Dear Neighbor,
The City of Berkeley issued the following news release yesterday:

City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley invites everyone in Berkeley to participate in an online Town Hall this evening to hear from and talk to her, our Police Chief and our Health Officer in a conversation about race, health and policing in this time of pandemic.

"This pandemic has bluntly exposed deep, systemic inequities in our nation - issues that Berkeley is not immune from," said Williams-Ridley, the first African-American woman to be Berkeley's City Manager. "Even while sheltering in place for safety, it's critical that we talk so we can connect on such fundamental issues."

Virtual Town Hall: Race, Health and Policing in a Time of Pandemic
TODAY, Thurs., June 11, 7 p.m.
Phone: +1 669 900 9128, Webinar ID: 827 6551 2167

Please submit questions ahead of time via  manager@cityofberkeley.info to allow as many people as possible to ask questions.

Systemic change comes from the ground up. Williams-Ridley will talk about the work of the City to address race and equity in how the City delivers services.

Police Chief Andrew Greenwood will talk about the work he and the department have done and continue working on to carry on  Berkeley's long tradition of progressive, community-oriented policing .

Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez will talk about  health inequities in Berkeley , as well as how those inequities can predispose people for serious illness with Covid-19. 

Everyone is invited to ask questions or just listen.

"Systemic change requires that people work together, listen, and understand each other," said Williams-Ridley. "It doesn't happen by edict. My goal is for us to connect so we can deepen that work."

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