Skip to main content

Precious Lives

 


Last night the Howard County Council was considering legislation to create a Racial Equity Task Force. Here is the letter I sent in support.

*****

I am writing to you today to support CR142, the legislation which will create a Racial Equity Task Force in Howard County. 

The issue of addressing the long history of racial inequity in our country has truly become the most pressing issue of our time. Generations of injustice continue to play out nationally and locally. We are all responsible for making our communities more fair, safe, healthy, and promising for those whose value has too long denied by our culture. 

I commend the Council for addressing in this issue. You are in good company. The Howard County School System has recently formulated new language  to fully articulate their policy on equity. The Howard County Library System outlines their commitment to equity in their most recent issue of Source.

These words from Library President and CEO Tonya Aikens could not be more clear:



It is heartening to learn that the Howard County Library System is one of 160 libraries nationwide that have shown a strong commitment to ending structural racism. With our schools and our library showing such unequivocal leadership, I feel strongly that the County Council has a clear path to undertaking this important work as well.

As you consider your vote to establish a Racial Equity Task Force, I ask you to ponder Ms. Aikens’ words:

We must be ever cognizant that precious lives make up the statistics on that list. Precious lives mistreated, disciplined more harshly than their White counterparts, denied opportunity, and unnecessarily cut short.

You are in a position to honor those precious lives by committing to begin the work so long overdue. Our county cannot be fully what we want it to be if we do not address our responsibilities to all our residents. 

*****

The Council voted 4-1 in support of establishing a Racial Equity Task Force in Howard County.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more