The city of Myrtle Beach鈥檚 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office is no more after a quiet restructuring of city departments 鈥 but city leaders say it isn't due to President Donald Trump鈥檚 victory.
As discussion about the need and fairness of DEI practices had become a national talking point, the city has changed the name of its DEI Office to the Community Engagement Office.
But city leaders say the change in the name of the department will not mean a less inclusive or diverse Myrtle Beach.
鈥淒iversity and inclusiveness is always a priority of ours. Not just within our city staff, but with our visitors, with the people who we attract here and with our businesses. This was a restructuring of city management,鈥 Mayor Brenda Bethune said. 鈥淲e had city managers who had multiple departments underneath them, and the city manager took this as an opportunity to give someone who has really proven himself to be a good manager more responsibilities.鈥
Kelvin Waites, who is in his second stint working for the city of Myrtle Beach, has a new job title 鈥 community engagement officer, formerly DEI officer 鈥 amidst the restructuring.
City spokesperson Patrick Lloyd said Waites reports to City Manager Fox Simons and did so before the restructuring.
Former Mayor Mark McBride took to social media to condemn the change in department name as merely symbolic, saying that the city only changed department names and 鈥渨ill continue to stand in opposition to the Trump direction for the country.鈥
Lloyd said the department and role change was not in response to the topic of DEI entering the national conversation following President Trump鈥檚 election victory.
鈥淭his happened before the election even took place. I know Trump is taking action on this sort of thing kind of at a national level, but this change had nothing to do with that. This was October 2024,鈥 Lloyd said. 鈥淸Waites] was really stepping up beyond just DEI stuff, taking part in very important city leadership meetings and that sort of thing. So we added more responsibilities to his plate on an official level.鈥
Bethune said she wouldn鈥檛 call Waites鈥 position change a promotion, but that he now has more responsibilities. Waites will now oversee the Human Resources and Neighborhood Services departments, Lloyd said.
The city鈥檚 Human Rights Commission chair, Terry Livingston, said he does not have any knowledge of why the city changed the name of its DEI Office. Regardless, Livingston said the commission鈥檚 aim to 鈥渆liminate discriminatory practices within the city by fostering and encouraging the growth and development of the city of Myrtle Beach in a manner that will assure to all persons equal opportunity to live free of discrimination鈥 has not changed.
A main function of a DEI office is to ensure a diverse workforce and equitable hiring practices in an organization. Lloyd said the name change of the department should not change how Myrtle Beach hires.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe anything is going to be changing for our hiring practices,鈥 Lloyd said.
Bethune said the city will continue to be welcoming, diverse and inclusive and pointed out the city鈥檚 recent score on the Municipality Equality Index, a ranking released by the Human Rights Campaign annually.
Myrtle Beach earned a perfect 100 in the 2024 rankings and scored a perfect seven in the 鈥渘on-discrimination in city employment鈥 metric.
鈥淚 think that proves that we have not let go of those values, those core values, of inclusiveness,鈥 Bethune said.
(5) comments
These DEI is a joke鈥 just another why for the government to take control of all of our lives and make more jobs and charge the taxpayers for more bullpoop
How come I am learning about a DEI office after the fact? Is this SC anymore?
From their website "The Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Campaign Foundation fight to make equality, equity and liberation a reality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and qu___ people. As the nation鈥檚 largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, we drive impact by inspiring, engaging and mobilizing millions of pro-equality voters and supporters to elect pro-equality leaders and to demand equity-based policies and legislation; changing hearts and minds through programming that increases understanding, visibility and support for the diverse LGBTQ+ community in all aspects of our identities; and transforming the institutions and systems that shape our everyday lives by advancing LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices in schools, workplaces, hospitals, communities and beyond." So Bethune is happy for the city to be endorsed by this group? When she was running last time she said children should be able to choose their own gender, which on on a video on a local media website. We need to be family friendly again. Let's have Family Pride Month, not Pride Month. Next city elections are this Nov? Who will run?
MB is just begging to lose federal funds. And clearly ignoring the will of the voters.
Seriously? They鈥檙e going to actually take the the deaf dumb and blind stance on this? What a bold face lie. To say it just happened in October and not related to the election is as bad as saying DEI didn鈥檛 exist in MB government to begin with. Stop the semantics garbage and get rid of the DEI practice and people.
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