Did you watch “If You Lived Here?” last night? What did you think?
It was fun to see what they chose to highlight. Let’s face it, it’s exciting to see one’s own community on television when the show is meant to showcase its good qualities.
Did you see the new Horizon Foundation ad campaign last night? It struck me as rather ironic since I’d just seen the exuberant WETA real estate program.
They are right. It isn’t the full story.
As a top-ranked place to live, HoCo is the perfect place for racism to hide.
Here, Black residents are 3x more likely to get rejected for home loans.
Hispanic women are 5x more likely to receive late or no prenatal care.
It’s easy for white people to miss. For example: in last night’s episode of “If You Lived Here” how many people who were not white were featured? Korean Way on Route 40 is mentioned in passing. Benjamin Banneker, same. (Also: Banneker was not from Howard County.) I’ll have to go back and rewatch the entire episode but I’m pretty sure that there are no Black or Hispanic residents of Ellicott City in the entire thing.
Is this because the local people who worked with WETA are mean and horrible people? No, probably not. Racism is more than rock throwing or cross burning. Sometimes it is very nice people focusing on what they have always thought was important and not realizing what they are leaving out.
As pleasant and inviting as WETA’s visit to Ellicott City was, if I were a Black or Hispanic house hunter in this area I don’t think I’d feel invited. I’d expand that to include any potential resident who isn’t white.
It’s easy for us to miss. And possible for us to change.
The Horizon Foundation is kicking off a campaign to connect with members of the community.
Join the conversation.
We want to hear from you.
If you live in Howard County, we're inviting you to be a part of a conversation about how we can make our great county, great for all.
Even here, people of color face barriers to pursuing their best health. We're working together to change that and we're inviting you to join in.
I can’t help but feel that embarking on this initiative in the current political climate is bold if not downright frightening. It seems that one of the new administration’s highest priorities is to suppress conversations like these and disempower organizations whose goals are like those of the Horizon Foundation.
The Horizon Foundation works side-by-side with community to build power, advocate for policy change and dismantle structural racism to achieve better health for everyone in Howard County and greater Maryland. - - from the Horizon Foundation website
If you lived here you’d know that some folks find this topic uninteresting or even inappropriate. A vocal minority would like to make addressing these issues illegal. That’s what makes Howard County a perfect place for racism.
Still, I do believe it’s possible to change. Interested?
Sign up to join a conversation on how we can update laws and policies to make this great place, great for all.
Each of these ads contains a form to enter your contact information if you’d like to learn more and possibly participate in the conversation. If I can find a direct link, I will add it in here.
About the Ellicott City episode: I promise I will go back and rewatch it and, if my second viewing does not confirm my initial impression, I will come back to this space and clarify. I do think it’s important to realize that even the most (seemingly) benign actions can speak volumes about who we include and who we exclude.
It’s fun to be on television. Sometimes, though, it reveals more than we were expecting to see.
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