To the editor:

Several weeks ago, Croton’s Board of Trustees voted to create our first committee on Diversity and Inclusion. For a small village like ours, some might wonder why, or whether, this is necessary. For me, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

It is exciting to start to take a real look around and see who actually lives here now. It is exciting to see that even within a few square miles, we contain many cultures and many lifestyles. This committee is tasked with looking more deeply into our population and seeing what we can do in order to reach and interact with each other. We’ll look at how the Village might help newer Americans not only adjust to life here, but to have them share their own riches and cultures. We’ll look at our attitudes and see if we can reach farther and more openly across what seem like dividing lines. We’ll look at what we as a Village can do to be more welcoming, more understanding, more helpful, more open.

Anyone interested in working with this group should reach out to me through the Village. I look forward to meeting, speaking, and sharing in our beautiful differences and similarities.

Things happen when we open our eyes. Amazing lessons are learned when we interact with people we might consider “different” from ourselves. This is a time, and an opportunity, to look for each other and to get to know one another. There is much to teach and much to learn.

Sincerely,

Amy Attias, Village Trustee