The anguish around race that has been witnessed here and across our nation has moved me to find ways to make Acton a more welcoming place to live. I joined the Steering Committee of Racial Justice for Black Lives (RJ4BL) community group in Acton and I am working with others in this community group to encourage conversations at many levels about how we untangle the legacy of generations of racial inequities. Recent conversations I’ve had in our town lead me to understand our untapped potential to be a healthy, thriving community. I look forward to working alongside other Acton residents to actively oppose and denounce racism in our town. Recent events have shown us how racial slurs, as well as less overt actions, harm the intended victims while simultaneously impacting the greater community, especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). In order to shift the narrative from “Does racism happen here?” to “How else can we dismantle systemic racism?”, town-wide education and anti-racism work will be an area of my focus. I wholeheartedly support the Town of Acton’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Commission (DEIC); the experience and wisdom of the DEIC members are invaluable in our ongoing work to create a more welcoming future for Acton that celebrates our diversity.
DEI Initiatives I’d like to work with stakeholders in our community to implement:
- Work with the town to include a registrar or other reporting/recording mechanism for Town residents to report civil incidents of harassment based on racial, ethnic, religious, national origin or gender factors so that Town leadership and management can update their understanding of current conditions.
- DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) should be taken into consideration when hiring for relevant positions in Town staff. Responsibility and accountability for those considerations should be assigned to specific Town positions.
Interview with Acton Boxborough Students for Equity & Justice (ABSEJ)
You can learn even more about my views during this interview with Ashley Dawn of ABSEJ on behalf of RJ4BL: