Fields took over as the executive director of the Human Relations Council on an interim basis in March 2018 and she was appointed to the position permanently in early 2019. Fields earned $57.43 per hour, or about $119,454 per year, according to documents in her personnel file.
Before becoming executive director, she previously worked as a community relations administrator with HRC. She joined the organization in 2012.
The Human Relations Council is in charge of enforcing civil rights laws, providing assistance to small-, women- and minority-owned businesses and overseeing community-relations initiatives focused on inclusivity, diversity and other equality goals.
Fields said she believes strongly in the HRC’s goals to improve equity, inclusion and access to opportunity. She said her new job will allow her to continue to advocate for these areas in a new capacity.
Fields is going to become director of place-based strategies with Learn to Earn, which she says will look at “systems-level change” in the community.
The HRC has been at the center of multiple budget and funding disputes between members of the Dayton City Commission.
Commissioners Darryl Fairchild and Shenise Turner-Sloss have said multiple times that the city isn’t properly funding the HRC, which they say makes it difficult for the organization to fulfill its important mission and goals.
Other members of the commission and city officials say they believe the HRC is receiving adequate funding.
Fields said these disagreements did not play a role in her decision to leave.
“I just think this was an incredible opportunity that I didn’t necessarily want to pass up, because I really, truly believe this allows for me to advocate in a different way,” she said. “People who know me know I have a love for community, and that’s never going to change.”
Fields said she wants to apply her skill set to a new role to try to address equities in the community and remove barriers to equality.
The city of Dayton has faced challenges across the entire organization when it comes to budget and capacity, Fields said, adding that the HRC’s challenges are not unique.
Fields said she did advocate for increased funding and staffing for the HRC, but said that was part of the job.
She said the city has filled the HRC’s vacant positions.
“I am confident the commission will support the mission of HRC and its programs,” Fields said.
The HRC has restructured in the last couple of years, and it’s going through some other changes. The HRC is no longer going to host the Minority Business Assistance Center (MBAC), which is expected to move over to the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. said, “I’m thankful for the work Erica has done over the past five years to lead the Human Relations Council. Throughout her 11-year tenure with the City of Dayton, she has been a strong advocate for HRC’s overall mission to improve equity and inclusion.”
Commissioner Fairchild said Fields is a talented leader.
“We will miss her intellect, skills and contributions,” he said.
He said the city needs to review what led her to seek employment elsewhere. He said he’s worried about what he calls the “lack of respect” that’s been displayed toward the HRC.
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