Membership for the county’s new Equity Working Committee have been announced. Permit Sonoma announced the 20 people on the committee which will help shape land-use planning through an equity lens. They include outgoing Vice-Mayor of Windsor Esther Lemus, Herman Henrnadez of Los Cien, and Evette Minor of the United Women’s Group and the Sonoma County Black Forum. The committee will advise Permit Sonoma in key policy efforts such as the Environmental Justice and Safety Element updates to the General Plan. The committee will also assist in identifying ways to improve community engagement with fire prevention grant programs.
| Members of the working group are as follows: |
| Member | Affiliation(s) | Membership Role |
| Eddie Estrada | Social Worker | Member of disadvantaged community, Census Tract 6097153200 (unincorporated southwest Santa Rosa) |
| Fred Allebach | Sonoma Valley Housing Group | District 1 |
| Zahyra Garcia | Petaluma Pride Board of Directors | District 2 |
| Evette Minor | United Women’s Group; Sonoma County Black Forum | District 3 |
| Dr. Morgan Marchbanks | Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation | District 4 |
| Alina Matutes Haigler | FireSafe Guerneville, President | District 5 |
| Mario Castillo | North Bay Organizing Project | Nonprofit/Community-based organization |
| Kendall Jarvis | Legal Aid of Sonoma County | Nonprofit/Community-based organization |
| Thalia Becerril | Graton Day Labor Center | Nonprofit/Community-based organization |
| Alma Shaw | Sonoma Ecology Center | Nonprofit/Community-based organization |
| Herman J. Hernandez | Los Cien | Nonprofit/Community-based organization |
| Greg Sitter | Conservation Corps North Bay | Nonprofit/Community-based organization |
| Jeanette Pantoja | Sonoma COAD | Nonprofit/Community-based organization |
| Collin Thoma | Disability Services and Legal Center | Representative of persons with disabilities |
| Madonna Feather-Cruz | Graton Rancheria | Tribal member |
| Reynalda Cruz | Student | Youth member at large |
| Ramon F. Meraz | Generation Housing | Member at large |
| Paulina López | Sonoma County Human Rights Commission; North Bay Jobs with Justice; Sunrise Movement | Member at large |
| Esther Lemus | Moorland Neighborhood Action Team | Member at large |