SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – Supervisors in Santa Clara County are addressing racial inequities.
“I believe to change history, you must confront it,” Cindy Chavez said.
County Supervisor Cindy Chavez says the resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis is long overdue.
“We’re committed to equity, justice, inclusive collaboration with the Black community and a hard stand toward the elimination of systemic racism, institutional racial inequality and making the meaningful changes that will impact the children who come long after us,” Chavez said.
The resolution supports the Black Lives Matter movement encouraged by the proposal are the N.A.A.C.P and other civil rights and activist groups who vowed to hold policy-makers accountable for what they say is long overdue action to address racial inequities.
“We are defined by the battles we dare fight. The challenge before us is to keep hope alive despite our enemies the magnitude of our barriers,” Rev. Jethro Moore said.
“This resolution confirms that Black Lives Matter, condemns racial violence and commits the county to work with Black communities toward the elimination of institutional and systemic racism,” Walter Wilson said.
“And if we’re going to talk about inequity we need to talk about reparations because we can’t level the playing field without closing all of those gaps,” Latoya Fernandez said.
Actvists are calling for policies that address police misbehavior toward minorities, alleged discrimination in the courts and jail and the disprportionate impact of the pandemic on Black and brown people.
A second resolution to declare Juneteenth a countywide holiday will be proposed by county Supervisor Dave Cortese.
“The events of the past month are a clear reminder that we must all address this issue together. I believe strongly that we are all equal and as Dr. Martin Luther King said, the content of our character should be the sole factor for which we should be judged,” Cortese said.
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