OPEN FOR BUSINESS
"Wichita must open its doors for everyone if it is going to compete in a 21st Century global marketplace."
— Brandon Whipple
OPEN FOR BUSINESS FOR EVERYONE
If our City is going to succeed in the 21st Century, we must project a welcoming spirit that invites all to come build Wichita’s future. Excluding people from participating in our economy and our community only hurts Wichita’s ability to compete in a 21st Century global marketplace.
RE-ESTABLISH A WICHITA CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION
A big factor in Wichita’s domestic outward migration, resulting in loss of population, is the disenfranchisement and a resulting alienation felt by too many in our community. Wichita must demonstrate our commitment to ending discrimination for all people in our city, and that we are open for business to everybody.
Wichita, unfortunately, has one of the highest gender-based wage disparities among cities its size in the United Statees. Addressing pay equity for women is not only the right and fair thing to do, it will also return as much as $176 million in lost wages to the Wichita community.
Re-establishing a Civil Rights Commission is the first step to not only providing education and training to comply with the City’s non-discrimination ordinance, but also enforcing anti-discrimination laws in our City through mediation.
PASS A COMPREHENSIVE NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE
Businesses large and small compete worldwide for the best talent in our global economy. Unfortunately, Wichita's greatest export is highly-educated young people. It is the Mayor's job to create an environment that encourages this talent – our kids and grandkids – to stay here to live out their dreams. As a dad of three young Wichitans, I accept this challenge for their sake.
To succeed, Wichita needs to be open for business to everyone, and our city must make it clear to the global business community: Wichita celebrates the richness that our people bring us because of who they are, who they love, and because of their record of service to our Nation. Wichita must pass a comprehensive non-discrimination ordinance expanding protections to include Military, Veterans, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.