In about a year on the job, Tamiko Stanley, the city's Equal Employment Opportunities manager, said she's already seen change.

It's not in the number of women and minorities joining the ranks of city employees; officials say significant change there will take time. But after a series of meetings in churches and community centers, Ms. Stanley said city government was winning over skeptics.

"We're moving in the direction of progress in reaching out to communities," Ms. Stanley said. "We have made a difference in a year. The whole perception is taking a new shift."

DIVERSITY MATTERS
A Special Report

Exploring efforts to build a culture of inclusion that reflects our community.

• Strengthening diversity adds multiple perspectives to corporate issues
• Experience guides diversity officer's efforts to go beyond traditional programs
• City's outreach efforts build for the future
• Multicultural Arts Initiative's new director broadens perspectives
• Commentary: Benefits of diversity outweigh the fears it evokes
• Understanding is key to marketing to different demographics
• Bridging generation gaps brings more folks into the fold
• State forced to confront growing Latino population
• White men are often missing from discussions about diversity (with video)
• Commentary: Companies benefit by developing more inclusive work environments

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Ms. Stanley and city personnel director Barbara Trant started the outreach effort -- dubbed DiverCity 365 -- last year. Through meetings and the help of community and religious organizations, residents in neighborhoods across the city are encouraged to apply for jobs. They also are instructed on how to navigate the civil service process, sometimes a daunting task.

But the most effective part of the outreach, Ms. Trant said, is the testimonials from city employees.

"When you have a black female firefighter up there talking about her career, that's powerful stuff," Ms. Trant said.

The result has been a sizable jump in women and minority job applicants to the fire department and a measured increase in minority police applicants.

But Celeste Taylor, vice chairwoman of the Black Political Empowerment Project, contended that the outreach efforts have been a mixed bag, and pointed out that flashy campaigns such as providing summer jobs to area youths weren't enough.

"I am disappointed in what we perceive to be successful," Ms. Taylor said. "If we say providing 250 jobs to high schoolers is good because of the 250th anniversary, I don't think that's enough. I think combining policy with PR campaigns that aren't really adequate is a bad thing. I wish they would stop that."

Ms. Taylor and Heather Arnet, of the Women & Girls Foundation, also pointed to the still-low numbers of women and minorities receiving city paychecks. Overall, 27 percent of city employees are women and 22 percent are minorities.

Pushed by activist groups, the City Council recently hired Evergreen Solutions to produce a study on women and minorities in the workplace. Beginning in October, Evergreen will look at how those groups are paid and examine if they are tracked to lower level positions than their white male counterparts.

Ms. Trant said she was looking forward to the study's results, and noted that change probably is needed in compensation metrics that were created in the 1960s.

Aside from employees, female and minority contractors also are seeking a bigger piece of the city's financial pie.

Phil Petite, manager of the Equal Opportunity Review Commission, and Ed Gainey, a community development specialist, also have approached that through community engagement.

The city has held seminars with small businesses that alert them to opportunities and help them through the regulatory maze of seeking contracts. Mr. Petite said the events were race-neutral, drawing new participants of all backgrounds into the contracting process.

"You're not going to get rich contracting with the city," Mr. Petite said with a laugh. "But it builds your portfolio and credibility."

Mr. Petite said the commission is targeting 25 percent participation by female- and minority-owned businesses; so far this year that number is 23 percent.

He pointed to the $290 million Penguins arena project, for which a minority-owned company earned a $7 million electrical contract last month. Mr. Petite said he expected 20 percent to 25 percent of arena contracts to be awarded to businesses owned by women or minorities.

Officials say homegrown success stories such as developer Keith Key -- whose company, KBK Enterprises, recently earned a $21 million contract from the Housing Authority -- will help keep talented young minorities in the city.

"This is about doing good business for the people we serve," Mr. Gainey said.

Though not thrilled with much of the city's work, Ms. Taylor praised the outreach of Mr. Gainey and Mr. Petite, as well as the Sports and Exhibition Authority, which is building the arena.

"They really know their stuff," Ms. Taylor said. "I would encourage that they be supported more. Maybe they need more staff. Certainly more things need to be put online -- my goodness, it's just awful."

"Our recruitment programs have been flourishing for a year now, but it will take time for the numbers to shift," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said in an e-mail statement.

"Every increase in our applicant pool due to our diligent recruitment is one more individual we've reached. We must be patient and keep working hard."