Urbana Adds Human Rights and Equity Officer

URBANA ANNOUNCES HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY OFFICER 

The City of Urbana appointed Carla M. Boyd to the position of Human Rights and Equity Officer at the City Council meeting on May 24, 2021. 

Over the past 23 years, Boyd has served in the following positions at Danville Area Community College: Chief Diversity Officer; Assistant Vice President/Student Services; Director, Career and Employment Services; Assistant Director, Admissions and Records; Student Diversity Advocate; Director, Project Excel; and Program Specialist, Job Training Partnership Program. She has also served as an Adjunct Instructor in Reading Skills, Success in College, and Race and Ethnic Relations. 

Carla Boyd earned a BA in Psychology from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, PA; an MS in Education Administration from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston; and currently is studying for a PhD in Education Administration and Foundations at Illinois State University, Normal. 

“Carla Boyd has extensive experience working and volunteering with community stakeholders, community-based service organizations, advocacy entities, and faith-based organizations including the Vermilion County Housing Board of Commissioners, The Dwelling Place; Love, INC; and the Danville Public Library. Additional experience includes implementing state and federal laws and regulations related to civil rights, human rights, and equal employment opportunities, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, American Disabilities Act, Title IX and others,” Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin said. 

In Boyd’s own words: “I have facilitated courageous conversations on race, privilege, hidden rules of economic class, and implicit bias. The Human Rights Ordinance and Civilian Police Review Board reform should be changes that reflect the perspectives from all stakeholders, those that will impose the ordinances and those that the ordinances will be imposed upon. Assuring that input is included from all sectors of the community will increase buy-in and could alleviate a lot of the contention that usually surrounds ordinances….Relationship is the cornerstone of building trust. It is hard to trust someone that you do not know.”