Kimberly Waller, the Anchorage chief equity officer for Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, complained long and hard on Facebook this past week about President Donald Trump’s executive order that ends discriminatory hiring practices across the federal government, practices known as DEI, for “diversity, equity, inclusion.”
In a Facebook message, she said Trump’s executive does not have the force of law and she will not resign.
Must Read Alaska pointed out that Waller was using her personal Facebook page to conduct city business, to promote partisan candidates and causes, and to encourage people to shop at certain stores, such as Party City, which had a going-out-of-business sale that she thought to share with her followers.
Waller has a projected annual salary of $165,006.40 for the position that was created by the Anchorage Assembly. The first chief equity officer, hired in 2021, made $115,000 per year, but left shortly, and posted a cartoon on social media showing KKK members firing him.
Waller’s predecessor Junior Aumavae, appointed by Republican Mayor Dave Bronson, made $127,000 a year.
Since the position was created by the Assembly in 2021, it has seen a more than 43% increase in salary — in four years.
On city time, Waller has busily posted all manner of political, government, and personal material on her personal Facebook page, such as these examples:
A city employee using their personal social media accounts in an official capacity, while mixing in messages about political campaigns, is a violation of the city’s ethics code. Doing all that during working hours is even more egregious.
What’s more, she wrote extensively in her official capacity about her job as chief diversity officer and her opposition to Trump.
Apparently Waller got the message.
Today, Waller’s Facebook page content, once filled with multiple violations of city code, is all-but disappeared. She left two items on it — a memorial to a deceased friend and a photo of a family member. All the messages about how to do business with the Municipality of Anchorage, her promotions of candidates such as Kamala Harris, and her official statement about Donald Trump are gone.
It’s likely there will be no consequence for Waller, who is a Democrat and who sees herself as a protected class.
For posterity’s sake, her Facebook remarks about Trump before she took them down follow:
“I am writing this in response to the below Executive Order coming out of Washington this week and in response to the influx of calls to my office and personal phone. Thank you to the many people, organizations and Anchorage residents who have reached out this week as we digest the flurry of EO’s pushed out by the new administration. These orders have dealt a blow to so many communities and people whom I care deeply about, and that hurts. To put it plainly, we are in troubled times but we will hold each other up.
“I hope to give some clarity here. For starters, an Executive Order is not a law. The new administration sent home everyone working on any initiatives around equity and asked for 60-day plans for their termination. The White House has effectively ended affirmative action and at a federal level, incentivized anyone who knows of that work happening at a federal level to report that work, pending some serious repercussions.
“While these orders haven’t yet been put into effect at the state or local level, I was informed by Municipal Attorneys that we need to be prepared. And we are.
“What’s disheartening to me is that this EO states that we are doing things we’re simply not doing. In my office, and at the Municipality of Anchorage, no one is being hired, promoted or given any rewards based upon the color of their skin. Hard work is hard work, no matter what race or gender. We do not discriminate based on race, sex or class. We do not play into identity politics nor do we engage in any form of race baiting or hate. It is painful to have to type this but I can assure, I would never spend my time or talents engaging in that sort of bafoonery. It is not who I am, it is not how I was raised and it certainly does not reflect my values.
“What we are doing is connecting with communities and organizations who feel they have no voice in local government. We are assuring that those within our diverse Municipality have language access and are able access the services we offer in their respective languages. We are thoughtfully considering the privilege we hold, as the distributor of enormous resources, when making decisions that affect children, families and marginalized communities.
“We are and will continue to show up and care for those who are experiencing hate, discrimination, bullying and violence based upon their identities. We are continuing our efforts to educate municipal workers on tribes and tribal relationships, which are extremely vital. We are working with APD to not only make sure they receive what they need to do the tough work, but to make sure our immigrant and refugee communities feel safe. And we are doing, so much more.
“My concern is that those who follow the president believe what he says – because he says so, they will believe that these efforts are illegal, divisive and hateful. That people like myself and offices like mine are pushing people out and being discriminatory. We know that perception is reality. Affirmative Action and the laws that came to be were put in place because real (not imagined – real) discrimination and persecution has happened over time and corrective measures had to be put into place as a means of protection. That is our history and that cannot be erased. We can only work to correct so that all can have a shred of a shot at the American Dream.
“My office will continue to work within the parameters of what has been set before us and we will do so, fearlessly. This is the work that brought forth civil rights, voting rights, rights for women, veterans, the elderly, Title IX, rights for the LGBTQ community, for indigenous people, Americans with disabilities and so much more. For me, there is no greater work.
“There is no executive order that will make us stop caring about our neighbors and fellow Americans. There is no law that will stop us from uplifting the voices of the voiceless, to assure that everyone has fairness and dignity in their lifetime. There is no level of threat that will make us so fearful that we will walk away. I’ve assured Municipal lawyers I will not resign. If you know me you know I do not say things I don’t mean.
“Please feel free to reach out to my office should you have any further questions. We will be going through some changes. We have the support of a Mayor, an Assembly (majority) and local government employees who care deeply about the health, personal safety and well being of not only those within the Municipality of Anchorage, but across our nation.”
Unfortunately, Waller is not being fully transparent about her official activities. She is working on enacting discriminatory practices in hiring and contracts.
Read the goals that the LaFrance equity officer is working toward for Anchorage at the Human Rights Campaign foundation at this link. Or here:
It’s time to scrub some folks from the City payroll.
