Addressing the Disparity in 2021: Forum to Provide Updates on Status of Disparity Study Recommendations

City Council Member Sabrina Wooten is hosting a virtual forum, Addressing the Disparity in 2021, to update the community about the status of the recommendations from the City's 2018 disparity study. The event will be held online Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 6 to 8 p.m. It is free and open to the public. To register, visit the WebEx online meeting portal at Disparity Forum 2021. It will also be live streamed on facebook.com/CityofVaBeach. "The disparity study the City commissioned three years ago highlighted a number of actions we can take to increase and improve our contracting efforts for minority and women-owned firms," said Wooten. "With the ongoing impacts to businesses from the pandemic, the timing is especially good to let our residents know where we are with these key initiatives and what steps we are taking to fight the disparity," said Wooten. A panel of participants will provide updates in their respective areas and then field questions from the virtual audience. The panel includes Patrick Duhaney, city manager; Taylor Adams, Economic Development director; Rebecca Kee, City of Virginia Beach purchasing agent, and Lavera Tolentino, minority business coordinator. Dr. Veleka Gatling, director of Diversity Initiatives at Old Dominion University, will moderate the discussion.