LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday in support of a strategic plan to craft antiracist policies and practices aimed at helping Black people in Los Angeles County.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas authored the motion requesting that the board declare racism a matter of public health and prioritize eliminating biases from county operations and programs.
“It is incumbent upon those of us who sit in positions of authority to begin dismantling systemic racial bias within the entities for which we are responsible,” Ridley-Thomas said.
“It’s no longer sufficient to support diversity and inclusion initiatives. The county has made great strides toward addressing and eliminating implicit bias. It is time to advance to the next level,” he said. `The county must move to identify and confront explicit institutional racism to set the national standard and become a leader of antiracist policymaking and program implementation.
The board directed CEO Sachi Hamai to quarterback a strategic plan to prioritize physical and mental health, housing, employment, public safety and justice in an equitable way for Black residents. A report back is expected in 60 days.
Hamai was also asked to commission an annual report by an academic or research institution to annually track the sate of Black Los Angeles County and offer recommendations for supporting local, regional, state and federal initiatives that advance efforts to dismantle systemic racism. Reports would include economic and law enforcement data related to Blacks countywide.
More than 1,000 people registered their support of the motion, according to Ridley-Thomas.
“We need that community base of support and those organizations. We need the private sector, we need schools, universities, faith-based institutions and again, most importantly, the constituents that we serve to bring instances of structural racism to our attention and partner with us to end it,” he said.
Black people make up about 9% of the population in Los Angeles County, but according to the motion, they also represent:
— 11% of COVID-19 related fatalities;
— 27% of the people shot or seriously injured by law enforcement (as of 2017);
— Nearly 30% of the overall population in county jails; and
— 34% of the population experiencing homelessness.
An analysis by UCLA on unemployment in California during the COVID-19 crisis found that as many as 22% of Black workers were jobless.
Ridley-Thomas’ proposal follows the May 25 killing of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, which set off nationwide protests. He said protesters took to the streets in opposition to “structural racism and discrimination, asymmetrical consolidation of power, extreme wealth and income inequity — all of which disproportionately disadvantage Black people.”
Last week, the heads of various Los Angeles County departments issued a statement — now prominently displayed on the county’s website — pledging to stand against racism.
“We acknowledge that as government leaders, we have an opportunity to change the narrative on the role of government and its relationship to the communities it serves,” the statement reads. “We stand against racism in any form and pledge to use our offices to advance racial and social equity, diversity and fairness.”
In addition to his call for a strategic shift, Ridley-Thomas’ motion includes support for 67 specific recommendations put forth by the Ad Hoc Committee for Black People Experiencing Homelessness and asks that the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority be given what it needs to implement those ideas.
Supervisor Hilda Solis said the issue was galvanizing the board.
“Let’s change the trajectory for our young people, so that they can have the aspirations and hopes that this country should have afforded them and their ancestors many, many years ago,” Solis said.
Supervisor Janice Hahn said racism had reached crisis proportions, leading to unacceptable disparities.
“These last few months have been a wake-up call for all of us. And it’s not enough to be not racist, we must also be antiracist,” Hahn said. “It’s time that we look at our own institutions and examine how they have contributed to the persistent discrimination and inequality that has held Black L.A. County residents back.”
The county CEO spoke emotionally about her parents and grandparents being held in World War II internment camps for Japanese Americans.
“It fueled my personal sense of injustice, of what is right and wrong in our society’s treatment of our fellow human beings. It was part of what called me to public service,” Hamai said. “This is our moment, this is our opportunity as a county to meaningfully address not only systematic, anti-Black racism but to take our place at the forefront of the antiracist moment that will define our time.”
Separately, on a 4-1 vote with Supervisor Kathryn Barger dissenting, the board voted to draft a county charter amendment for the November ballot that would dedicate a minimum of 10% of the county’s general fund to be spent on direct community investment and alternatives to incarceration, none of which could be distributed through law enforcement agencies.
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LAC says
Anti-white racism is apparently OK.
Robert says
BLM has set us back 150 years.
Reform says
Yea, now only if the 1 out of 6 white people would stop the violent protesting in the name of BLM.
Robert is so 19th century says
No, Robert That’s just you. You were already back 150 years before now.
Diane says
Los Angeles City Council, dedicated to making Mexifornia a paradise, for the hoodlums, the punks, the shoplifters and the gangbangers –
Citizens" Rights Watch says
I agree 100%. And don’t forget the disloyal communists on the LA County “Bored” of Supervisors.
