Longmont Multicultural Action Committee, or LMAC, is a City Council-initiated effort that promotes cultural understanding, inclusion and involvement in Longmont.
In the past, the committee has received $25,000 from the city of Longmont budget. As the 2025 budget process begins, the committee is asking for an additional $50,000 to increase its impact on the Longmont community.
In 2023, LMAC conducted a cultural needs assessment. The data revealed that 35 out of 100 respondents reported experiencing discrimination in the community at-large.
LMAC sponsors cultural events by giving grants that deepen relationships among people in the community. Some of those events include Cinco de Mayo, Day of the Dead, Juneteenth, Nepali Jatra and more.
The group, made up of volunteers, also partners with groups throughout the county including the Longmont Museum to host events such as “Voices of Change.” The information series is hosted at the museum and brings speakers to discuss their cultural experiences.
Sixty-four percent of the participants in the survey attended an event sponsored by LMAC within the last year and 90% said they had attended at least one event in their life. LMAC uses its $25,000 for grants that support these events and requires the event organizers to count attendance.
Participants in the survey also wanted to more accessibility at events, an increase in number of events regarding more cultures and an increase in marketing and awareness so the events can grow in popularity.
LMAC’s success in Longmont has drawn the eye of other municipalities and now serves as the statewide model for ways to expand cultural awareness in a city.
LMAC is asking the Longmont City Council for an additional $50,000 in the 2025 budget for a total budget of $75,000. Around $30,000 of the potential increase is allotted to increasing the number of events sponsored by the committee in the next year.