The mayor has been crying about snow removal equipment, and they need to buy a bunch of graders and other pieces of equipment
Fire the DEI officer and buy a road grader. Why is the taxpayer paying money for this BS? It has nothing to do with running the city. Maybe we should get her a shovel I’ll let her go out and shovel snow instead of a road grader and earn her Exorbitant salary
Seriously – if it wasn’t for DEI where would this person be?
She’d be the disgruntled checkout clerk at Target or Walmart.
So nice to be able to tell the truth again – Trump won.
Mayor LaFrance,
Please respond to the Ethics violations listed in this article.
You can and should contact the mayor directly: ‘https://www.muni.org/Departments/Mayor/Pages/ContactTheMayor.aspx
Probably wrote this on Muni’s time since there is nothing she does during the day? What can she do for 8 hours a day? How much equity and diversity can she put around the town?
Duncan, it gets worse: the job basically makes sure every employer in Anchorage is following the Equal Opportunity act. That’s it. Not sure how that position is justified since employers have been following it since 1965
DEI needs to go….Red Wave is here.
The assembly needs to be audited, they spend money like it grows on trees
And they want a sales tax.
They are leftists.
They will spend no end of other people’s money on stuff that makes them look benevolent and kind. And, when they actually have to spend on the goods and services the taxpayers are ponying up for… well, the bank account seems to be empty… raise taxes.
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Try this experiment.
Next time you can get your boss’ ear, tell them you just bought a high end luxury car, but cannot afford the payments. Demand a raise so that you can keep the car.
See how well that works out.
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Realize that is EXACTLY what government legislatures (at all levels of government) do. They spend on luxury items, and then demand the taxpayers pony up.
CB; Please run for any Alaskan office. Pretty please.
Can’t.
Too many skeletons in my closet.
I told an off color joke once. And, when I was about 8 I used the N word in public.
Oh… and I dated more than one person before getting married, so obviously I am a sexual predator.
And, my fashion sense is just awful.
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Obviously, disqualifying factors. Unless you are a democrat.
Sounds like Trump’s resume!
Donewithit: Looks like Trumps resume worked in his favor.
You could run on a campaign bragging about all those past actions.. Beat the liberal media to the punch.
Regarding your fashion sense, you have two options: hire a gay fashion consultant. Or declare your style of Fashion “Alaskan”
I know you can win just on those factors alone.
When you treat someone as “special” because of what they are, they tend to think they are just plain special. And, that means they should be allowed to do whatever they want. Because special precious snowflakes are allowed whatever they want.
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Which is exactly why these DEI hires are such a disaster. This woman is no different. Self important with a position she did not earn, thinks the rules apply to others, not her.
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Children. All of them.
Should we send her a box of Pampers and a case of pacifiers?
What can you say Ms. Waller is a DEI hire. Has anybody been hired for this position that is a heterosexual white man? Probably not, there is no accountability for any employee of the municipality of Anchorage, especially the ones who qualify as DEI
Imagine that, a dei hire not Smart enough to know the law. You going to edit this one too moderators? I’m just going to start screenshoting and blast you on x every time you edit or delete my comments. Don’t be a commie.
The woman is flopping around like a well hooked Russian red salmon. Cheers –
Funny how often professional DEI and questionable ethics go hand in hand.
I hope someone took screen captures of these posts by Waller. This should be investigated. DEI hire or not, if this broke muni policy, it should be investigated and if guilty, punishment should be meted out. Today I learned two things:
1. If you’re the DEI person at the muni, you can feel empowered (entitled) to ignore the rules without fear of punishment.
2. A Pacific Islander DEI person is only worth $127K a year, whereas an African American DEI person is worth $165 per year.
These are indeed strange times we live in here in Anchortown…
We should go to a city council meeting and bring this up before the whole assembly. Make sure to invite a few TV stations.
While Anchorage residents dare not call APD for any domestic dispute this DEI hire opposes hiring for local government jobs based on merit.
Smart people are getting out of Alaska and Anchorage is a hell-hole because of wack-a-doodle public officials Wei hire idiots to promote their agenda.
My story about consequences of this thinking:
Anchorage: Where Every Officer-Involved Shooting IS Justified.
‘https://listondonn.ph/anchorage-where-every-officer-involved-shooting-is-justified/
31 years here.
We moved to the valley. At least out here there are no DEI weirdos, homeless people in every street and public park, people peeing and pooping everywhere, weekly shootings, or tax and spend liberals.
Anchorage turned into a cesspool in about 2010. It has been worse ever since.
$165,000 a year salary, for promoting racism and anti-meritocratic hiring practices.
This woman should have to GIVE the municipality $165,000 per year for the damage that her DEI position is doing to it.
Talk about an absolute and shameful waste of money and resources!
Get back to working at the DMV, Kimberly, where you belong (if anywhere).
Or Walmart or Target – where she would have a bad attitude checking everyone out.
It’s time to start telling the truth about what’s going on in our country.
This communist sh$+ has to end.
Waller, just because you scrub your FB account doesn’t get rid of s@it! I thought you would be smarter than that. It NEVER goes away! You can run, but you can not hide.
Well, Anchorage, are you going to get out and vote these idiots out of your town or just whine?
“Since the position was created by the Assembly in 2021, it has seen a more than 43% increase in salary — in four years.”
Just wondering how many other people out there are in positions that had a salary increase of 43% in four years? It sure does not seem to be happening in the private sector. What happened to justify a 43% increase in just four years?
Those ethics violations need to be looked into and this position needs to be eliminated.
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