South Bend this week announced the hiring of a new diversity and inclusion officer after controversy surrounding the past director's relationship with the city's Human Rights Commission.
On Thursday, South Bend Mayor James Mueller announced Cynthia Simmons-Taylor will lead the city’s diversity, compliance and inclusion efforts and touted her experience with the city as a factor in her selection. Simmons-Taylor has filled many roles for South Bend over her 26 years with the city. She’s been a legal administrator, a housing investigator and a customer service worker. Most recently, the director of the city’s 311 customer service line.
“I am thrilled that Cynthia answered the call to serve in this critical role for South Bend,” Mueller said in a written press release. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the city, and I look forward to working with her as we move our diversity, inclusion, equity and access efforts forward.”
The diversity and inclusion officer’s main tasks are to improve equity and diversity in the city’s workforce through hiring and retention initiatives and to ensure that a percentage of city contracts go to businesses owned by women or people of color.
“I am both honored and humbled in being selected as Officer of Diversity and Inclusion, which will allow me to continue to build bridges within our diverse community,” said Simmons-Taylor in the release. “I will ensure that our residents have a realistic expectation of city services and expressing their needs and requests to city departments has always been our mission."
Another key responsibility for Simmons-Taylor will be overseeing South Bend's Human Rights Commission, which investigates allegations of discrimination in employment, housing and education. Controversy has arisen from the HRC in the past year as former director Yolanda Young-Smith butted heads with Michael Patton, the city's former diversity and inclusion officer.
According to reporting from The South Bend Tribune, five HRC employees left the office in 2022 and the exodus prompted Patton fire Young-Smith in October for verbally abusing her staff. Young-Smith told The Tribune she denies those claims and blames Patton for interfering with her workers.
Patton resigned in January and Simmons-Taylor now takes on the task of leading the HRC.
Simmons-Taylor has also worked as a real estate broker at Cressy and Everett and said she plans to use that experience to further opportunities for minority-owned businesses. She starts her new role on Monday.
