Empower and Equip the Racial Equity “Director”

Open Letter

Senate Government Operations

Regarding S.120

Mark Hughes
Racial Justice Alliance Coordinator
Justice For All Executive Director

March 5, 2019

Madam Chair,

Please take up S.120 as soon as possible.

The position of Racial Equity Director, poised to be selected this Month must be given the appropriate authority to serve effectively in his or her capacity.  Currently the legislation places this person at the level of a director with full expectation of effective collaborative engagement with contemporaries who are Cabinet level Secretaries and Commissioners. Further, the statute has provision for the Governor to place this person under the secretary of administration.

Clarity around the positions responsibilities and scope of authority are required to ensure that this position is being set up to succeed in the vital work of systemic racism mitigation.  If there is a serious commitment to the work that we are charging this person to accomplish, we must give serious consideration to ensuring that we set this person up in the best possible way for success.

The Attorney General and the Human Rights Commission Act 54 Task Force released a report in 2017. The Act 54 Task Force report concluded, “People of Color have waited far too long for the equality we promise in word but not deed. It is time to remedy that wrong”. 

Please ensure that S.120 crosses over for 2019 passage.

Thank you for your service.

Respectfully