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City of Lakeland Will Host Race Relations Community Forum


race relations community forum logo

June 29th at the RP Funding Center

LAKELAND, FL (June 17, 2020) | The Lakeland City Commission will host a community forum on race relations on Monday, June 29th at the RP Funding Center Youkey Theater from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.  The forum will be set-up to allow the community to share their views on issues of race and equality. 

Commissioner Phillip Walker will open the event sharing his views and experiences before handing the mic to Mayor Bill Mutz who will be the moderator for the evening. Mayor Mutz said, “We want the forum to be a time of listening and it is important for the community to know that we will not have solutions on the night of the event. However, solutions will come after we hear from the community.” He added, “Empathy and understanding are the first steps in creating solutions and the first steps toward improving relationships.”

City Manager Tony Delgado elaborated, “The event is a critical starting point for the community to come together and learn from one another. The best solutions come from working in unity so we want to hear from people in the community in a listening and learning session. We are reaching out to some of the more representative groups on the issue asking them to join us for the event.”  He added, “We may not be directly experiencing some of the same issues as those communities that we see in the news but it is important that we do the very best we can to promote equality and fair treatment no matter the color of our skin.”

Safety Protocols

Coronavirus safety protocols will be in place including social distancing, masks (required), and temperature checks. The nation is still grappling with the impact of a pandemic and Florida recently has experienced a spike in positive COVID-19 cases with a steady rise since Memorial Day. 

Contact

Kevin Cook
Director of Communications
City of Lakeland
863.834.6264
kevin.cook@lakelandgov.net

About Lakeland

The City of Lakeland was incorporated in January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida.  With a current population of over 100,000, Lakeland continues to grow. It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years.  With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away, Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor.  The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric, the third-largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 110 years ago.

 

      

For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please explore LakelandGov.net.
Citizens are also invited to follow the City on social media.