NC Makes Moves To Implement Anti Racism Practices

We at DJN are always on the look out for cities and states trying to bring more accountability and justice to our communities.

We like and support the progress in NC and hope more cities and states will follow- as well as the NC government actually doing what they say!

“Local elected officials have said the Buncombe County government will now make and implement plans to reduce racism and racial disparities in multiple areas, ranging from higher death rates among Black babies to higher arrest rates among minority adults.

The county's Board of Commissioners voted unanimously June 15 to pass a racial equity plan that calls for measurable improvements in the health, education, income, criminal justice outcomes and other life experiences of Black residents. 

The vote by six Democrats and one Republican follows the county's 2020 declarations that racism is a public health and safety crisis and that the county should join Asheville in giving reparations to Black residents for slavery, discrimination and racially motivated killings.

Democratic District 1 Commissioner Al Whitesides, the first African American to serve on the county's governing body, called the plan the best he had seen of many. Speaking before the vote, Whitesides recalled as a 1962 college freshman interacting with Martin Luther King Jr., who told him and his classmates that working for racial justice "would be a lifetime job."

"I do feel we are getting somewhere finally," he said. "When you think of the contributions that we have made, the conventions that were taken away from us, and when you see that we don't have the generational wealth that we should have, at least let's start now making up for some of it."

The plan is to start by assessing the disparities that exist. It then names 18 areas where improvements should be made and assigns county departments or other groups to be accountable for them.

Improving "health and human service outcomes for most impacted communities" is among them. That means reducing Black infant mortality and building "culturally focused programming that builds resilience of youth" and reduces "negative risky behaviors," the plan says.

Some other areas for change:

Enhance equitable economic drivers

• Expand Black business ownership in the community.

• Support workforce development initiatives that address earnings and wealth gap.

• Support developmental programs that increase graduation rates.

• Expand enrollment opportunities and participation in early childhood education.

• Strengthen education partnerships to reduce college and career readiness gaps.

Improve justice outcomes for the most impacted communities

• Partner with community, schools and justice system to end the school-to-prison pipeline and prevent youth from entering the criminal justice system.

• Work with justice stakeholders and community partners to develop and implement a plan to reduce community violence and increase community safety.

• Enhance community safety by providing trauma-informed criminal justice responses for the Black community.

• Develop crisis response plan and initiative that reduces arrest rates for low-level offenses.

• Provide opportunities for culturally competent and diverse programming/service options for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities served by the Family Justice Center and the Coordinated Community Response to Domestic and Sexual Violence; for both survivors and individuals using harm (offenders).

• Coordinate with justice and community partners to reduce adult and juvenile recidivism and enhance reentry planning and programming.

Improve housing outcomes for the most impacted communities

• Target funding to address specific affordable housing needs for BIPOC populations, ensuring geographic regions and specific populations receive the appropriate housing intervention.

• Revise the county’s affordable housing strategy in light of changing housing needs to address BIPOC population needs across all age groups.

• Recommend strategies to address any gaps in service in meeting the needs of the chronically homeless and those experiencing mental health conditions in BIPOC populations.

• Review developmental ordinances to determine if BIPOC populations are disproportionately and harmfully impacted by their application.

• Collaborate with local, state and federal entities, as well as community partners, to create affordable housing for BIPOC populations and eliminate barriers to fair housing.

• Provide BIPOC populations with access to home repair and energy efficiency services.

• Sustain and expand rates of BIPOC homeownership.

Some members of the public speaking at the meeting criticized the plan for not bringing in conservative voices or focusing on people's intentions.

"Are we just talking about things like 'white fragility' and 'microaggressions'?" asked Asheville resident Grant Millin.

But Democratic District 2 Commissioner Amanda Edwards said the county staff and volunteer residents who put the plan together over 16 months used "thoroughness and kindness and compassion."

"I've said many times that part of what we do as government is to take care of people," she said. "And we are acknowledging that our communities of color have not been treated equitably and fairly."

Along with the plan, the county will hire a chief equity and human rights officer, with officials announcing a national search for the position. The officer will report directly to the county manager and be responsible for carrying out the plan among other duties.

That follows a similar move by the city, which created an equity office and hired a director in 2017. That office was lauded for its achievements but faced turmoil after its director quit, citing lack of support from the city manager. The city is in the process of hiring a new director.”

https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/2021/06/16/buncombe-county-nc-passes-racial-equity-plan-cut-systemic-racism-racial-disparities/7709948002/