People’s Forum for Racial Equity

On September 19, over 200 people gathered at Visarts in Rockville for the People’s Forum for Racial Equity in Montgomery County.  The event was hosted by the MORE (Montgomery County Racial Equity) Network of which IMPACT is a member.

The event was designed to both educate and engage people around Bill 27-19, the Racial Equity and Social Justice Act released on September 17.   The bill was introduced by County Council President Nancy Navarro and co-sponsored by the other 8 members of the Council.

The forum opened with background on the racial history leading to today’s inequities and moved to a presentation on what residents can do to influence the equity and justice legislation (see the “Framework for Equity Legislation” below).  Council President Navarro then spoke to what inspired her to introduce Bill 27-19.  The forum closed with a panel of community activists sharing their thoughts on the legislation.

To view video of the forum in its entirety, please click HERE.

The “Framework for Racial Equity Legislation” reflects what the Network believes are both the best elements of equity and justice legislation from other jurisdictions and the essence of our community’s core values and lived experiences.  A brief analysis of Bill 27-19 through the lens of this framework was offered at the People’s Forum.