Not looking like ‘us’

Diversity an asset when it’s brought into the fold

It is a good thing to occasionally go through a self-inventory, to gauge how one’s ideas and hopes measure against reality and to hit the reset button wherever necessary to align thinking and actions.

It’s not just a personal exercise. Communities across Northwest Arkansas from time to time take a small break to ponder the future and what it will take to ensure that future resembles the vi- sion of their residents. The latest was Springdale. Business leaders, city staff and elected officials were hosted by the Springdale Chamber of Commerce in a three-day retreat to examine the city’s economic growth, its development as a community, transportation and infrastructure and downtown development.

The event appeared to be a worthwhile joining of the minds to ferret out Springdale’s opportunities and address its weaknesses.

It’s low-hanging fruit to take notice that this group, in an effort to brainstorm ideas to attract people to Springdale and to be a community that retains its best and brightest, escaped to Branson for its Idea-Fest. One participant took note that Springdale operates at a disadvantage in terms of attracting employers by not having a “high-end” hotel such as Rogers’ Embassy Suites or the Chancellor Hotel in Fayetteville where executive for prospective companies can stay. That’s a fair point, highlighted by the chamber’s own departure from the city’s borders.

Deserving of applause was the insight of Perry Webb, the president of the chamber who in closing remarks noted the absence of discussion among the various focus groups during the retreat about diversity or, as he noted, the lack of it in the 100 or so leaders participating.

“Half of our community does not look like us,” Webb told an audience that did not reflect the makeup of Springdale.

Perry’s right. Springdale has a big Hispanic population and a smaller but still significant population of Marshallese. Perry committed “to start talking about that.” That has to be a fundamental part of the conversation when it comes to Springdale because it’s hard to drive a community forward if a big part of its population is not taken into account. One can argue all day about whether it should have come sooner, but we appreciate that the shortcoming was noticed and pointed out. That’s the key to new beginnings.

Until such gatherings begin to look like Springdale’s diverse population, the city will be limited in its capacity to establish a brighter future for the community.