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Coalition Statement on Racial Justice

When the One Good Job Plan in 2015 was created it began with an apology to the community for the legacy of racism that has harmed members our community since its founding —from slavery, to redlining, “urban renewal,” and aggressive policing. We understood then that apologizing was not enough. We needed action and change then and we still need it now.

The unjust killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor have demonstrated just how little progress we have made on achieving true racial justice.

The fate of these 3 individuals is a reality all too well known in the communities of black and brown people. The protesting has finally focused attention on the stark differences in experiences and outcomes for black and brown Americans compared to white Americans.  The next step towards real, lasting change must come from the policy makers and people in positions of power listening to activists and the disenfranchised in order to design a more equitable and just society. We are calling upon our government officials and law enforcement for greater reform of the unjust system in place that has hindered generations.

Consider this evidence of injustice rooted in systemic racism. In Lancaster City, black and African American people make up 16% of the population and make up 33% of those living in poverty. In Lancaster County the disparity is even more pronounced with Black and African American people making up 3.5% of the population and 26.7% of the people living in poverty. (According to 2018 American Community Survey data.) This is unacceptable.

Over the past three weeks, we have reflected on our work and where that has fallen short of our goals; on our own complicity in systemic racism, and how we can be more explicitly committed to antiracism and racial equity as individuals and as a coalition of organizations. Now is the time to restructure, to translate our research into firm advocacy on policy, and most importantly, to better include those living in poverty in our community, especially our black and brown neighbors.

We affirm and stand with our partners who have already made commitments towards better aligning their organizations, services, and resources towards a genuine equity agenda. Together, we will hold each other accountable towards achieving a Lancaster where the color of one’s skin never determines their ability to thrive. The past few weeks we have been inspired by a new crop of leaders, and by thousands of our neighbors accepting that the work ahead is not someone else’s responsibility. It belongs to all of us. And the Coalition to Combat Poverty is committed to amplifying their voices and working alongside them.

reflection: quotes from the Commission’s Community Conversation Meeting in 2015