City of Rochester hires Chao Mwatela to head up diversity, equity and inclusion efforts

The City of Rochester announced Thursday the selection of Chao Mwatela as its first-ever director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

The decision to add the position to the 2021 budget was made by the City Council last fall following months of discussion on the need to further address equity and inclusion in city government.

In taking on the position, Mwatela will be responsible for leading efforts to “effectively foster and advance an organizational culture and a community climate that embrace diversity, equity and inclusion as core values,” according to a city news release. She will also provide guidance to city leadership and community partners to ensure “equitable city policies, projects, programs and processes in all facets of organizational work.”

“One of the City’s Foundational Principles is social equity,” Mayor Kim Norton said in a written statement announcing the hire of Mwatela. “We continue to focus on and increase our efforts, internally and externally, on diversity, equity and inclusion. I am very pleased that Ms. Mwatela will be joining the Rochester team. Her skills, expertise and passion for this important topic will help us continue to move forward. We are committed to a city where all community members can thrive.”

Mwatela has served as a multicultural academic advisor in the Office of Equity and Inclusion at Rochester Community and Technical College, and is currently finishing up her master’s degree in organizational leadership at Winona State University-Rochester. She also served as a community co-designer for the downtown Discovery Walk project.

“I am excited and honored to join the City of Rochester team, especially in this new role that centers intentional efforts towards an equitable community,” said Mwatela. “I look forward to working with all the individuals and organizations already engaged in this work. In community, we can create a city that embraces diversity, is inclusive in all its practices, and equity is normalized.”

Mwatela will start in the role on February 25.

Editor’s note: We shared Mwatela’s story for a 2018 article on Med City Beat as part of our ongoing partnership with WSU-Rochester. You can read that here.