FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
mrharris@howardcountymd.gov
cgelwicks@howardcountymd.gov
Councilmembers Jones and Rigby Announce
Racial Equity Actions in Howard County
Ellicott City, MD (June 23, 2020)
– In response to the systemic injustices that have sparked community conversations in the United States, Councilmembers Opel Jones and Christiana Rigby are advocating for the following County Council actions:
Within the Council office, Jones and Rigby are renewing their call for unconscious bias and racial equity training for Councilmembers and County Council staff. This training was requested shortly after the Council’s installation. Jones and Rigby believe that this training is essential, especially for those in public office. The Councilmembers hope that their colleagues will support this unconscious bias and racial equity training, and they look forward to participating as a body in the coming months.
This fall, Howard County Councilmembers Opel Jones and Christiana Rigby also plan to introduce legislation establishing a racial equity task force for Howard County. The task force will be charged with evaluating county policies that have contributed to inequities and recommending legislative actions to close racial disparities in our community. The task force will be comprised of subcommittees exploring county issues including discriminatory land-use and zoning decisions, personal and public safety, and workforce and economic development.
For these efforts to be successful, Jones and Rigby encourage advocates and community members to contact their offices if they would like to be involved or submit recommendations on these efforts. To receive updates, please email the Councilmembers at
ojones@howardcountymd.gov
and
crigby@howardcountymd.gov
.
###
