Thurston County diversity plans still pending two years after declaring racism a crisis
The county still has much work to do to improve its diversity.
From The Olympian:
Nearly two years after declaring racism a crisis, Thurston County still has much work to do to reach its stated goals.
The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved the declaration via resolution on March 9, 2021. At the time, County Manager Ramiro Chavez called the resolution a first step on a long road.
“It’s not about passing this resolution and pretending the problem has been solved,” Chavez said two years ago. “I believe that we as leaders have the obligation to set the stage for future generations to carry on with this.”
The resolution called for the county to develop a racial equity action plan by June 2021, establish a related policy advisory committee, and audit its hiring practices with the intent of recruiting and retaining Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
Almost two years later, the action plan has yet to be approved, and the advisory committee, now called the Thurston County Council on Racial Equity and Inclusion, is temporarily in limbo.
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I was a product of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So,it is undeniable that without it and with the continued conscious or unconscious racism that existed at the time in my home state of Texas I most likely would never have been hired or progressed in a managerial position. Unfortunately, prejudice and bias continue to exist to this day.
It is also unfortunate that laws snd resolutions alone cannot and will not solve this problem. Only a shift in our consciousness will erase the blemish of racism and the prejudice and bias that racism defines. Although laws and resolutions may force racial equity, the underlying prejudice and bias profiling continue to fester in the hearts of many.
Perhaps over time these resolutions and laws will gradually alter men’s attitudes and racism will die with our evolution.
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