Protests and rallies have raised tension in Ellensburg and caught the attention of the city council.

Mayor Bruce Tabb said he believes the Black History Month proclamation city council made on Feb. 1 will be the first step in moving in the right direction.

“This particular proclamation is a part of the on-going effort I think for us to elevate the communities awareness of the diverse communities that are within Ellensburg,” Tabb said.

Tabb mentions that city council member Nancy Goodloe and others were appointed to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusions (DEI) subcommittee.

“We organized a listening tour, we identified all of the groups in town that we felt like we’re marginalized,” Goodloe said.

Tabb said that he and council members, as leaders in the community, think it’s time to make a difference that will benefit everyone.

“It’s the opportunity to step up; it’s an opportunity to step forward,” Tabb said. “It’s an opportunity to really create a better community.”

Goodloe said that the city council is in the process of forming a DEI commission for the city who will be separate from the council.

“To bring people together in this community and try to strengthen relationships and help people try to know each other better,” Goodloe said. “Try to shut down some of the barriers that are built into our culture, by ‘our’ I mean white.”

Tabb said that once the commission gets appointed and approved, there will be more changes and progress made to bring the community together.