On Tuesday, members of the Flagstaff City Council were briefed on the Commission of Diversity Awareness’s findings by members Jean Toner and DeAnn Wegwert.

The 15-question online survey posted on the city website asked participants to rate their experience with different aspects of Flagstaff, ranging from “very comfortable” to “very uncomfortable.” Scaled questions were then followed by open-ended questions, where participants were able to leave comments. 

In total, the survey generated 154 responses from individuals ranging in age, race, ethnicity and gender. About one-fifth of the participants said they “frequently” witnessed an incident of hostility or discrimination based on the above identities.

Wegwert, who presented the findings from the open-ended responses, said some were concerned that members of law enforcement and businesses were racially profiling individuals.

Presenters told Council there is a “deep and urgent need for dialogue about diversity, equality and equity,” also recommending that the city implements an explicit inclusion policy statement to direct future policy-making. LGBTQ respondents said they had experienced “catcalls” when out in public with their partners.

“I have heard of the subtle, anecdotal stories of racism,” Councilmember Reina Salas said. “Being a part of the two percent of our Asian American community in Flagstaff, I am very mindful and aware of what's going on.”

One key survey finding was a “deep appreciation” to the city for flying the LGBTQ pride flag during Pride Month in June, according to presenters. But responses also referred to the decision to move Pride celebrations from Wheeler Park to Thorpe Park as discriminatory. 

When questioned about whether participants felt welcome, responses were divided to represent various locations and services, such as businesses, healthcare facilities, primary schools, social services and universities. 

In all but one category, over 40% of surveyed residents selected the “very welcome” response and over 30% selected the “somewhat welcome” response. The social services responses varied from the others, with around 30% of respondents selecting the “N/A” option.

Lack of housing options and discrimination were also identified as “barriers” to diversity by respondents. Presenters told Council that respondents recommended this issue be made a top priority.

In response to a question that asked participants to rate “specific barriers to a welcoming climate,” nearly 70% of responses deemed lack of housing options a “very important” issue. Around 60% of responses found discrimination to be a substantial barrier.

“On the topic of housing, we know this is our biggest issue. We know this is the elephant in the room,” Shimoni said. “That’s why the previous Council declared a climate emergency. We need info. … We need info on density. We are at a turning point.”

Participants noted specific housing concerns, such as the rapid development of student housing, living costs higher than the national average and lack of access to public transportation.

Accessibility was another issue addressed by the survey, finding that citizens felt the city was lacking in accessible city facilities, education facilities, employment, interpretation services and downtown parking.

The questionnaire also polled residents to find their preferred method of communication. Social media was a clear front runner, although participants deemed flyers on public transportation and venues and the city's website as important methods of connecting.

Across all responses, presenters said the “response rate was sufficiently robust to be useful” and that the demographic of the respondents was representative of the city -- although it only surveyed a small fraction of the population. 

However, the data was collected prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and nationwide Black Lives Matter protests, which might have influenced the final results, Wegwert said.

Salas said the survey was “useful in initiating collaboration with other city commissions and public entities.” It was brought up in discussions that findings could be used in collaborative efforts between the Downtown Business Alliance, Flagstaff Police Department and the Anti-Racism Committee. 

The commission plans to expand on this type of survey work to better analyze and collect data in the future, and recommended that further research is done. 

“I want to thank you both for the comprehensive survey. I did read through all of it, including every comment, and it was very eye-opening,” Councilmember Miranda Sweet said.