The town’s Task Force Against Discrimination has a new member, and she’s looking to bring her perspective to the table.
Kim Gubelman moved into town with her family from Stoneham three years ago, and this year is the first that both of her children are in the Marblehead School District, attending the Glover kindergarten and preschool programs.
She said that her interest in becoming a member of the task force stemmed from her passion for volunteering and wanting to learn more about the town.
“That’s where it all began in terms of my interest in volunteering and just getting to know the town more now that we’ve kind of settled in,” Gubelman said.
That’s when she saw the vacant position on the task force and applied. She was then interviewed by the Select Board, along with two other candidates, and appointed on April 26. A day later, she attended her first task force meeting as a member.
Gubelman said that her personal life aligns with her interest in the task force. Both of her children are biracial, and as a Vietnamese American, she wants them to become educated on different cultures and backgrounds.
“I want them to embrace all different cultures, especially cultures that I have grown up with. I just feel like it’s important for them to learn to embrace and to start seeing that within their classmates or in the school system. This is setting such a great example for our kids, just for them to know that their mom is involved in this task force or just being involved in promoting diversity,” Gubelman said.
In her professional life, Gubelman works in the the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University, and is involved with a number of committees that have goals to “build community amongst staff, faculty, and students,” promote diversity, and retain staff.
“I have a really keen interest within DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) work within my professional life,” she said.
“This is something that I am naturally swayed towards just because I want to really represent that, to represent the fact that I am a part of a diverse staff,” Gubelman added. “My background was very different from other colleagues, and I think just making myself known and making myself visible in this space really adds to the whole mission within our college and university at large.”
When asked about what she wanted to accomplish as a member of the task force, she said that she initially wants to observe and learn as much as she can from other members. After being sworn in on April 27, Gubelman was appointed to a subcommittee for the Festival of Arts, which will happen in early July. She called the Marblehead Task Force Against Discrimination “the epitome” of promoting diversity, and is looking forward to what lies ahead as a new member.
“I’m excited to just start this new adventure and work with colleagues who are passionate about this subject as well,” Gubelman said.