2025: PB reporting: Plan to develop vision for former Seneca site shelved

2022: (1) RAEDI partners with Olmsted County to solicit Statements of Interest (SOI) for former Seneca property; (2) Olmsted County signs agreement with RAEDI to solicit development proposals for former Seneca property

Last Updated October 16, 2025



Mayor and City Council Launch ‘Democracy Innovations for Better Public Meetings’

Press Release and focuses: Civic Engagement Scorecard, Civic Infrastructure Scan

References: AI summary of project, Community Forum

Last Updated October 15, 2025



DAP Funding Justification

Oct 15, 2025 D.A.P. Meeting Info Sharing - Building a community-owned data repository

 

 

Last Updated October 15, 2025



DMC 2015-2025 Review and Next 5 Years

DMC Board Sep 2025 Meeting: Next 5 Year Plan Update Briefing

July 2025 Reflections: DMC’s next decade will focus on deepening its impact—through infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and community engagement—while continuing to support Rochester’s evolution into a vibrant, health-focused destination.

Last Updated October 12, 2025



Discovery Square Shared Lab Infastructure

Sep 2025 Update Presentation

May 2025: Biolabs as shared space partner: A shared lab space for a community of like-minded entrepreneurs associated with one or more academic research partners, PB reporting

Nov 2023 DMCC Board Presentation

Last Updated October 12, 2025



Rochester Sports and Recreation Complex

Oct 6, 2025 City Council Meeting

July 28, 2025 City Council Study Session 

Sample of community feedbacks on Facebook

Last Updated October 11, 2025



Community Health Improvement Plan Update

Availability of 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment

  • Admin Message
  • Oct 2025 Newsletter 

PB Report

Last Updated October 07, 2025



2026 Annual Action Plan - Community Development Block Grant Allocations

  • 2026 Annual Action Plan - Community Development Block Grant Allocations
  • Presentation 

Last Updated October 06, 2025



Local Sales Tax Update

  • City Council Study Session:
  • Sales Tax Renewal Projects - Utilization of Sales Tax: Street Reconstruction. Flood Control and Water Quality, Economic Vitality, Home Ownership
  • AI summary of PB Reporting  

Last Updated October 02, 2025



Destination Medical Center (DMC) Plan Status Reports

2025 Report: Videos, 10 year reflection

2016 Report: In addition to the December 2016 status report, DMC EDA shows a useful diagram that positions the relationships of various studies going on within Rochester.

Last Updated October 01, 2025



September 2025 Charter Commission

  • City Governance Work Item
  • Application for replacement member

Last Updated September 28, 2025



2024-2025 RPS Data Analysis

Sep 2025 MCA Improvement Action Plan 

2024-25 Fastbridge Data Analysis and Literacy Plan Update

PB reporting on MCA

Last Updated September 27, 2025



Healthy Living Wellness Tips

2025 Oct podcast; Sep Newsletter

2025 Conference Materials

2020 Lifestyle Medicine Symposium (March 19-20)

Last Updated September 27, 2025



Collaboration & Conflict Insights

Minnesota State - Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution Sep 2025 Newsletter

Last Updated September 27, 2025



Rebranding RPS 2025

Sep 23, 2025 School Board Prep

  • Superintendent Video recording clip 
  • Presentation Slides
  • Proposed New Logo

PB Reporting

Last Updated September 26, 2025



City of Rochester 2026-2027 Budget Planning

  • Sep 22, 2025 City Council 
  • Sep 15, 2025 Study Session, Sep 3, 2025 Study Session;  Aug 25, 2025 Study Session; Press Release; 
  • June 23, 2025 Study Session: 2026 Capital Improvement Plan & Outside Agency Funding Budget Update
  • May 27, 2025 City Council Study Session ; Apr 28, 2025 City Council Study Session Material 
  • Press Release: The City of Rochester is beginning its 2026-2027 budget process and invites residents to learn more about the factors shaping the City’s financial outlook.

Last Updated September 23, 2025