Citizens' Rights Watch is Insane says
You are unhinged Citizen’s Rights Watch.
Take your meds.
Bob says
Antelope Valley is a 3rd World Country.
I want out more than anything.
Death may be the only way
Citizens' Rights Watch Is Insane says
So, Bob why don’t you check out Em eye ess ess eye ess ess eye pea pea eye or Alabama or now Florida which is a mess due to Gov. Desantis(R) doing like Trump and people are dying LIKE A 3RD WORLD COUNTRY.
Are they dying here in the Antelople Valley like in Florida?
Ron says
Bob im moving to Montana in about a year. Some of my family is already there. Be living right on the Beautiful Whitefish lake. Got to sell my house first. Its worth about 500,000. Cant wait to leave this Dump. Been here since 1965.
Gail says
Whensoever they riot, throw ‘um a bone? These knee-jerk, lopsided, misguided policies only serve to pander to the black community, further encouraging civil disobedience, and to even greater extent, further underlining everyone elses’ resolve avoiding violent, socially irresponsible, counter-cultural African-American society, like the plague –
Rory says
Well, Gail, it’s interesting to see how what the Black community does vexes you and others not in it.
Imagine if whatever community you call home had young male unarmed members being killed by police on a regular basis with no consequences. And, that’s been happening for decades.
Doesn’t that put your complaints in perspective? Or not, if you aren’t inclined to think beyond yourself.
surfside 6 says
Beautiful revelation liberals! Maybe LA won’t fire you for not doing this all along….
Alby says
“And it’s not enough to be not racist, we must also be anti-racist.” Meaning what? That physical harm should be brought to someone that expressed an honest or dishonest racial or bias opinion? Are black people gonna start peeking nosey ears into their neighbors backyards out of concern that something racial might be said? I smell a desperate attempt at racial superiority and infringement on everyones constitutional rights. “Gimme Gimme!” “Please listen to me or I’ll loot your store and get away with it!” “Incude me in your nonsense that I dont understand anyways so I can exploit it and pull out the racial card at the right time and get free money.” That’s all I hear under the surface of it all. The “BLM” movement is an insult to many American Individuals of all races.
AV Resident says
Ridley Thomas is an incompetent fool. How long has the government been feeding the black populace with affirmative action and welfare. This is nothing new and it’s a failure.
These enablers, like Ridley Thomas, need to get to the real root of the problem……young black men impregnating young unwed black women, black households with an 80 percent unwed single mother raising these illegitimate children, no father figure, no responsibility by the sperm donors.
A recipe for disaster, with black crime on the rise.
But, according to Ridley Thomas, Whitey and everyone else is the problem.
He can go to heck, IMO.
Bye! says
Ridley Thomas will be voted out very soon. He was a token vote on the Board of Supervisors to make the black community feel like they had a voice. Now that they are less than 9% of the population for LA county as a whole, he will be gone soon.
Fed Up says
Don’t run from police and comply with requests from law enforcement officers and you won’t get shot.
Don’t commit crimes and you won’t go to jail.
Stay in school, get a job and you’ll be able to rent a room or an apartment, or even buy a house and support yourself and your family.
Don’t riot in the company of thousands and you won’t put yourself at risk for covid in the first place.
Policy says
Who will LAC discriminate against?
barbi says
… here we go again, with the affirmative action –
Stfu says
cry us a river
Gg says
Stfu
Jonathan says
Liberals are miserable, petty, sniveling, intolerant, abusive, and prone to whim. Theoretically impeccable opposing viewpoints, profoundly hurts their feelings, which causes them to lash out, with profanity and namecalling. Not to save their lives can they objectively examine both sides to an issue.
Reform says
Obviously you can’t Jonathan. Can you say hypocrite?
Roger says
How often do alt-left liberals bathe? Except for rubbing elbows with all those greasy, sweaty, stinky, antisocial, sourpuss, stuck-up, knit-picky liberals, I generally liked liked shopping at the Trader Joe.
Dave says
Did you hear what Rep. Yoho(R) (what a name) called AOC? Can’t type it here.
Yeah that’s Republicans for you. Old men caling a young congresswoman from New York bad names. She showed that she was way smarter and more powerful than he is or every will be.
But, Yoho is just like Trump always badmouthing women while his wife has cut him off. Poor Donnie. And, his niece Mary Trump has told us how sick he is.
Catch up Jonathan.